In May, the British Museum, London, announced its latest acquisition - boots worn by Mohamed Salah, the football star who plays for Liverpool and Egypt.
Salah took the English Premier League by storm last season, winning the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals in 2017-18, a record 32 in 36 games. The boots in the British Museum are the ones Salah wore during Liverpool's 4-3 defeat of Manchester City at their home stadium, Anfield, on 14 January.
"The wear and tear on the boots is clearly visible," says Neal Spencer, the keeper of ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum.
The Adidas X17 Deadly Strike boots were on display during the World Cup next to ancient Egyptian sandals and statues of the pharaohs Ramses II and Amenhotep III.
The museum has sought to complement its renowned ancient Egypt collection with a project to acquire objects that tell the story of 20th- and 21st-century Egyptian society. The donation of Salah's boots builds on this.
Spencer says the footwear embodies the modern connected world as it is "made in Germany and worn by an Egyptian player based in Liverpool".
While many other players' boots could have been chosen, Salah's were particularly attractive because he has become an icon in Egypt. "His face emblazons advertising hoardings, he supports health and anti-drug campaigns, and is celebrated in murals in Cairo," says Spencer.
The British Museum was initially approached by representatives of Salah and Adidas, who wanted to explore the possibility of generating a news story tied to the player's Golden Boot award. "Given the museum's recent focus on representing modern Egypt in the collection, we proposed a donation of some worn boots," says Spencer.
Given the prominence of celebrity in contemporary society, it is no surprise that museums are keen to acquire objects belonging, or relating, to famous figures. As well as enhancing collections and helping future generations understand the world, they can generate huge publicity for the institution and the donor.
In the US, the film director Steven Spielberg said earlier this year that he planned to donate Rosebud, one of four sleds used as a prop on the set of the Orson Welles film Citizen Kane, to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, due to open next year in Los Angeles.
But not all celebrity donations are so glamorous. The British Lawnmower Museum in Liverpool, for example, has a machine that once belonged to Prince Charles and Princess Diana, alongside those once owned by the gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh and the musician Brian May.
Another venue that recently added celebrity objects to its collection is London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). In May, it announced that Paul McCartney and his family had donated 63 photographs by his wife Linda McCartney, who died in 1998, featuring bands such as the Beatles and Rolling Stones.
In the same month, it also revealed it had been gifted a ring - designed by Glenn Spiro - by the singer Beyoncé. The huge, butterfly-shaped ring has moveable wings made from titanium and edged with diamonds. It is displayed next to jewels associated with notable historical women such as Queen Elizabeth I and the Russian empress Catherine the Great.
"The ring is a brilliant example of contemporary naturalism interpreted in fine gemstones," says Clare Phillips, a curator at the V&A. "It is also of great interest as an example of the personal style of Beyoncé, a major figure in international popular culture."The gift adds a major piece that we would have otherwise been unable to acquire. It brings a sense of Beyoncé's charisma into the gallery."
So from jewellery to shoes, celebrity donations are a popular trend, bringing publicity to both parties. In fact, the Museum of London is launching a campaign for the England football manager, Gareth Southgate, to donate the waistcoat he wore during World Cup 2018 matches in Russia.Jonathan Knott is a freelance writer