Museum Services

Maak is proud to partner with museums and public institutions in their mission to preserve, interpret, and present exceptional works of studio ceramics and contemporary craft.

We understand the unique challenges curators face when acquiring works at auction — from limited lead times and pricing unpredictability to funding cycles and internal approvals. As the leading auction house for contemporary ceramics and craft, we’re committed to making our auctions more accessible and flexible for museums.

Through a growing range of tailored services, we aim to ease the path to acquisition, ensuring important works can enter public collections where they can be appreciated, studied, and shared.

In addition to our auction and private sale programmes, we offer a discreet sourcing service for museums looking to acquire specific works or artists. Drawing on our established relationships with collectors, artists, galleries and estates, we can help locate significant pieces that may not yet be on the open market.

Key benefits:

• Access to works not currently listed for sale
• Tailored searches based on your collection priorities
• Discreet outreach through trusted industry networks
• Support with due diligence, condition checks and acquisition advice

By registering your areas of interest — whether artists, movements, or specific types of work — we’ll ensure you receive early notice of relevant upcoming lots. This helps curators plan and prepare with more confidence and lead time.

Key benefits:

• Early alerts about upcoming works before catalogues are released
• Tailored notifications based on your institutional priorities
• More time to review and plan acquisitions in advance

To reduce financial pressure and support internal timelines, we offer extended payment terms exclusively for museum purchases. This allows institutions more time to secure funding or internal approvals following a successful bid.

Key benefits:

• Extended payment windows beyond the standard 7 day terms, tailored to your museum’s planning cycles
• Reduced short-term pressure, allowing time for budget approvals or funding confirmation
• Flexible scheduling in consultation with our team

If your museum could benefit from Maak's extended payment terms, please contact us to register.

To support museums in curating comprehensive exhibitions, we can use our extensive knowledge of where desirable works are held in private collections and offer an introduction service to our network of private collectors. Through this service, we can approach collectors who may be open to loaning pieces for temporary exhibition on behalf of curators, allowing museums to broaden their exhibitions with works that may not be available through existing channels.

Key Benefits:

• Access to Private Collections: Our network includes collectors with rare and high-quality works that could complement your exhibitions.
• Curated Introductions: We help connect curators with collectors who have works relevant to specific exhibition themes or periods.
• Enhanced Exhibition Opportunities: Strengthen your exhibitions by showcasing a more diverse selection of works, deepening the audience experience.