Information for relatives
The skeletal remains of our donors are an invaluable resource for students and researchers. We are grateful to all of our donors for this gift and welcome families and relative to visit.
My relative registered as a donor and just passed away. What do I do now?
If your family member has passed, please follow the steps on this page.
I have the power of attorney for my relative. Can I make the decision to donate him/her upon their death?
Yes. We will need a copy of the legal statement giving you power of attorney, along with the donor forms signed by you and two witnesses.
How long before I can visit my relative?
At the Maxwell Museum, we welcome families to visit the skeletal remains of their loved ones. The processing of the donors body can take anywhere from 3 months to a year before arriving for curation at our lab depending on the current queue. Please contact us for questions.
What can I expect when I visit?
Since the Laboratory of Human Osteology is a working lab space, there are often students and researchers throughout the day. When scheduling a visit, we will try to arrange for a quieter time to allow for more privacy, but cannot guarantee an empty lab. The donor's skeleton will be laid out in anatomical position on one of our lab tables
How do I get a copy of the Death Certificate?
You can request official copies of the Death Certificate from the Office of Vital Records.
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The Museum does not provide official copies, but can provide an unofficial copy to the legal next of kin or Power of Attorney upon request. We cannot issue Death Certificates to friends or anyone not legally able to acquire an official copy.