Reopening the oldest museum in Virginia post pandemic to provide needed state-wide education programs for K-12 teachers and students across the Commonwealth.

FAIN: ZED-283723-22

Virginia Museum of History & Culture (Richmond, VA 23220-3307)
Michael Plumb (Project Director: May 2021 to present)

Staff salaries for educational programs and equipment for online programming.

The Covid-19 Pandemic resulted in the Virginia Museum of History & Culture closing its doors to its community in March 2020. Due to the pandemic, the museum's attendance dropped 72% overall, saw student participation (in house and online) drop 55%, and program and event participation drop 80%. This decrease in participation has affected earned income dramatically so that new employees could not be hired in key positions and purchasing new equipment needed to provide virtual and digital programming was put on hold. The NEH ARA grant would allow the VMHC to move forward with reopening by providing the necessary staff as well as equipment to engage our patrons while assisting teachers and students with quality programing in history education both in-person and virtually as we approach the Nation's 250th Anniversary.