Borrowing works for an exhibition

Loan requests must be submitted to the INHA’s management, with a copy to the library management, between six and nine months before the exhibition date. The timeline depends on the number of works requested and any necessary interventions (restoration, framing, digitization, etc.). Each request must include a presentation of the project and justify the importance of the requested documents for the exhibition. A facility report detailing the conditions for displaying the works (security, climate control, lighting, etc.) must also be attached.

The loan committee, which meets three times a year (Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Tuesday, February 12, and Wednesday, July 2, 2025), decides on the acceptance of requests. The analysis is based on the following criteria:

• Scientific validity of the project: The INHA evaluates the scientific relevance of the project and its compatibility with its loan policy. Exhibitions that result in a scientific publication are preferred.
• Condition and nature of the requested object: Only works in good condition can be loaned. If restoration is necessary, it is carried out at the borrower’s expense under the supervision of the heritage service manager.
• Exhibition conditions: Exhibition conditions must comply with the recommendations of the French museum service, taking into account security, climate control, lighting, and the duration of the exhibition. For graphic works, this duration cannot exceed three months.

• Presentation of works: Prints, drawings, and photographs from the INHA must be framed on-site by a designated framer at the borrower’s expense. Bound documents must be displayed on appropriate supports. Any changes to the presentation during the exhibition require written consent from INHA officials, with resulting costs borne by the borrower.
• Nail-to-nail insurance contract: Works are only handed over to the transporter after receipt of an insurance certificate from a French insurance brokerage firm approved by the INHA.
• Packing, transport, escorting: Transport conditions are defined by the collection manager based on the nature and fragility of the works. All costs related to packing, transport, and escorting are borne by the borrower, who must use a company specialized in the transport of art.