---
kind: "section"
citation: "54 U.S.C. § 102503"
title: "54"
title_heading: "National Park Service and Related Programs"
number: "102503"
heading: "Authority of Secretary"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/54/102503"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — National Park System"
  - "Division A — Establishment and General Administration"
  - "Chapter 1025 — Museums"
---

# §102503. Authority of Secretary

- (a) **In General.—** Notwithstanding other provisions or limitations of law, the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may perform the functions described in this section in the manner that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers to be in the public interest.
- (b) **Donations and Bequests.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may accept donations and bequests of money or other personal property, and hold, use, expend, and administer the money or other personal property for purposes of this chapter.
- (c) **Purchases.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may purchase [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) and other personal property at prices that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers to be reasonable.
- (d) **Exchanges.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may make exchanges by accepting [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) and other personal property and by granting in exchange for the [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) or other personal property museum property under the administrative jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) that no longer is needed or that may be held in duplicate among the museum properties administered by the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3). Exchanges shall be consummated on a basis that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers to be equitable and in the public interest.
- (e) **Acceptance of Loans of Property.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may accept the loan of [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) and other personal property and pay transportation costs incidental to the [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) or other personal property. Loans shall be accepted on terms and conditions that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers necessary.
- (f) **Loans of Property.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may loan to responsible public or private organizations, institutions, or agencies, without cost to the United States, such [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) and other personal property as the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) shall consider advisable. Loans shall be made on terms and conditions that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers necessary to protect the public interest in those properties.
- (g) **Transfer of Museum Objects.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may transfer [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) determines are no longer needed for museum purposes to qualified Federal agencies, including the Smithsonian Institution, that have programs to preserve and interpret cultural or natural heritage, and accept the transfer of [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) for the purposes of this chapter from any other Federal agency, without reimbursement. The head of any other Federal agency may transfer, without reimbursement, [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) directly to the administrative jurisdiction of the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) for the purpose of this chapter.
- (h) **Conveyance of Museum Objects.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may convey [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) determines are no longer needed for museum purposes, without monetary consideration but subject to such terms and conditions as the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) considers necessary, to private institutions exempt from Federal taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ([26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)](/usc/26/501.md?p=c-3)) and to non-Federal governmental entities if the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) determines that the recipient is dedicated to the preservation and [interpretation](/usc/54/100801.md?p=1) of natural or cultural heritage and is qualified to manage the property, prior to any conveyance under this subsection and [subsection (g)](#g).
- (i) **Destruction of Museum Objects.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) may destroy or cause to be destroyed [museum objects](/usc/54/102502.md?p=1) that the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) determines to have no scientific, cultural, historic, educational, esthetic, or monetary value.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3158.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 102503(a) through (f) | 16 U.S.C. 18f (less 1st sentence). | July 1, 1955, ch. 259, § 1 (less 1st sentence), 69 Stat. 242; Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title VIII, § 804(a)(1), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4187. |
| 102503(g) through (i) | 16 U.S.C. 18f–2(a). | July 1, 1955, ch. 259, § 2(a), as added Pub. L. 104–333, div. I, title VIII, § 804(a)(2), Nov. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4187. |