Voice 3126 W. Cary St., #447 | Richmond, Virginia 23221-3504 | 804. 358.3170 | www.vamuseums.org | Winter 2014

40 Things to Know about Virginia Today (for Museum Lovers)

Investment Policy Statements

More than a Member: Virginia Foundation for the HumanitiesFY2014 Annual Report

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Folklife Mexican Dance Master, Laura Ortiz, at annual Apprenticeship Showcase. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities is celebrating their 40th anniversary. Photo by Ashley Twiggs; courtesy of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities

Our Governing CouncilPresident, Al SchweizerVP, Planning & Resources, Gary SandlingVP, Programming, Gretchen BulovaSecretary, Anna Holloway, PhDTreasurer, Norman BurnsImmediate Past President, Tracy J. GillespieEx-Officio Members, Robert C. Vaughan and Jeffrey Allison

D i r e c t o r sEric AppJamie BosketKaren DalyPaige Gibbons Charles GrantDebi GrayJoe KeiperLisa MartinApril Cheek-Messier Robert OrrisonDana PugaBarbara Rothermel, PhDScott StrohVanessa Thaxton-Ward, PhD Charlotte WhittedEric S. Wilson

O u r S t a f fExecutive Director, Jennifer ThomasAssistant Director, Christina E. NewtonCommunications Director, Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan

O u r Vo i ceThe VAM Voice is a member benefit published quarterly. VAM encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the communications director for more information.

O u r C o n t a c t sPhone: 804. 358.3170 Fax: 804. 358.3174www.vamuseums.org

jthomas@vamuseums.orgcnewton@vamuseums.orghwidener@vamuseums.org su@vamuseums.org

O u r N e w s D e a d l i n e sSpring: February 15th

Summer: May 15th Fall: August 15th

Winter: November 1st

Our MissionThe mission of the Virginia Association of Museums is to serve as the resource network of the Virginia and District of Columbia museum community through education, technical assistance, and advocacy.

Our VisionA united museum community inspiring the world around us

ContentsCover Story:40 Things to Know about Virginia Today 3 - 4(for Museum Lovers)by Heather Widener

i Technical Insert: 5 - 6 Investment Policy Statements: A Must Have Navigation Toolby Andrew Kramer, CFA© , Wealth and Asset Management Specialist, Capital One N.A.

VAM FY2014 Annual Report 7 - 10

Program Updates 11 VAM is for Students by Heather Widener

Book Review: 12Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure the Giftby Jennifer Thomas

More than a Member: 13 - 14Virginia Foundation for the Humanitiesby Maggie Guggenheimer and Heather Widener

President’s Corner 16by Al Schweizer

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In honor of the 40th anniversary of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH) as well as in honor of VAM’s 40th conference in 2015, we have compiled a listing of 40 facts of interest to lovers of Virginia’s museums. Some relate to VAM member museums, others to tourism, advocacy, trends in mu-seums, preservation, and more. 1. Virginia is home to the oldest statewide historic preservation organization in the nation. Founded in 1889 as the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, Preservation Virginia has a proud legacy of saving, preserving, promoting and serving as an advocate for Virginia’s historic plac-es—nearly 200 places! (Source: Preservation Virginia)

2. According to the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), Americans view museums as one of the most important resources for educating our children and one of the most trustworthy sources of objective informa-tion. (Source: AAM)

3. Among visitors to Virginia who went to a museum, art gallery, or historic site: 78% visited a historic site, 41% visited a museum; 25% traveled with a child, and the average visitor age was 49. (Source: Virginia Travel Survey 2013, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC))

4. Berthed at Nauticus, the Battleship Wisconsin is one of the largest and last battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy. Its displacement is 58,000 tons when it’s loaded, and it has a speed of 33 knots. (Source: Nauticus)

5. Less than fifty years ago, in 1970, only one in every 100 people living in Virginia had been born outside the United States. In 2012, that number was one in nine. (Source: “The Changing Face of Virginia: Immigration and the Humanities,” by David Bearinger, VFH Fall 2014 Newsletter)

6. There are 1070 historic sites in the Virginia.org directory. Is yours in included? (Source: VTC)

7. The Museum Universe Data File, compiled by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) contains information about over 35,000 museums in the United States. The data includes over 1200 museums in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Is your muse-um listed? (Source: IMLS)

8. “Virginia Green” is a program whereby attractions certify they are providing recycling, minimizing the use of disposable food service products, conserving water, maximizing energy efficiency, and offering

a green events package. We see many VAM members on the participant list! (Source: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)

9. Because of its successful impact on cre-ating awareness of collections care, VAM’s Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts pro-gram has been replicated in three states - Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Colorado. Also, it’s been a featured topic on Heritage Preservation’s Connecting to Collections Online Community. Consider nominating an artifact in 2015!

10. The National Trust for Historic Preser-vation designated Richmond’s Historic Shockoe Bottom as one of 11 Most Endangered Places in 2014. According to the Trust, “Shockoe Bottom is threatened by potential development of a minor league baseball stadium. Shockoe Bottom’s invaluable resources cannot be seen – none of the buildings from the slave trade remain visible in these eight-blocks, and the artifacts of antebellum Richmond are now below the surface, out of sight. Shockoe Bottom should be protected as a site of conscience....” (Source: National Trust for Historic Preservation)

11. The National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) was named to USA Today’s “10 Best Military Museums that Bring Battles to Life.” They also recently welcomed their 4 millionth visitor! (Source: NMMC)

12. There are 46 state museum associations in the U.S. 63% have no paid staff, relying entirely on a volunteer board. Only six, in-cluding VAM, have more than one full time staff person. These six are also the largest in terms of membership and engagement. They include VA, CA, FL, NY, OK, TX.

