Support the Museum
Help us preserve Arizona's railroad heritage through your generous donations
💙 Tax-Deductible Donations
The Arizona Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to the Museum may be tax deductible.
The operating funds needed to repair, clean, preserve, protect, and display the equipment and artifacts in our collection come from several sources:
- Membership Dues
- Gift Shop Sales
- Corporate Sponsors
- Private / Government Grants
- DONATIONS
Ways to Give
🏛️ Artifacts
We gladly accept your railroad memorabilia. Any railroad, any nationality, any condition.
The Arizona Railway Museum accepts donations of railroad memorabilia of all types and from all railroads. The main focus of the Museum's displays are related to Arizona, but we do display items from "foreign" railroads (some artifacts are from international railroads).
To donate artifacts: Bring them to the Museum during normal operating hours (Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm, September-May). The building attendant will help you complete a Certificate of Donation for tax purposes.
🔨 Materials & Hardware
The Museum is always in need of construction materials for restoration of equipment, fabrication of displays, and maintenance of the facility.
Materials needed include:
- Plywood, lumber, sheet metal
- Steel tubing/piping
- Electrical cable, panels, fixtures
- Canvas/plastic tarps
- Screws, nails, fasteners
- Hand and power tools
- Paint, paint stripper, welding supplies
To donate materials: Please contact the Museum to arrange for delivery or pickup.
💵 Monetary Donations
The Museum operates under a single "General Fund" financial account. Specific projects and expenses are allocated finances from the General Fund to complete project goals.
You can designate your donation to a specific project by indicating the project name in the MEMO field of your check. Contributions without a specific project will be placed in the General Fund and allocated per the guidance of the Museum Board of Directors.
Current Funding Projects
| Memo Field | Project Name |
|---|---|
| General | General Operations |
| 56 | Santa Fe Business Car #56 |
| 580 | Santa Fe Coach #580 |
| 2870 | Santa Fe Coach #2870 |
| C-45 | ARMY C-45 |
| Curatorial | Artifact Preservation |
| Denehotso | Observation Car Restoration |
| Desert Valley | Car Restoration |
| Dining Car | Acquisition & Restoration |
Additional Projects
| Memo Field | Project Name |
|---|---|
| Freight Cars | Freight Equipment Restoration |
| Horse Car | Car Restoration |
| Imperial Manor | Car Restoration |
| Locos | Locomotive Maintenance |
| Machine Shop | Light Machine Shop Operation |
| Regal Phoenix | Car Restoration |
| Steam Derrick | SP Steam Derrick Restoration |
| Vista Canyon | Observation Car Restoration |
Mail Your Donation To:
Arizona Railway Museum
P.O. Box 842
Chandler, AZ 85244
⚠️ PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL.
THE ARM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST MAIL.
🔧 Skilled Services
The Arizona Railway Museum can periodically make use of skilled trade people. In some situations, this donated service may be tax deductible.
We can use the services of people skilled in:
- Welding / Metalworking
- Carpentry / Woodworking
- Cabinetry
- Painting
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Masonry
- Plumbing
- Engine Repair
To volunteer your skills: Please visit the Museum and talk with our project managers to determine if there is a need for your services. Quite frequently, a project schedule can be adjusted to fit the available "talent".
📋 Important Donation Guidelines
Note: The IRS has specific rules for a donation to be considered as tax deductible. Please consult the IRS guidelines for a full listing of rules.
Some of the more common requirements:
- Value: The Arizona Railway Museum cannot help you determine or establish the monetary value of the items being donated. If you are unable to self-establish the value, the ARM recommends that you have the items appraised before making a donation.
- Restricted Use: An item cannot be donated with limitations regarding the use of the donated item. For example, "It must always be on display" would be a limitation.
- Perpetual Loan: Items donated to the ARM become the property of the ARM with no time limitations. The ARM has a specific policy regarding the accession, de-accession, and, in some cases, the liquidation of donated items.
If you have questions regarding donations or wish to make a donation outside normal operating hours, please email: info@azrymuseum.org