Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Collections And Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Museum committee reviews site-visit report: asbestos work at Douglas Avenue, collections storage and plan timeline
Summary
The Virginia Museum of Natural History strategic planning committee reviewed an accreditation site-visit report and discussed asbestos abatement at the Douglas Avenue facility, short-term measures for boxed library materials, tourism outreach and timelines for a five-year strategic plan.
The Virginia Museum of Natural History strategic planning committee reviewed a recent site-visit report and discussed plans to remove asbestos at the Douglas Avenue facility, short-term environmental controls for boxed library materials and elements of a five-year strategic plan the board will consider this fall.
Committee members were told the museum expects to go out for bids in May for the Douglas Avenue asbestos work and that asbestos abatement is expected to conclude in the fall of the following year. Museum staff said capital for the maintenance-reserve project is already assigned and that the work should not require new legislative approval.
The site-review team recommended improvements for collections storage at Douglas Avenue. Committee members raised concerns about books and archival materials moved from the Starling Avenue storage; staff said those materials are boxed in order and that temporary measures — including installing window air-conditioning units and deploying data loggers to track temperature and humidity — will be implemented immediately to stabilize conditions. Staff said the AC units are already on site and that installation should be underway the week following the meeting.
Committee discussion also covered outreach and earned-revenue strategies. The site-review team suggested using external tour or management firms to bring visitors; museum staff said they are researching bus-tour and tourism-grant options but noted most firms focus on larger urban centers. Staff added that decisions on fee-based tour partnerships will weigh cost, capacity and the availability of firms interested in the museum’s market.
On programming and space use, staff described plans to test after-hours events at the museum, including a trial “museum happy hour” in September with local musicians and limited beverage sales under the museum’s ABC licensing process. The committee discussed using the Education Pavilion and the outdoor space behind the museum for recurring, low-staff events and for third-party rentals such as small dinners, team-building activities or member-only receptions. Staff said they raised the rental deposit to discourage property damage and to reduce cleanup burdens on staff.
Regarding the strategic plan process, staff said they will distribute measurable goals and timelines to trustees the week of Oct. 5, with review time before a full-board vote targeted at the November meeting. The museum noted some timeline items depend on external funding and that proposed metrics will be framed as “optimal” timelines where necessary. The site-visit’s recommendations about management and upgrades to Douglas Avenue were described as central to the strategic plan.
Committee members requested explicit language in the draft plan highlighting community partnerships and the museum’s work with local schools, city and county agencies and regional partners. Staff said the draft will include metrics, photos and a summary of community engagement and will be shared with the committee in early October for possible one additional committee review before the November board meeting.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved the minutes from the prior meeting by voice vote; a motion to approve the minutes was moved and seconded and no opposition was announced.