13. The oldest brick house in North Amer-ica is Bacon’s Castle and it is celebrating 350 years in 2015. Preservation Virginia acquired the house in the 1970s and has opened it to the public ever since. (Source: Preservation Virginia)

14. Charity Navigator gives The Chrysler Museum of Art its top rating, four stars, for how they handle finances. When Charity Navigator did its holiday gift guide in 2013, it listed the Chrysler as the country’s top museum for fiscal management. (Source: The Chrysler Museum of Art)

15. The average visitor to Virginia who visited a museum, art gallery, or historic site spent $656 while here. (Source: VTC Virginia Travel Survey 2013)

16. The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News has the largest archaeological marine metals conservation lab in the world. (Source: The Mariners’ Museum)

17. Museums in the U.S. preserve and pro-tect more than a billion objects. (Source: AAM)

18. Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF) is transforming the Yorktown Victory Center into the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Set to be com-pleted late 2016, this project will include outdoor interpretive areas, living-history areas, long-term exhibits, and educational resources. (Source: JYF)

19. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) holds more than 12 billion pages of textual records alone. In FY2014, they recorded over 31 million website visits. (Source: NARA)

20. Virginia’s 36 state parks recorded 8.87 million visitors in 2013. They maintain 530 miles of trails and 260 cabins, 22 family lodges, and 1,608 campsites. (Source: Virginia Department of Conservation and Resources)

21. The Museum of the Confederacy and The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar have joined forces to form The American Civil War Museum (ACWM). The museum will construct a building at the historic Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond. The 8.9 acre site will feature a new outdoor exhibit, living history demonstrations, and a new Family Resource Center. (Source: ACWM)

22. In 2012, Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) - accredited institu-tions provided $160 million in support of approximately 2,700 conservation projects in more than 115 countries. In Virginia, the Virginia Aquarium, The Virginia Living Museum, Virginia Zoo, and Mill Mountain Zoo are AZA accredited. (Source: AZA)

23. Located on the campus of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), the Robin-son House is on the National Register of Historic Places (and is the site of former VAM offices). The Robinson House will be a Richmond Regional Visitor Center, opening in the summer of 2015. (Source: VMFA)

24. Virginia organizations are invited to participate in Heritage Health Informa-tion (HHI) 2014 survey, which will inspire and inform the nation’s more than 55,000 archives, historical societies, libraries, mu-seums, scientific research collections, and archaeological repositories. The survey will

Cover Story

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40 Things to Know about Virginia Today(for Museum Lovers) compiled by Heather Widener

iemphasize the preservation of digital collections and provide comparable data to the 2004 HHI. (Source: Heritage Preservation)

25. The Montpelier Foundation recently received a $10 million gift from businessman and philan-thropist, David M. Rubenstein. The donation will support refurnishing and interpretation of the mansion and reconstruction of the South Yard, the enslaved community site adjacent to the mansion. (Source: The Montpelier Foundation)

26. The Department of Historic Resources (DHR) identifies, evaluates, and lists significant historic places on the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places, provides tax credits for historic rehabilitations, places historic highway markers on Virginia’s highways and by-ways, and accepts and manages easements on historic places, including battlefields. (Source: DHR)

27. The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) is mapping the reach of art museums. The project entails mapping the organiza-tions that use museum services (e.g., schools, universities, human service agencies, etc.), the vendors from which museums purchase goods and services, and museum individual, family, and corporate members. (Source: AAMD)

28. The Virginia Historical Society (VHS) is in the midst of their Story of Virginia Campaign, which includes $20 million for capital projects, $8 million for programs, and $10 million for en-dowment. Construction has begun and should be completed by fall of 2015. (Source: VHS)

29. The Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) celebrat-ed its 75th anniversary in 2013. The NBG is com-prised of 155 acres with 12 miles of paved trails. It features 64,800 accessioned plants. (Source: NBG)

30. Virginia is home to 59 museums that are AAM accredited. Has your museum taken the first step by signing the AAM Pledge of Excel-lence yet? (Source: AAM)

31. A Women’s Monument is being placed at Virginia’s Capitol Square in Richmond. The mon-ument will commemorate the contributions of the women of Virginia over the past 400 years. The monument will tell the stories of survival, achievement, pioneering spirit, and triumph over difficult circumstances, and will feature 12 Virginia women. (Source: Women’s Monument Commission)

32. The Science Museum of Western Virginia, in partnership with Virginia Tech, hosted the inaugural Virginia Science Festival in October. In conjunction, the VTC unveiled a new “Virginia is for Science Lovers” logo. Events were held statewide. (Source: Virginia Science Festival)33. The Virginia Museum of Natural History

(VMNH) serves about 30,000 people per year through on-site visitation, including 52% from outside the local area, and reaches over 250,000 people each year through traveling exhibits and displays. (Source: VMNH)

34. In 2014 Monticello launched The Moun-taintop Project, a multiyear effort to restore Monticello as Jefferson knew it, and to tell the stories of the people—enslaved and free—who lived and worked at Monticello. (Source: Monticello)

35. DHR offers museums access to research data, technical assistance, object conservation and emergency response services, loan of archae-ological artifacts from more than 16,000 years ago - 20th century, and hands-on resource kits about African-American and Native American ar-chaeology. Also, DHR is currently developing the 2016-2021 statewide, comprehensive historic preservation plan. (Source: DHR)

36. The Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) supports the arts through funding from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. Last year, nearly 7.1 million people attended arts events made pos-sible through VCA funding, including 1.6 million school children. (Source: VCA)

37. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (CWF) runs the world’s largest living history muse-um. CWF recently honored Chairman on Emeritus, former President and CEO Colin G. Campbell and his wife, Nancy N. Campbell for public service, leadership and stewardship with the Churchill Bell. CWF is now embarking on a $600 million campaign to reinforce and reimagine its role as a leader in history education and historical preservation. (Source: CWF)

38. Mount Vernon does not accept grants from federal, state, or local governments, and no tax dollars are expended to support its purposes. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained in trust for the people of the United States by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the country. (Source: Mount Vernon)

39. The IMAX Dome at the Science Museum of Virginia (SMV) is now the most technologically advanced digital dome theater in the world. It was upgraded in 2014 with a state-of-the-art NanoSeam screen and projectors capable of high definition ten times the power of a typical home theater system. The Digistar 5 fulldome 3D system includes five projectors whose combined resolution produces over 29 million pixels on The Dome. (Source: SMV)

40. VAM’s Governing Council recently voted to adopt our vision statement: A united museum community inspiring the world around us. We want to hear how your museum inspires your world – your community, your visitors, your digital audience. Drop us a note at hwidener@vamuseums.org. We’d love to share your inspira-tion in one of our follow-up publications.

