Loan requests

The Worcester Art Museum welcomes requests from museums around the world to borrow works of art for exhibition purposes.

Notice – Temporary loans moratorium

Please note that the Worcester Art Museum will not be lending any additional works from the collection from September 1, 2024–February 1, 2026 to allow our staff to focus on several exciting projects here at the museum. If your loan request falls within these dates, we unfortunately will not be able to lend to your exhibition. We will continue to honor and plan for any previously approved loan requests that fall within these dates.

How to request a loan

We encourage you to reach out to our Curatorial Department at collectionsandexhibitions@worcesterart.org to discuss your request well in advance of your exhibition.

At least one year before your exhibition opens, please submit a formal request letter and a copy of your museum’s facility report to the Director’s Office at:

Matthias Waschek
Jean and Myles McDonough Director
Worcester Art Museum
55 Salisbury Street
Worcester, MA 01609

Your request letter should include:

  • Exhibition title
  • Exhibition organizer name
  • Names, locations, and dates of all exhibition venues
  • Contact information for key members of the exhibition team
  • Work(s) requested, including full cataloguing information and WAM object number(s)
  • Summary of your exhibition, including the value that the requested work(s) will add to it
  • Any other relevant details, including information on planned programming, an accompanying exhibition catalogue, etc.

What to expect

  • After your request arrives, WAM will send an acknowledgment notice confirming receipt.
  • WAM will review your request, taking into account the safety of the artwork, its place in the exhibition, the nature of the exhibition, any pre-existing commitments, and any impact on WAM’s own galleries.
  • WAM will communicate any conservation or preparation work required for the object to travel, including cost estimates, when available.
  • Final approval for all loan requests is granted by the Board of Trustees, which meets on a regular basis throughout the year.
  • WAM will share whether your request has been approved as soon as possible. Please note, though, that the review process can take several months.
  • If your request is approved, WAM will be in touch with an Outgoing Loan Agreement outlining details of the loan and any object-specific requirements.

Loan costs

If approved, the borrowing institution will pay any and all costs associated with the loan. These costs may include, but are not limited to:

  • Loan administration fee ($250 for first object, $100 per additional object to one exhibition)
  • Conservation assessment fee ($100 per object)
  • Conservation treatment
  • Glazing
  • Framing
  • Mount-making
  • Packing and crating
  • Fine art shipping
  • Fine art insurance
  • Courier travel
  • Costs necessary to comply with WAM’s display requirements (e.g., display cases)