VMNH reports pavilion progress, Douglas Avenue rehab plan and reaccreditation submission
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Summary
Executive director reported pavilion construction nearing finish, plans to install exhibits, a proposed Douglas Avenue rehab scope for collections storage, a $100,000 maintenance reserve for a Waynesboro trailer, and that an AM reaccreditation package was submitted on Nov. 1 with a site visit expected in March–April.
The Virginia Museum of Natural History's executive committee received updates on facilities, collections work and accreditation during an internal meeting.
Executive Director (Speaker 1) said the pavilion concrete work is done, with next steps to install railings, finish electrical work and build stairs connecting to Oakdale Street; exhibit installation will follow once infrastructure work is completed. He noted that most exhibits have already been manufactured or obtained.
On capital maintenance, Speaker 1 reported the museum has just over $100,000 available from maintenance reserves to update the BMH Waynesboro trailer and that staff will identify scope of work and a contractor in short order.
Collections and research work were highlighted: R&C lead Hayden Bassett is operating a remote underwater vehicle and conducting test runs at Philpott Lake with the aim of surveying near-shore submerged Virginia Indian sites in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic nearshore. The director framed this as a growth area for underwater archaeology work.
The museum submitted its "AM reaccreditation package" on Nov. 1, Speaker 1 said; the transcript uses the acronym "AM" without spelling it out. The accreditation body is expected to take several months to review submitted materials, with a site team anticipated in March or April and a final decision in the summer. The board discussed delaying the public release of the next strategic plan until after reaccreditation to incorporate any recommendations.
Speaker 1 also announced a celebration that evening for reaching a $1 million endowment milestone and relayed staff calculations showing that, hypothetically, maintaining the same growth rate for 15 years could project the endowment to about $36 million; the speaker presented that as a mathematical projection rather than a guarantee.
The meeting adjourned after confirming consent agenda items for the next-day full board meeting and noting that approval of the first-quarter financials and minutes would be on the agenda.