We encourage all those who love Virginia’s mu-seums and have dedicated themselves to the sometimes arduous work involved in collecting, educating, preserving, promoting, and – yes – inspiring, to participate in our 40th Annual Conference. It’ll be held in March in Richmond, where we’ll be asking #HaveYouSeenUsLately? Join us. Be inspired. d

40 Things to Know about Virginia Todaycontinued from page 3

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VaM Booth 21 ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

Key West, Florida

Technical Inserti

Could you take that long awaited family vacation to the Shenandoah Mountains without your GPS system? The remote cabin idea sounds great but exactly where is it? How can you navigate mountain back roads without getting lost? What would happen if there was a detour? Your GPS system sets the original roadmap and keeps you on course.

Think of an investment policy statement (“IPS”) as your GPS system to help you navigate the complexities of managing your investment portfolio. It provides organizations with a strong foundation to help them set specific objectives and to determine the investment strategy and the parties responsible for ensuring the success of the strategy.

Investment policy statements provide a number of advantages.

1 Provides Transparency - all stake-holders (Committee/Board, employ-

ees, donors, investment managers) will have access to a written document that outlines the objectives of the portfolio and the parties responsible for continu-ous oversight.

2 Ensures Continuity - as Com-mittee/Board members change

over time the statement provides new members with a written description of the objectives of the portfolio and responsibilities of key parties.

3 Removes Emotional Biases – in-vestment decisions should not be

made on an emotional basis but with a well thought out plan. An investment policy statement provides a blueprint for making those decisions based on written objectives and constraints.

4 Defines Accountability – each party involved in the management of the

portfolio is held accountable for their actions, as defined in the investment policy statement.

5 Defines Risk Management Protocols – provides that measures to control

risk in the portfolio are clearly defined.

Investment policy statements are not stat-ic documents that should collect dust in

a file. They are living documents that must be reviewed and updated over time since a stakeholder’s objectives may change. For example, museums are constantly updating community programs and build-ing new exhibits which may change the objectives of their investment portfolio. Likewise, capital markets are very dynamic, and adjustments to the investment policy statement may warrant changes.

The Committee/Board has a fiduciary responsibility for the oversight of the portfolio. A strong fiduciary practice is to review the investment policy statement once a year and confirm that the orga-nization’s goals and objectives have not changed. If changes are warranted, the policy statement should be amended.

“The most important duty of the fidu-ciary or trustee is the development and ongoing maintenance of an invest-ment policy statement (IPS).”

- Trone, Allbright & Taylor (1996), The Management of Investment Decisions

One Size Does Not Fit AllVirginia museums have many similar characteristics, yet they are also different from one another. Mission statements, fi-nancial strength and future plans vary by institution. So too will their investment policy statements vary.

An investment policy statement must be tailored to meet the needs and priorities of each organization. Some generally recommended content may be crucial for one organization but irrelevant to another. Some of the variables that differ from one organization to another include:

• Current portfolio income requirements;• Future distribution needs;• Variability of other income sources;• Special/emergency needs; and • Any unique circumstances to develop allocation and spending policies.

“The investment professional must thoroughly understand the investor’s objectives, restrictions, tolerances, and preferences to be able to develop a truly useful policy guide.”

- CFA Institute, Elements of an Investment Policy Statement for Institutional Investors

Elements of an Investment Policy StatementWhile statements will differ by institution, a properly executed investment policy statement will have common elements. Below is our “Top 10 List” of important elements using three major categories: Governance/Responsibility, Investment Return and Risk, and Spending Policy.

Action Item SectionIdentifies the “Investor” and defines the scope of assets governed by the Policy;

Governance/Responsibility

States the goals and objectives of the portfolio of the Investment Committee/Board;

Investment Return and Risk

Defines the roles and responsibilities of parties;

Governance/Responsibility

Thoughtfully defines key parties such as “Investment Consultant”, “Investment Advisor,” and “Invest-ment Manager” and key concepts such as “risk;”

Governance/Responsibility

States asset classes available (or unavailable) for investment, outlining the purposes and expectations for each;

Investment Return and Risk

Defines the return requirements and expectations based on current and historical market conditions;

Investment Return and Risk

Creates mechanisms and standards for measuring and managing risk; and

Investment Return and Risk

Establishes a benchmark for mea-suring performance in absolute and risk-adjusted terms;

Investment Return and Risk

Establishes a mechanism to determine annual spending requirements;

Spending Policy

States certain liquidity require-ments for the overall portfolio where needed;

Spending Policy

Governance/ResponsibilityEver try to build a new exhibit without a plan? It’s all in the process!

Managing an investment portfolio is complex, and involves many different parties. A quality IPS must clearly define the roles and responsibilities of these parties. Who is responsible for over-

Investment Policy StatementsA Must Have Navigation Tool by Andrew Kramer, CFA© , Wealth and Asset Management Specialist, Capital One N.A.

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sight of the portfolio and spending? Who is responsible for selecting managers and other investment products? Who is responsible for reviewing and updating (if necessary) the IPS itself? A good IPS will answer these questions.

Investment, Return & Risk ObjectivesBased on the objectives defined in the gov-ernance section, a policy statement will then define the return and risk requirements and expectations grounded in current and historical market conditions.

The policy statement will provide a list of permissible assets, including specific product or asset class restrictions if applicable. The IPS must also provide asset allocation guidelines, which includes a strategic allocation for the portfolio (policy portfolio) based on long-term outlooks for asset classes, as well as allocation ranges for each asset class allowing for tactical deviations based on market conditions.

Asset Allocation PolicyEach asset class is listed along with the policy allocation and the minimum/maximum allow-able percentages. The allocation for each asset class will change depending on the return of the market in general and the performance of your investment managers. Contributions and withdrawals from the portfolio also affect the percentages for each asset class.

The benefits of stating a minimum and maxi-mum percentage for each asset class provides the Committee/Board with a structured buy/sell discipline. For example, let’s assume your US Large Cap weight is now 55% since the US equity market has performed very well over the last several years (equity markets have risen significantly since 2008).

What decision will the Committee make? Will they leave the allocation alone since they believe the US equity market will continue to rise? Or will they perhaps sell some assets and transfer to another asset class?

