Ig you’ve ever wondered what happens after you file your return, this week’s blog post details the IRS review process for art donations.

A question we often hear from donors considering which museums to support is how financially healthy the institution is. Our Co-Founder and CEO, Robert Wainstein, breaks down the sources of museum funding, roughly how much of a museum’s budget each represents, and, importantly, where donors can make a meaningful difference.

Museum Exchange helps artists navigate the complex path toward museum recognition by connecting exceptional works with curators across the country. Through its role as a neutral intermediary between artists, galleries, estates, collectors, and institutions, Museum Exchange creates opportunities for artworks to enter public collections and support long-term artistic legacies. By facilitating museum acquisitions, these relationships can grow into deeper partnerships, exhibitions, and renewed visibility for artists at every stage of their careers.

We're excited to introduce the first major evolution of the Museum Exchange catalogue. These enhancements are designed to provide donors with greater control and flexibility, help institutions prioritize opportunities more effectively, and accelerate the matching process for everyone.

A look back at selected donations completed in Spring 2026 including works by Alison Saar, Trevor Paglen, Rob Pruitt, and Ouattara Watts, among others.

Notes from the 2026 Association of Academic Museums and Galleries Annual Conference.

Announcing the launch of the Museum Exchange Help Center. This new resource within our platform will bring answers to our most frequently asked questions right to you. Designed to serve as both a comprehensive knowledge base and an on-demand support tool, the Help Center offers guidance whenever you need it.

Further insight into our work with the Martin Z. Margulies Foundation.

For our latest member spotlight, we are delighted to feature Kenyon College, a liberal arts institution in Gambier, Ohio that boasts a robust public art collection and an ambitious teaching museum, The Gund.

A look at the landmark Fisher Collection gift to SFMOMA.

A look back at selected donations completed in Winter 2026 including works by Amy Bravo, Mateo López, Yuichi Higashionna, and Marnie Weber, among others.

Read about Museum Exchange’s 2025 Year in Review, highlighted by 562 gifts of art to 86 organizations across 33 states.

A look back at the five most-sought after artists featured in our catalogues in 2025.

A spotlight on the collecting activities of our member museum Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa.

A helpful guide to shipping your art by our Senior Platform Manager.

Announcing the launch of new features that simplify the donation process. With these updates, users will be able to book and track shipping, manage tasks, and service editing donor-institution relationship—all within Museum Exchange.

Discover new placements made to our partner museums, hospitals, and universities in Fall 2025.

Key takeaways from the Association of Registrars and Collection Specialists (ARCS) Conference, which offered a valuable look behind the scenes at how museums and other cultural organizations manage—and overcome challenges in managing—the collections entrusted to their care.

Our CEO Robert Wainstein summarizes the key insights from an IRS Appraisals panel hosted by the Appraisers Association of America, arming donors with the information they need to remain IRS compliant.

Our key takeaways from Remuseum’s latest report “More Art for More People in More Places,” exploring the current state of collecting at US museums, including the challenges they face in sustaining their collections and innovative models that some are employing to overcome them.