This is just a comment.
    You are right about picking the right museum. If you want to
donate a shell collection, you must be sure the museum is interested
in shells. The Delaware Museum is. The Cincinnati Museum was----but
isn't anymore. Data is more important than substance. Stuff collected
on vacations in Florida without data is most valuable as driveway
material. Data authenticates. Data hooks up with other data. Data
lives.
              (and the giant octopus in my basement has just currled
up for a long winters nap)
                              Art