The emotional answer may be to leave the allocation alone but the portfolio may now be incurring more risk with a higher equity

exposure. It’s more susceptible to a significant decline in the market. The unemotional deci-sion, based on written constraints, may be to sell assets and re-balance the portfolio. It forces the Committee to sell high and hopefully buy low in another asset class.

Measuring PerformanceHow has your performance been? A typical answer may be “good.” But what does “good” really mean?

The establishment of a relevant benchmark allows performance and risk to be assessed quantitatively rather than qualitatively. Trans-parency is increased and allows the Committee/Board to determine if portfolio objectives have been met. If not, changes may be necessary to improve the performance of the portfolio.

Source: Customized benchmark returns based on index returns from Zephyr StyleADVISOR; sample portfolio returns are hypothetical

In this example, performance is shown for a series of different time frames versus a custom-ized benchmark. The benchmark is comprised of a series of index returns using the asset allocation framework that was written into the investment policy statement. Many investment policy statements state that the objective of their investment portfolio is to outperform their benchmark over a three and five-year time frame. In this example, it is clearly shown that the portfolio has not met expectations. It is now up to the Investment Committee to discuss the issue and come up with a series of recommen-dations. Otherwise, the organization is open to criticism for making a statement that has not been met or properly acted upon.

Spending PolicyWhat objectives does your investment portfolio support? Are they short-term or long-term? Or perhaps a little bit of both?

For example, promoting art classes and work-shops during the year has a much shorter time horizon than plans to build a new exhibit or wing of a museum.

Asset allocation tends to occupy the greatest attention from investors and has the greatest impact on the long-term return/income char-acteristics of the portfolio. However, spending policy has an equal impact on the long-term success of the portfolio. The policy explicitly states the organization’s priorities in balancing its current demands against future goals. Ad-ditionally, the policy helps shield the portfolio from imprudent choices during periods of market duress.

Policies which emphasize current spending may risk depleting a portfolio during times of market duress. Yet, emphasizing portfolio preservation and growth risk may fail to provide cash to meet the obligations of the organization.

Long-term portfolios generally seek to maintain and grow the purchasing power of current assets over an extended period of time. Both asset allocation and spending policies affect the long-term maintenance of a portfolio. The two policies must be calibrated to each other and to the goals of the organization.

Spending needs are varied, and understanding the necessary cash flows for specific projects and the probability of those cash flows is important.

In Summary Whether you are on a road trip or managing an investment portfolio, getting “lost” has conse-quences. While using emotion to make a deci-sion sometimes works, having a well thought out plan is a better strategy. Both an investment policy statement and a GPS system have similar qualities. Both allow you to plan the “trip” in ad-vance, inform you when you are on the correct path and alert you when you deviate from the original plan. An investment policy provides a strong foundation to set your objectives, deter-mine the appropriate investment strategy, and ensure that there is sufficient oversight.

“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” - Earl Nightingale d

Author: Andrew Kramer, CFA© is a Wealth and Asset Management Specialist at Capital One N.A. He focuses on non-profit organi-zations regarding their investment pools and retirement plans. Andrew can be reached at andrew.kramer@capitalone.com.

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Investment Policy Statements: A Must Have Navigation Toolcontinued from page 5

Sample Asset Minimum Strategic Maximum

Allocation AllocationAsset Class TargetUS Large Cap Equity 30% 38% 50%US Mid Cap Equity 5% 10% 15%US Small Cap Equity 0% 5% 10%International Equity 5% 8% 15%Emerging Market Equity 0% 2% 4%Fixed Income 20% 30% 40%Alternatives 0% 2% 5%Cash & Cash Equivalents 0% 5% 10%

100%

l www.vamuseums.org

2013 - 2014Annual Report

Blair, Inc.Capitol Museum Services, a division of Capitol Exhibit Services, Inc.Cinebar Productions, Inc.Color-Ad, Inc.Cortina ProductionsCrowdTorch by Cvent, Inc.Dorfman Museum Figures

Glavé & Holmes ArchitectureGropen, Inc.HealyKohler DesignHollinger Metal EdgeInternational Spy MuseumMarkel ArtworksMuseum Framing

Museum RailsQuatrefoilQuinn-Evans ArchitectsStudioAmmonsStumpf & AssociatesThe Design Minds, Inc.Tracy GillespieWillis of New York, Inc.

l Special Thanks to Our Sponsors l

This past year at VAM has been an exciting one. It was Jennifer’s first year as director, and Christina’s first year as assistant director. The VAM team has introduced a lot of new things to our members, from new branding and a new website to new membership benefits and opportunities. In particular, we are

proud to offer free membership to any student wishing to join. In this way we help nurture the future of the Virginia museum community. In FY2014, we also began serving as the administrators for FRAME, the French Regional American Museum Exchange, and welcomed John Forsythe as coordinator for FRAME in North America. Working with FRAME provides an opportunity to build relationships with the broader art museum community and bring us increased recognition throughout the national and international museum com-munity, while supporting VAM’s operating budget. We are still as committed as always to our fundamental mission: providing professional education, advocacy support, and networking for museum staff, volunteers, and boards across the Commonwealth and in Washington, DC.

Left to right: VAM 2014 conference attendees take the opportunity to snap a quick selfie with our Alexan-dria-based costumed interpreters; VAM’s delegation prepares to visit Senator Kaine’s office during AAM’s Museum Advocacy Day 2014; Catie Drew, Su Thongpan, and a group of VAM members and staff get together and let their hair down during the 2014 Scholarship Reception at the DEA Museum in Arlington.

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Thank You Member Museums VAM represents all Virginia and D.C. museums through advocacy, professional education and support. We have over 1,000 members, consisting of individuals, busi-nesses, and member organizations, which range from historic houses to botanical gardens, aquariums, zoos, children’s museums, historical societies, art museums and galleries, battlefields, military museums, and more. VAM thanks the following member institutions for their support in FY2014, making our museum community the best in the nation! Organizations in bold hold memberships at our flagship INS8 level. Organizations marked with an * were new to VAM in FY2014. Welcome!

