Originally Posted by butterflywing
when you have an unfinished top in delicate fabrics that will not handle day-to-day use, and you also don't want to hide it away, donating it to a museum in the name of the maker is a wonderful thing to do. it will be appreciated by people interested in quilting history and preserve the quilt under the right conditions.
just don't be disappointed if you don't see it displayed immediately. it will have to be examined carefully, restored where necessary and wait it's turn for display. but it will last for your family members to visit it for generations to come.
NOTE: ask them or a private service to estimate the value for charitable donation tax purposes.
Most museums will not keep donated quilts unless they are of significant examples or historic in some way. Once you give the piece, the museums have the right to do what they want with it, even sell them. And many times, you cant even get into the archives to see them.