If we feel compelled to leave something to a museum, then we should leave them a few items such that the museum can assemble a small telegraph office or depot. This is only a small piece of most collections. If the pieces are relegated to storage or become surplus, not a whole lot of harm is done. Most of us, as collectors, enjoy studying our keys, showing them to visitors and giving talks about our keys. Our keys are a source of pleasure, not only for us, but for others.
Collectors share a passion and have a bond.
I have quite a few items obtained from first generation collectors and I feel having their keys give me some sort of connection to previous collectors. We as collectors are caretakers of the keys we have in our collection. The keys have a home and caretaker for a few decades until they pass on to the next generation of collectors. How to pass the keys on to the next generation is a matter of personal and financial choice. It behooves all of us to have a small three ring binder with specific instructions on how to dispose of our collections.