Abraham Lincoln Library & MuseumAfrican American HS of PortsmouthAfro-American Historical Assoc. of Fauquier County MuseumAgecroft Hall & GardensAlbemarle-Charlottesville HSAldie Heritage AssociationAldie Mill Historic Park, NVRPAAlexandria Archaeology *Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts CenterAlleghany HSAllen E. Roberts Masonic Library & Museum, Inc.AMA Museum Augusta Military Acadamy Alumni Association, Inc.Amazement Square, The Rightmire Children’s MuseumAmerican Celebration on Parade, Shenandoah Caverns

Appomattox County HSArchaeological Society of Virginia & Kittiewan PlantationAshland MuseumAshlawn-HighlandAssociation for the Preservation of Henrico AntiquitiesAtlantic Wildfowl Heritage MuseumBaron & Ellin Gordon Art Galleries at Old Dominion UniversityBath County HSBedford City County MuseumBelle Grove PlantationBeth Ahabah Museum & ArchivesBlack History Museum & Cultural CenterBlacksburg Museum & Cultural FoundationBlue Ridge Institute & MuseumBotetourt County HS & MuseumBrownsburg MuseumBugBook Computer MuseumCape Charles HS, Museum & Welcome CenterCaptain Timothy Hill HouseCarlyle House Historic ParkCarver Price Legacy Museum

Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe AuthorityCherry Hill Farm, Friends of Cherry Hill Farm FoundationChesapeake Beach Railway MuseumChesterfield HSChrysler Museum of ArtCity of Fairfax (Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center, Ratcliffe-Allison House, and Historic Blenheim)Clarke County Historical AssociationMuseum & ArchivesClerk of the Circuit Court, LoudounCold War MuseumCollingwood Library & Museum on AmericanismColonial Beach HS and MuseumColonial Williamsburg FoundationDahlgren Heritage Museum * Danville HS

Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History *DAR MuseumD’Art CenterDaura Gallery, Lynchburg CollegeDEA Museum & Visitors CenterDumbarton HouseEdgar Allan Poe MuseumEdith Bolling Wilson Birthplace MuseumEssex County MuseumFairfax County Park AuthorityFairfax Station Railroad Museum, Friends of the Fairfax StationFederal Reserve Bank of Richmond, The Fed ExperienceFloyd County HSFluvanna County HSFork Union Military AcademyFort Valley Museum, Inc.Fralin Museum of Art, UVAFredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural CenterFriends of Chevra Thelim, Jewish Museum & Cultural CenterFrontier Culture MuseumGadsby’s Tavern Museum

Gari Melchers’ Home & Studio at BelmontGenex Showcase Miniature MuseumGeorge C. Marshall MuseumGeorge Washington Masonic National MemorialGeorge Washington’s Mount VernonGloucester Museum of HistoryGloucester Museums, Gloucester Courthouse Green & Visitor CenterGrayson Crossroads Museum, Historic 1908 CourthouseGreene County HSGunston Hall PlantationHampton History MuseumHampton Roads Naval MuseumHampton University MuseumHanover Tavern FoundationHenrico County Museum ServicesHenricus Historical Park

Hermitage Museum & GardensHistoric Christ ChurchHistoric Crab Orchard MuseumHistoric Hopewell FoundationHistoric Sandusky, Lynchburg Civil War MuseumHistoric Smithfield PlantationHistoric St. Lukes ChurchHS of Western VirginiaIsle of Wight County MuseumJames Madison’s MontpelierJames Monroe Memorial FoundationJames Monroe Museum & Memorial LibraryJamestown-Yorktown FoundationKing and Queen County HS & MuseumKluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, UVALee Chapel & MuseumLee Hall Mansion, Endview PlantationLee-Fendall House Museum & GardenLegacy Museum of African American HistoryLibrary of VirginiaLoudoun MuseumLouisa County HSLynchburg Museum System

Mabel Jones Moore MuseumMacCallum More Museum & GardensMaier Museum of Art, Randolph CollegeManassas Museum SystemMariners’ MuseumMartinsville-Henry County HSMary Ball Washington MuseumMathews County HSMatthews Living History Farm MuseumMaymont FoundationMemorial Foundation of The Germanna ColoniesMenokin FoundationMiddlesex County Museum & HSMiles B. Carpenter MuseumMontgomery Museum & Lewis Miller Regional Art CenterMonticelloMontpelier Center for Arts & EducationMuseum at the Edinburg Mill Museum of BagsMuseum of Chincoteague IslandMuseum of Culpeper History *Museum of the Middle AppalachiansMuseum of the Shenandoah ValleyNational D-Day Memorial FoundationNational Firearms Museum, NRANational Museum of the Marine CorpsNational Sporting Library & MuseumNauticus, National Maritime CenterNorfolk Botanical GardenNorfolk Fire- Rescue MuseumNorfolk Southern MuseumNorthern Neck Farm MuseumOatlands PlantationOhef Sholom Temple ArchivesOld City CemeteryOld Coast Guard StationOrdnance Training & Heritage Center *Patrick County HS Museum & Family Research CenterPatsy Cline Historic HousePetersburg MuseumsPiedmont ArtsPortsmouth MuseumsPreservation VirginiaPrince William County Historical Preservation DivisionPrincess Anne County Training School, Union Kempsville High School MuseumRadford University Art MuseumRappahannock HSRawls Museum ArtsRed Hill - Patrick Henry National Memorial FoundationReedville Fishermen’s MuseumReuel B. Pritchett MuseumReynolds HomesteadRichmond County Museum

VAM would like to especially thank the following organizations for their substantial and ongoing support and commitment.

