Acquisition programs

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The Museum uses two standing frameworks: gifts from donors and acquisition programs funded by Meme Card proceeds. Every acquisition is documented separately, from proposal through accession.

Explore the collection Acquisitions

Collecting frameworks

Two ways the Museum builds the Collection

Gifts are offered by donors. Meme Card-funded acquisition programs use the proceeds and terms of a named Meme Card to acquire or commission work under the program's rules.

Gifts

Donors offer works to the Museum. Accepted and accessioned gifts become part of the permanent Collection.

CENTURY #31Casey ReasGift of punk6529; Casey REAS; CENTURY #31; 6529 Network Museum, 6529NM.2026.001.01. Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.
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Patrolling the border between the Negev Desert and JordanDavid SeymourDavid Seymour, Negev, 1952. © David Seymour/Magnum Photos 2022.
Completed gifts
Casey Reas, Magnum Photos, and Vera Molnár
The Museum has accepted and accessioned gifts of work by Casey Reas, five Magnum photographers, and Vera Molnár, in collaboration with Martin Grasser. Each gift has its own curatorial and accession record.
Open · 3 acquisitions
Named acquisitions
- The System in Seven StatesCasey Reas
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
- Conflict at Its EdgesDavid Seymour · Larry Towell · Micha Bar-Am · Moisés Saman · Lorenzo Meloni
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
- A Gift of Themes and Variations #210Vera Molnár · Martin Grasser
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
View program

Meme Card-funded acquisition programs

A named Meme Card can fund an acquisition program. The card's proceeds and adopted terms support the program's scope, selection, and acquisition work.

Take the Key!GulYildizGulYildiz — Take the Key!; Keys and Gates presentation record
First program
Keys and Gates
Keys and Gates is the first Meme Card-funded acquisition program. Selected photographic works are being prepared for acquisition and accession.
Accession in progress · 1 acquisition
Named acquisitions
- Keys and GatesGulYildiz · HugoFaz · nasimghanizadeh · intrepid · ikertje · GIANT · priyanka · Rakesh · pandelic · Minalisa · Teyhu · arsonic · Zoku · shamspranto · Veerendra
  Selected through an acquisition program; unminted
View program

Collecting methods

Acquisition methods

A framework describes how the Museum organizes collecting. An acquisition method describes how a particular work is obtained. Accession records the formal decision to add it to the permanent Collection.

Gift: A donor gives the Museum a specified work or group of works.
Purchase: The Museum buys a specified work, directly or through an approved acquisition program.
Commission or primary mint: The Museum commissions a new work or acquires it when it is first minted.
Bequest, exchange, or transfer: The Museum may also receive a work through an estate, an exchange, or a transfer from another holder.

A work enters the permanent Collection after formal accession. Offers, selections, mints, and wallet transfers remain earlier steps in the record.

Program, acquisition, and accession

A program sets a collecting scope. An acquisition is a specific work or group of works obtained through that program. Accession is the final act that adds each accepted work to the permanent Collection.

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Acquisition programs

The Museum uses two standing frameworks: gifts from donors and acquisition programs funded by Meme Card proceeds. Every acquisition is documented separately, from proposal through accession.

Explore the collection Acquisitions

Collecting frameworks

Two ways the Museum builds the Collection

Gifts are offered by donors. Meme Card-funded acquisition programs use the proceeds and terms of a named Meme Card to acquire or commission work under the program's rules.

Gifts

Donors offer works to the Museum. Accepted and accessioned gifts become part of the permanent Collection.

CENTURY #31Casey ReasGift of punk6529; Casey REAS; CENTURY #31; 6529 Network Museum, 6529NM.2026.001.01. Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.
Loading image.
Patrolling the border between the Negev Desert and JordanDavid SeymourDavid Seymour, Negev, 1952. © David Seymour/Magnum Photos 2022.
Completed gifts
Casey Reas, Magnum Photos, and Vera Molnár
The Museum has accepted and accessioned gifts of work by Casey Reas, five Magnum photographers, and Vera Molnár, in collaboration with Martin Grasser. Each gift has its own curatorial and accession record.
Open · 3 acquisitions
Named acquisitions
- The System in Seven StatesCasey Reas
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
- Conflict at Its EdgesDavid Seymour · Larry Towell · Micha Bar-Am · Moisés Saman · Lorenzo Meloni
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
- A Gift of Themes and Variations #210Vera Molnár · Martin Grasser
  Accessioned into the permanent Collection
View program

Meme Card-funded acquisition programs

A named Meme Card can fund an acquisition program. The card's proceeds and adopted terms support the program's scope, selection, and acquisition work.

Take the Key!GulYildizGulYildiz — Take the Key!; Keys and Gates presentation record
First program
Keys and Gates
Keys and Gates is the first Meme Card-funded acquisition program. Selected photographic works are being prepared for acquisition and accession.
Accession in progress · 1 acquisition
Named acquisitions
- Keys and GatesGulYildiz · HugoFaz · nasimghanizadeh · intrepid · ikertje · GIANT · priyanka · Rakesh · pandelic · Minalisa · Teyhu · arsonic · Zoku · shamspranto · Veerendra
  Selected through an acquisition program; unminted
View program

Collecting methods

Acquisition methods

Gift: A donor gives the Museum a specified work or group of works.
Purchase: The Museum buys a specified work, directly or through an approved acquisition program.
Commission or primary mint: The Museum commissions a new work or acquires it when it is first minted.
Bequest, exchange, or transfer: The Museum may also receive a work through an estate, an exchange, or a transfer from another holder.

A work enters the permanent Collection after formal accession. Offers, selections, mints, and wallet transfers remain earlier steps in the record.

Two ways the Museum builds the Collection

Gifts

Casey Reas, Magnum Photos, and Vera Molnár

Meme Card-funded acquisition programs

Keys and Gates

Acquisition methods

Program, acquisition, and accession

Two ways the Museum builds the Collection

Gifts

Casey Reas, Magnum Photos, and Vera Molnár

Meme Card-funded acquisition programs

Keys and Gates

Acquisition methods

Program, acquisition, and accession