Immunity from seizure

The Design Museum is able to provide Immunity from Seizure under Part 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. This act provides immunity from seizure for cultural objects which are loaned from overseas to temporary public exhibitions in approved museums or galleries in the UK where conditions are met when the object enters the UK.

The conditions are:

  • The object is usually kept outside the UK

  • The object is not owned by a person resident in the UK

  • Its import does not contravene any import regulations

  • It is brought to the UK for public display in a temporary exhibition at a museum or gallery

  • The borrowing museum or gallery is approved under the Act

  • The borrowing museum has published information about the object

For further information please refer to the Immunity from Seizure page on the Arts Council website here.

The Design Museum's Due Diligence and Ethical Loans Policy can be downloaded here:

There are no exhibitions with protected objects at present.

For enquiries regarding immunity from seizure please email exhibitions@designmuseum.org