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Richmond Railroad MuseumRiddick’s FollyRobert Russa Moton MuseumRockbridge HSRockfish Valley Foundation *Salem Museum & HSSchoolfield Museum & Cultural CenterScience Museum of VirginiaScience Museum of Western VirginiaSociety of Port Republic Preservationists Inc. *South Boston-Halifax County Museum of Fine Arts and HistorySouthwest Virginia Museum Historical SPSt. John’s Church FoundationStonewall Jackson HouseStratford Hall Plantation, Robert E. Lee Memorial AssociationSuffolk-Nansemond HSSweet Briar College, Art Collection & GalleriesTangier History MuseumTaubman Museum of ArtThe American Civil War Museum(Museum of the Confederacy, American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar)The George Washington FoundationThe Heritage Museum / Harrisonburg -Rockingham HSThe Kinsale FoundationThe Lyceum, Alexandria’s History MuseumThe Valentine MuseumTown of Wytheville, Department of MuseumsTudor Place FoundationU.S. Army Quartermaster MuseumU.S. Army Women’s MuseumUniversity Collections of Art & Histo-ry, Washington & Lee UniversityUniversity Museums, University of RichmondUniversity of Mary Washington GalleriesUniversity of Mary Washington’s Historic Preservation DepartmentVietnam War FoundationVirginia Aquarium & Marine Science CenterVirginia Beach Historic HousesVirginia Civil War Trails

Virginia Department of Historic ResourcesVirginia Historical SocietyVirginia Holocaust MuseumVirginia Institute of Marine Science, Aquarium, & Visitor CenterVirginia Living MuseumVirginia Museum of Contemporary ArtVirginia Museum of Fine ArtsVirginia Museum of Natural HistoryVirginia Museum of the Civil WarVirginia Museum of TransportationVirginia Quilt MuseumVirginia Repertory TheatreVirginia Sports Hall of FameVirginia War Memorial Education FoundationVirginia War MuseumVirginia Zoological ParkVirginia’s Executive MansionVisual Arts Center TCC At Olde TowneVMI MuseumWarren Heritage SocietyWarren Rifles Confederate Memorial MuseumWarrenton Antiquarian Society, Weston FarmsteadWashington Heritage MuseumsWaterford FoundationWaynesboro Heritage FoundationWeems-Botts Museum, Historic DumfriesWilliam King Museum of ArtWilton House Museum / NSCDA-VAWolf Creek Indian Village & MuseumWoodrow Wilson House, National Trust for Historic PreservationWoodrow Wilson Presidential Library

Thank you Volunteers!VAM would like to thank our volunteers - who in FY2014 collectively donated their expertise, time, and made in-kind contributions valued at over $78,000. Our volunteers make everything we do possible. Volunteers make up our Governing Council, board committees, workshop committee, and annual conference committees. Our volunteers in FY2014 include Flourish Creative, creator of our new logo and branding (see ad next page).

Thank you Benefactors!Eric AppBarbara BatsonGretchen BulovaDonald BumaMargo Carlock Bruce ChristianKaren Daly

Audrey DavisElizabeth DavisonDiane L. Dunkley Paige GibbonsTracy GillespieDouglas K. HarveyMike Henry

Anna HollowayPaige HayhurstJudy Ison Twyla KittsMary LagueMelanie L. Mathewes Melissa A. Mullins

Jeanne Niccolls Robin NicholsonWilliam B. ObrochtaRobert OrrisonNancy PerryRobin Edward Reed Kym Rice

Gary SandlingAl SchweizerRobert C. VaughanJohn H VerrillDale WhearyCharlotte Whitted

9

John Forsythe, the coordinator for FRAME North America, updates the VAM Governing Council about the VAM / FRAME partnership during a Council meeting in Alexandria. Photo Courtesy of William Strollo.

Workshop attendees: 220Online training participants: 30Certificate program students: 160 Graduated: 5 New Applicants: 30Conference 2014 attendees: 423

Advocacy Day attendees: 25 Legislators reached: 87 VAM website page views: 207,000Facebook followers: 1,700Twitter followers: 3,000

A Snapshot of VAM’s Reach in FY2014

2013 - 2014 Annual Report, ContinuedStatement of Financial Position*Modified Cash Basis

FY2014 FY2013AssetsCurrent Assets Cash & cash equivalents $57,598 $31,954 Investments, at fair value $146,207 $123,480

Total Assets $203,805 $155,434

Liabilities Payroll Liabilities $258 ---

Net Assets Unrestricted $193,645 $146,583 Temporarily Restricted $9,902 $8,851

Total Net Assets $203,547 $155,434

Total Liabilities andNet Assets $203,805 $155,434

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Flourish Creative develops memorable brand identities, marketing materials and illustrated environmental graphics for museums that are designed to inspire visitors, members, and potential donors to return again and again.

flourishrva.com | 804.269.1283

Creator of the new VAM identity!

$0 to $25,000,70 museums

30%

$25,001 to $100,000, 50 museums

22%

$100,001 to $250,000, 37 museums

16%

$250,001 to $500,000, 22 museums

10%

$500,001 to $1 million,

17 museums7%

VAM Museum Members by Budget Size of Institution

Program U

pdatesVAM is proud to champion future muse-um professionals through a collection of initiatives designed to invite students into our community, develop their skills and knowledge, and engage them with today’s leaders. Here are a few ways VAM has taken a leadership role in nur-turing the future of our profession:

Free Student MembershipOur flagship student-based initiative, VAM now offers free membership to any interested student. Students sign up with an easy online form, uploading an image of their student ID as proof of status. Our free student membership initiative allows students access to our career resources and job board, to professional programming at deep discounts, and to news about the Virginia museum community. They also receive invitations to networking mixers and advocacy events. It is a great way for a student who may be interested in museum work to learn more, network, and engage with their future profession in a meaningful way.

New Discounts on ProgrammingIn keeping with our philosophy that early engagement in a professional

community nurtures greater success, VAM is knocking down cost barriers to professional development for students. Once they are registered with a free membership, students can register for any workshop for a low price of only $30. This saves students an additional $25 per workshop over our already low member price of $55 (nonmembers pay $80). It is our hope that affordable opportunities such as VAM workshops will complement students’ academic studies and help them enter the field with knowledge and skills valued by employers.

John Tyler Community College Partnership Brings Expertise to StudentsIn partnership with John Tyler Com-munity College (JTCC), we have helped create the JTCC Career Studies Certificate in Museum Studies. This online program offers flexibility for busy students. It provides an introduc-tion to the museum field, as well as professional development for students already employed by museums or other collecting institutions. Classes are held online each fall and spring se-mester and focus on topics in museum

studies, best practices, collections care, and more.

Student Research To Be Presented at #VAM2015We are pleased to announce that we’ll have a session at our 2015 AnnualConference (March 7 – 10, 2015) focus-ing on student research. Entitled We’ll Be Seeing You Soon! Inaugural Poster Session for Students in Museum Studies, this session was inspired by the SEMC Spotlight on Student Research in Mu-seums. It will showcase select student projects and offer a way for students to connect with experienced museum professionals and with other students.

