Virginia Association of Museums

In collaboration with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, the Library of Virginia, the Virginia Conservation Association, the Mid-Atlantic Archives Conference, the Virginia Community College System, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Association of Museums will implement several piloted projects to improve and strengthen collections care in the state. A museum curator and an archivist will visit ten collecting institutions as “Circuit Riders” to provide collections assessments and suggestions for site-specific actions and strategies; 30 institutions will benefit over the three-year grant period. The partner team will also deliver training via for-credit academic courses taught in the community college system and informal webinars through the Virginia Association of Museums Web site. Topics will include collections care and management, preventive conservation, disaster planning and response, and communicating about conservation needs. “Disaster Plan Lockups” throughout the state will provide participants with templates and support for completing disaster plans. Finally, a statewide “Top Ten Endangered Artifacts” media campaign will raise public awareness of conservation needs.