February 2020
VAM News
VAM2020 Keynote Banner
Join nearly 500 museum professionals from around Virginia and DC for one of the largest state museum association conferences in the country. On March 7-10, 2020, VAM's 2020 Annual Conference takes place in Chantilly, Virginia at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles. Visit our website for more information and to register. Register by February 14 & use Promo Code EB2020 to take $50 off your conference registration! Remember to log in before you register to make sure you get the discount!

Silent Auction
We're bringing back the auction! Donating toward VAM's Silent Auction is a fun and easy way to help support our extensive range of programs while providing a fun activity at the conference.

2020 VAM Fellows
Our VAM fellows have begun work on their research projects. Come see them at the conference, or review their blogs to see their progress here.

Governor's Office Call with Virginia Museums
Thank you to everyone who joined the call we helped coordinate on January 22 with Governor Northam's Chief Officer of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Commonwealth, Dr. Janice Underwood, about coordinating a list of Black History Month activities at Virginia museums. The list can be found here .
Upcoming Events
VAM's 2019-2020 Workshop Season features training on diversity and inclusion, collections care, and emergency preparedness. Plan now to join us on April 6 at Jamestown Settlement for our next available workshop, Prepare for the Unexpected & Keep Operating During a Disaster: Emergency Preparedness Practices for Museums .
Member News
Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) recently launched a webpage for the Virginia Women’s Suffrage Centennial in association with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 2020 Commemoration Task Force . Members are invited to submit special events or exhibitions related to women’s suffrage and the 2020 Commemoration. Visit VirginiaHistory.org/2020  for more info and submit events at  VirginiaHistory.org/Submit2020Event .


The art museums of the University of Virginia ( Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection and The Fralin Museum of Art ) announce new Art After Hours Programs . The Kluge-Ruhe will now be open late on Thursday evenings until 8pm, and The Fralin will be open until 8pm on Fridays. Both museums are programming these evenings with a wide variety of opportunities.


Congratulations to the following current VAM members who received grants from Virginia Humanities between July 1, 2019 and January 1, 2020:

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History (Danville): $10,000
Eastern Shore Virginia Historical Society (Onancock): $3,000
Frontier Culture Museum (Staunton): $3,300
Lynchburg Museums (Lynchburg): $10,000
Preservation Virginia (Richmond): $10,000
Stratford Hall (Stratford): $10,000
University of Richmond Museum s (Richmond): $3,000
William King Museum of Art (Abingdon): $10,000


VAM's Channel on VAMONDE
Vamonde Story of the Month: Historic Burwell Morgan Mill

Want to create a story on VAM’s Virginia Museums App Channel? Learn how!

VAMONDE is also creating an app for Northern Virginia's museums around the conference--so watch for more on that!
Group photo of women from 1900s holding banners, rallying for women's right to vote.
Member to Member News
Jamestown Rediscovery, Historic Jamestowne is giving away a set of cases to a member institution that is interested. Please contact Leah Stricker at LStricker@preservationvirginia.org for more information.

One case has a base, and measures: 72" W 18" D 38" H, with a 30" wooden stand. Attached are two pictures of this case.
One case does not have a base, and measures 29" W/D 42" H
Hails & Farewells
Congratulations to Crosby Kemper III on being named the new Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services . (IMLS) He comes to IMLS from the Kansas City Public Library, where as director, he established the library as one of the city’s leading cultural destinations. Read the media release

Congratulations to Annie Pardo on being named the new Director of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. She replaced longtime Director Lin Ezell who retired last year. Welcome aboard Annie!

Congratulations to Susan Reed , who was recently named director of Glavé & Holmes Architecture new studio focused on historic preservation. 

Congratulations to Josh LeHuray as he joins Henricus Historical Park in February as the new Education Supervisor. Welcome Josh!

Congratulations to Steven Knapp who was named the new Director of the Historic Crab Orchard Museum in January. Read about it here .

Farewell to Lucy Wilkins , who has retired from the Museums at Washington and Lee University .

Farewell to Southeastern Museums Conference Director Susan Perry who is retiring in April. We wish her the best!
Professional Development Opportunities
Join Preservation Virginia at the Alexandria History Museum at the Lyceum on March 6 for a mini-conference that will provide networking opportunities and tools to help build capacity and strengthen organizations preserving African American historic sites in Virginia.  Learn more and register

AASLH is calling on all history organizations to complete the 2020 National Visitation Survey . The questionnaire should only take about five minutes to complete.  The survey can be found here . Your response is critical for helping the history community better understand national and regional trends.

Deadline to apply to the 2020 MESDA Summer Institute is February 15 . This competitive program in southern material culture and decorative arts will be held at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts at Old Salem Museums & Gardens in Winston-Salem, NC.
Three women sitting on stools with microphones on a stage at an event. The Preservation Virginia logo is projected behind them.
Funding & Marketing Opportunities
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for the  Native American Library Services Basic grants  program through April 1, 2020. Information on applying can be found here .

Headlines
recent study  conducted by University College London found that those adults who engage in art related activities, such as going to museums, visiting galleries, attending an art exhibition, going to the opera or seeing a new theatre production had a lower risk of dying. Read about it here .

Historic Alexandria is expanding its outreach with a new museum added to its group of historic sites. The Freedom House will tell the story of the enslaved African Americans of Alexandria in the 19th Century. Read about it here .

 A Richmond City Council panel recently advanced a measure laying the groundwork for a new statue on Richmond's historic Monument Avenue . The resolution requests seed money to aid a private fundraising effort to honor unheralded African American troops who fought for the Union during the Civil War. Read more .
Career Center
Search VAM's Career Center for information on the only museum management certificate offered by a museum association plus resume help and job listings.


  • Manager of Membership and Annual Giving
  • Capital Campaign Coordinator
  • Director of Advancement
  • Conservation Internships
  • Director of Education & Partnerships
  • Volunteer Coordinator
  • And more!
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