To learn about any of our student-based initiatives, visit www.vamuseums.org or give us a call at 804-358-3170. We’d love to hear from you! d

VAM is for Students by Heather Widener

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We are a member of the Giving Institute, an organization dedicated to the ethical

practice of fundraising. Our team is small enough that you work directly with the

principals, but large enough to have a national presence and perspective.

Over the past 25 years The Curtis Group has worked with nearly 150 nonprofits, many of them arts and cultural organizations across the Commonwealth.

n Fundraising planning studies

n Campaign counsel and management

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I was attracted to this volume, by Jerold Panas, for several reasons: it claimed to be a simple, clear overview of making the ask to potential donors, and right in the title it says “A 59 Min-ute Guide…”. How could I resist a book that I could read in an hour, about a subject that so many of us have a level of discomfort with? If it could teach me a few tips, it would be well worth the purchase price.

After spending my hour (and yes, it really does only take an hour to read through it), I can say that it was worth my time. I was definitely the target audience: someone with little to no fundraising experience, who isn’t really comfortable with the whole idea of it. If this description fits you too, this is a decent place to start.

By fundraising, I mean asking large donors for large capital gifts. This is not a book about foundation grants or annual fund giving; this is strictly about making a “big ask” of an individual. The author has a very easy-to-read style, and I came away with several very valuable tips, including this: “Your organization

doesn’t have needs. People have needs. Your organization has the answer, the solution to problems and challenges. Don’t sell needs—sell your answer…” (Panas, 39).

The chapters are short and clear cut. Panas breaks down the elements of the ask into very bite-sized pieces, making the whole idea of asking for money seem not that overwhelm-ing. Ok, you did this part. See, that wasn’t so hard! Now, to the next step. He also includes sample letters you can adapt for your own use.

The downside to this book, though, is also the author’s style. There were a lot of hokey references, like “Triumph is Just “umph” Added to Try,” (Panas, 62) that I think were designed to keep the subject matter light, and help make readers comfortable with this tough topic, but they tended to rub me the wrong way.

To conclude, you can learn something from this book in just an hour. No one can become a fundraising expert in that time, but if you are a beginner, you will feel a little closer to saying “Maybe I can do this.” It’s a definite step in the right direction! d

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Book ReviewAsking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure the Giftby Jennifer Thomas

Save the DateCentral Virginia Museum Emergency Support Team

Alliance for Response Symposium

July 28, 2015Hanover Tavern

Mem

ber ProfileMore than a Member: Virginia Foundation for the Humanitiesby Maggie Guggenheimer and Heather Widener

Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH) is Virginia’s pre-eminent orga-nization connecting people and ideas

to explore the human experience and in-spire cultural engagement. VFH has grown immensely from a modest but auspicious beginning. At its start in 1974 VFH had but a single full-time staff member, Rob Vaughan, who then and now serves as president. Today there are 42 full-time employees, four of whom have worked with the Founda-tion for more than 25 years each. In the beginning, programs consisted primarily of grant-funded projects, until 1980, with the founding of a media resource center and in 1984, the addition of academic fellowships. In the 30 years since then, VFH has added eleven major programs for a current total of thirteen, including favorites like the Virginia Festival of the Book; With Good Reason; BackStory with the American History Guys; Encyclopedia Virginia; digital editing and publications; and African American, Virginia Indian, and Folklife programming.

Today, the focus of VFH is to encourage discovery and connection through the humanities by supporting and producing cultural, civic, local, and global education-al programs for broad public audiences. Working with individuals and communi-ties to explore the past, confront current issues, and discover a promising future, VFH focuses efforts on community programs, scholarship, and digital initiatives.

VFH at 40This year, VFH is celebrating its 40th year connecting people and ideas, broadening perspectives, and enriching lives through the humanities. Since its founding in 1974, VFH has produced more than 40,000 humanities programs serving communities large and small throughout Virginia, the nation, and the world. To celebrate their anniversary, VFH is sharing stories from their past and present. These stories highlight a few of the ways VFH has helped connect people and ideas to explore the human experience and inspire cultural engagement across the Common-wealth. Every two weeks, a new story is posted at Virginiahumanities.org/40-years-40-stories/.

Indeed, this anniversary is not only a time to look back, but also a time to look forward and ask, “So now what?” What do the humanities look like in 21st-century

Virginia? Indeed, what does Virginia look like? David Bearinger, director for grants and community programs at VFH, quoted a statistic in his Fall 2014 article in VFH Views entitled “The Changing Face of Virginia: Immigration and the Humanities.” It said that less than fifty years ago, in 1970, one in every 100 people living in Virginia had been born outside the United States. By 2012, the figure was one in nine. What does that imply for how VFH reaches audiences? What new programs will evolve? We all know that change is constant, and that new directions are inevitable. As the VFH Board and Staff consider such questions, Vaughan notes the remarkable connections between the issues of today and those upon which the organization was founded in 1974, when the selected theme for VFH was “the individual and community in a changing Commonwealth.”

“VFH at 40” Signature Events have been on-going throughout Virginia since September 2014, and have included historian talks, poetry, bluegrass, festivals, conferences, lectures by authors, panel discussions, and more. Among those upcoming are two especially noteworthy programs:

VFH 40th Anniversary Celebration: January 22, 2015, 5:30-7:00 PMVirginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH) will host a 40th anniversary celebra-tion on Thursday, January 22, 2015, at the Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond. The event will begin at 5:30 PM and feature a headlining program in the Lecture Hall entitled “BackStory to the Future...Live!” During the one-hour program the American History Guys—renowned historians Ed Ayers, Peter Onuf, and Brian Balogh—will perform a special live version of their public radio show BackStory, a VFH program. After the show, guests are invited to a private viewing of To Be Sold: Virginia and the American Slave Trade, a Library of Virginia exhibition curated by Maurie D. McInnis, VFH Board member and University of Virginia Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

and Professor of Art History. This event is free, but advance registration is required. To attend, register online by January 14 at VirginiaHumanities.org/BackStory-Live.

