Virginia Association of Museums Newsletter | Thursday, October 29th, 2026

What's New?

Mountain & Valley Regional Meet-Up Recap!

Thank you to all who joined us last Thursday for our Mountain & Valley Regional Meet-Up. We truly couldn't have asked for a more beautiful fall day or better company to share it with! 🍂

Our afternoon started at the Burwell-Morgan Mill, where we learned about the incredible preservation efforts by the Clarke County Historical Society to keep this c. 1782 mill churning out freshly ground corn, buckwheat, and more. We then ventured to the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley for a whirlwind tour of their galleries and gardens--a highlight being a group art discussion in the newly-opened "Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection." To cap off the evening, we shared dinner with a surprise guest--Winchester mayor Les Veach!

👀 2027 Conference Registration Goes Live SOON!

VAM is thrilled to host our 2027 Annual Conference "Back to Basics: Museum Building Blocks" in Charlottesville, March 13-16th. This year, we are proud to host an incredible lineup of professionals from across the field presenting on our core theme: how to keep your museum relevant, mission-minded, and invest in your internal community.

Registration (including scholarship opportunities!) goes live this November! Don't miss out.

Spend a Night at the Virginia Museum of Natural History!

Ever wondered what happens at the museum after the doors close? Join VAM and the Virginia Museum of Natural History for a one-of-a-kind Night at the Museum experience!

Friday, November 6th to Saturday, November 7th

Virginia Museum of Natural History

21 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112

More Info HERE!

$45 per person including dinner and breakfast

Open to ALL--bring a friend!

This special adults-only (18+) event invites you to experience the museum in an entirely new way. Spend the evening surrounded by prehistoric giants, enjoy dinner in the Hall of Dinosaurs, and go behind the scenes with special tours led by VMNH curators and executive leadership. As the evening continues, test your knowledge with trivia, relax with a movie, and enjoy plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow museum professionals and friends.

And when the museum gets quiet for the night, the adventure isn't over! Bring your sleeping bag and spend the night inside the museum for an unforgettable experience among the exhibits.

Join Us at a Regional Meet-Up

Get to know your fellow museum colleagues across all corners of the Commonwealth in an afternoon of engaging site visits, exclusive tours, and enlightening conversation. After our tour, we'll move to a local restuarant to unwind for a casual evening dinner. All VAM members are welcome to join any Regional Meet-Up for FREE--just let us know you'll be there by registering in advance!

Southwest & Southside Region

Thursday, November 5, 3PM-7PM

Danville Science Center & Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History

Danville, VA

JOIN US

Northern Virginia Region

Thursday, December 10

Alexandria, VA

More info to come!

Member-Driven Content Portals

Have an idea for a future VAM workshop or webinar?

Consider proposing a workshop that highlights a successful project, explores an emerging issue, shares practical tools and resources, or brings colleagues together to tackle a common challenge. You can propose a program to present yourself, partner with colleagues, or recommend someone whose expertise would benefit the VAM community.

Share Your Program Idea HERE!

AND, if you have an industry-specific question you're curious to pose to the greater VAM community, such as...

"What are other historic sites doing to increase accessibility?"

"What goes into writing a deaccession policy?"

"How can we better enage with our donor base?"

...we have a portal for that, too! Share your question here, and we will gather answers from our wonderful VAM council members and community to share on our social media and future newsletters.

Ask-A-Professional