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Florida Railroad Museum acquires former lumber company 2-6-2
I often wonder about the ethics of what happened here and in many other places. The existing owner has received an item (in this case the locomotive) as a donation. Should it not be passed on to a receiving museum at the same price? It sounds like the city spent very little in maintenance over the years the artifact was in its custody. I presume the Florida Railroad Museum, like most museums, is not exactly flush with cash and that $20,000 would have been very useful in starting a cosmetic restoration.
Another example is when Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry (exact name?) sold a number of ancient artifacts and replicas for a handsome sum. I understand they were originally received free as a donation. I am sure the money raised will be used to great advantage in Chicago, but at tremendous cost to those institutions that bought them at auction. Rather like robbing Peter to pay Paul.