Virginia Festival of the Book: March 18-22, 2015The Virginia Festival of the Book, a program of Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, is a 5-day festival held in Charlottesville featuring mostly free literary events that are open to the public, honoring book culture, reading, and literacy. Programs range from traditional author readings and book sign-ings to a StoryFest day of children’s authors and storybook characters; from a panel on how to publish a novel to a discussion on running a book club; from a workshop on book-binding to a discussion on freelancer’s rights. 2015 ticketed events: Leadership Breakfast with Beth Macy (March 18), Fes-tival Luncheon with Frances Mayes (March 19), Stories Connect Us: An Evening with Kate DiCamillo (March 19), and Crime Wave Brunch with Karin Slaughter (March 21). To learn more visit VaBook.org.

VAM / VFHVFH has worked in support of museums since its inception, as part of its mission to connect people and ideas to explore the human experience and inspire cultural engagement. The VFH / VAM relationship has evolved along with both organizations. Back when VFH was founded in 1974, VAM was known as The Virginia History Feder-ation, and the relationship was collegial and informal. It wasn’t until 1980 that we became known as the Virginia Asso-ciation of Museums, a name that further established our purpose and mission – the education and support of all museums and cultural institutions and those who work in those institutions. VFH support of VAM and museums has taken many forms over the years, from making the Museums on Main Street program possible, to collaborating on advocacy, to funding our ever-popular Fundamentals Forum.

It was in the early 90s, under Governor Wilder’s administration, that the VFH / VAM funding relationship began. It was deemed beneficial to both organizations to have the funding for VAM flow through VFH. Both organizations seek to support humanities scholars as they preserve and interpret the past while confronting issues in the pres-

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Virginia Foundation for the Humanities continued from page 13

ent, to promote an understanding of our heritage and encourage lifelong learning. Our primary end-user is the public, who benefits from the scholarship behind the museum experience – whether through exhibitions or public programming. For museums, there is the added target audi-ence of future patrons, since collections are held in the public trust and cared for so that future generations may benefit as well.

The partnership between VAM and VFH has enabled VFH to provide services to this large segment of the humanities community while assuring VAM critical operating support. Before the transition, VAM received more than $80,000 in annual support from the Commonwealth. Over the twenty years of the partnership, VAM’s support has fluctuated, mirroring VFH’s support from the General Assembly, but with the goal of providing stable funding for office and program operations. The support allows VAM to fulfill our mission of serving as the resource network of the Virginia and DC museum community through education, technical assistance, and advocacy while pursuing our vision: a united museum community inspiring the

world around us. Says Vaughan, “I think it’s been a wonderful partnership – going back almost 40 years – that has allowed us to do things together that would have been difficult to do separately…. The collective approach works tremendously, providing a legitimate and sought-after service that has put VFH in the position to work with the museum community as a whole.”

Indeed, the VAM / VFH relationship is still going strong. We’ll be collaborating once again in January on Virginia Museum Advo-cacy Day at the State Capitol in Richmond, and our upcoming conference will feature a display celebrating the VFH anniversary. Indeed, our conference keynote speaker is none other than Ed Ayers, one of the “American History Guys” featured on VFH’s BackStory radio program.

Says Sandra G. Treadway, Librarian of Virgin-ia, “Support [from VFH has] made a major difference in VAM’s ability to thrive. VFH has also been a prime funder of museum exhibitions, educational programs, and activities and an organization that has ad-vocated tirelessly for the contributions that museums make to the public’s understand-

ing and appreciation of the humanities.... Today, VFH is a leader in looking down the road to anticipate how Virginia is changing – demographically, economically, culturally – and is funding programs that encourage longtime Virginians and new Virginians to come together to better understand who we are and who we are becoming. Its Folklife, Virginia Indian, African American, BackStory, With Good Reason, and Ency-clopedia Virginia programs have become essential vehicles for engaging wider and wider audiences in the best of what the humanities have to offer.” d

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Dear Members & Friends,

Season’s Greetings to all VAM members, supporters and friends. If you are a fan of the number 4, this edition is “four” you. We seem to be stuck on 4’s in this issue with plenty of interesting articles and infor-mation for you to ponder.

Our long-time supporter and collegial organization, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH), is cele-brating their 40th anniversary

this year. They have been with VAM from the start and we thank them for what they do for the Commonwealth as well as for VAM. A quick look at their web site will inform you of the depth and breadth of their contributions and you can easily find something that attracts your attention and interest there. Many of us have listened to BackStory with the American History Guys on the radio and they never fail to hold our interest. If you know someone on VFH staff, call or send them a happy anniversary note. We are proud to say that VAM and VFH continue to develop new ways to partner in the future and continue our mutually beneficial relation-ship as we move forward.

Check out the article containing 40 things you may not know about the museums and historic houses in Virginia. We all appreciate the fact that we’ve barely scratched the surface about what we offer to our communities, and they certainly draw travelers here for visits.

This coming March, we hope to see you in Richmond for the 40th annual conference. We’ve had an amazing track record of suc-cess. The hotel is ready and our Local Arrangements Committee is finishing their planning. This is going to be a good experience punctuated with great sessions, terrific speakers and our usual assembly of industry friends and supporters in the exhibit hall. Be sure to talk to them, they have great ideas. If they cannot help, they certainly know someone who can. We are very committed to

presenting the highest quality conference experience and making it worthwhile for you to attend.

Looking to the future of VAM, the Council is hard at work on a variety of actions. We are continuing our commitment to plan for our financial security. We are working with AAM as a test bed for their advocacy initiatives. Our new, free student membership initiative is taking hold and we are committed to providing the next generation of museum professionals with the skills they need for their careers.

Finally, what museum does not need more money? Andrew Kramer of Capital One has some new ideas for you to consider in our Technical Insert, entitled “Investment Policy Statements: A Must Have Naviga-tion Tool.”

None of this is possible without the assistance of our loyal sponsors and members. To all of you we say thanks and we appreciate your support. You provide us with the encouragement and support to move forward. Please share with your Council representative any ideas or questions you might have.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. Enjoy some close and well deserved family time.

Sincerely,

AlAl SchweizerPresidentVirginia Association of Museums

President’s Corner

Save the Date - VAM’s 2015 Annual Conference will be in Richmond March 7th - 10th. Join us!