Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 25, § 345. Donations and loans; disposition of abandoned loans

A. The office of the state museum, through the assistant secretary and in cooperation with the board and nonprofit organizations established to support the Louisiana State Museum, may seek and accept funds, governmental grants, donations, and contributions of lands, buildings, money, relics, works of art, or other property on behalf of and as additions to the museum either in the form of loans or in the form of donations inter vivos or mortis causa, or may acquire them by purchase, lease, or otherwise, subject to the terms, condition, or limitation contained in the instrument by which such property is acquired. However, the office of the state museum, through the assistant secretary, shall be empowered and authorized to enter into any and all contracts with any person, lender, or donor that it may deem fit, proper, and necessary to accept and receive such lands, buildings, money, relics, works of art, or other property on behalf of and as additions to the museum. The museum is specifically empowered to serve as the beneficiary of any public trust heretofore or hereafter created for such purpose pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 9:2341 through 2347.

B. The office of the state museum, through the assistant secretary, is granted the authority of deaccession with respect to any collections of the Louisiana State Museum and for such purpose is specifically exempted from the laws of the state relative to the sale or disposal of surplus property. The board shall establish policies and procedures necessary to carry out this authority in an orderly manner consistent with the standards established by the American Alliance of Museums, except as otherwise provided by law.

C. Any property which has been deposited with the Louisiana State Museum, by loan or otherwise, and which has been held by the office of the state museum for more than ten years, and to which no person has made claim shall be deemed to be abandoned and, notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 1 of Title XII of Book III of the Civil Code, shall become the property of the office of the state museum, provided that the office of the state museum has complied with the following provisions: