10 U.S.C. § 8617 — National Museum of the United States Navy

(a) Authority to Support Development and Operation of Museum. (1) The Secretary of the Navy may select and contract, or enter a cooperative or other agreement, with one or more eligible nonprofit organizations to support developing, designing, building, renovating, or running a multipurpose museum to serve as the National Museum of the United States Navy. (2) The Secretary may (A) let a partner organization contract for any or all phases of developing, designing, building, renovating, or running the museum, or (B) let the Secretary accept funds from a partner organization for any or all of those phases. (b) Purposes of Museum. (1) The museum is used to identify, curate, store, and publicly display artifacts and artwork significant to the Navy, as agreed by the Secretary. (2) The museum may also support education, training, research, and related activities the Secretary considers compatible with the museum and the mission of the Naval History and Heritage Command. (c) Acceptance Upon Completion. Once the Secretary decides a phase of the museum is satisfactorily complete, and any related financial obligations are met, the Secretary must accept that phase from the partner organization. Full ownership of that phase then transfers to the United States, and the Secretary takes over administering it. (d) Lease Authority. (1) The Secretary may lease parts of the museum to an eligible nonprofit to generate revenue supporting museum activities and needed administration — but such a lease can never include any part of the museum's collection. (2) Any rent received under such a lease, including rent paid in goods or services, must be used only to cover or offset the costs of developing, maintaining, or running the museum. (e) Authority to Accept Gifts. (1) The Secretary may accept, hold, manage, and spend gifts, bequests, or transfers of real property, personal property, or money, given on the condition that they benefit or support establishing, running, or maintaining the museum. Section 2601 of this title (except subsections (b), (c), and (e)) applies to these gifts. (2) The Secretary may publicly recognize at the museum an individual or organization that donates money to a partner organization, or donates directly to the Navy, for the museum's benefit — whether or not the donation was conditioned on getting that recognition. The Secretary must write regulations on when recognition may be given, what forms it can take, and display standards. (3) The Secretary may authorize selling donated property received under (1). Such a sale doesn't have to follow the usual disposal requirements, as long as it's conducted at arm's length with an auditable transaction record. (4) Any money received under (1), and any proceeds from selling property under (3), must go into a Treasury fund set up to support the museum. (f) Additional Terms and Conditions. The Secretary may add whatever extra terms and conditions to an agreement under (a) or a lease under (d) the Secretary considers needed to protect U.S. interests. (g) Use of Navy Indicators. (1) In an agreement under (a) or a lease under (d), the Secretary may — consistent with section 2260 of this title (except subsection (d)) — let a partner organization enter licensing, marketing, and sponsorship agreements involving Navy indicators, including making and selling merchandise for the museum, subject to Department of the Navy approval. (2) No such licensing, marketing, or sponsorship agreement may be made if it would make the Department of the Navy, its employees, or service members look unable to do their jobs fairly and objectively, or if the Secretary decides using the Navy indicator would compromise the integrity, or appearance of integrity, of any Department of the Navy program. (h) Definitions. (1) "Eligible nonprofit organization" means a group that (A) qualifies as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and (B) has as its main purpose preserving and promoting Navy history and heritage. (2) "Museum" means the National Museum of the United States Navy, including its facilities and grounds. (3) "Navy indicator" includes trademarks, service marks, names, identities, abbreviations, official insignia, seals, emblems, and acronyms of the Navy and Marine Corps (including their units), and specifically includes the term "National Museum of the United States Navy." (4) "Partner organization" means an eligible nonprofit that has entered a contract, cooperative agreement, or other agreement with the Secretary under (a), or a lease under (d).