Virginia Law

Article 2. Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia.

The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia (the Museum) is established as a state agency and educational institution. The purpose of the Museum is to construct, operate, and maintain, in the Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro area of the Commonwealth, an outdoor museum to commemorate on an international scale the contributions of the pioneers and colonial frontiersmen and frontierswomen of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the creation and development of the United States. The Museum is responsible for administering such historical and interpretive programs as may be established by the board of trustees of the Museum.

2000, c. 541, § 23-296; 2016, c. 588.

A. The Museum shall be administered by a board of trustees (the board) consisting of no more than 25 members. The members shall be appointed as follows: five members of the House of Delegates by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the rules of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates, three members of the Senate by the Senate Committee on Rules, and nine nonlegislative citizen members by the Governor. The Governor may appoint, upon recommendation of the board, up to eight additional nonlegislative citizen members who may be nonresidents of the Commonwealth.

B. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for terms of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.

C. The board shall elect a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other officers as it deems necessary. The meetings of the board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request. The board may appoint an executive committee consisting of at least seven members for the transaction of business in the recess of the board.

D. Nonlegislative citizen members shall receive no compensation for their services. Legislative members shall be compensated as provided in § 30-19.12. Members of the board shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Museum.

2000, c. 541, § 23-297; 2005, c. 758; 2016, c. 588.

A. The board shall:

1. Establish, operate, and maintain the Museum to commemorate the contributions of the pioneers and colonial frontiersmen and frontierswomen to the creation of this nation;

2. Employ an executive director and such assistants as may be required and confer such duties and responsibilities as determined necessary;

3. Adopt a flag, seal, and other emblems for use in connection with the Museum;

4. Establish a nonprofit corporation to develop and maintain public awareness of the Museum;

5. Receive and expend gifts, grants, and donations of any kind from whatever sources determined, including donations accepted by the American Frontier Culture Foundation on behalf of the Museum;

6. Adopt regulations and set fees concerning the use and visitation of properties under its control;

7. With the consent of the Governor, acquire by purchase, lease, gift, devise, or condemnation proceedings lands, property, and structures deemed necessary to the purpose of the Museum. The title to such acquired land and property shall be in the name of the Commonwealth. In the exercise of the power of eminent domain granted under this section, the Museum may proceed in the manner provided by Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1;

8. Convey by lease land and structures to any person, association, firm, or corporation, with the consent of the Governor, for such terms and on such conditions as the Museum may determine;

9. Enter into contracts to further the purpose of the Museum; and

10. Elect any past member of the board to the honorary position of trustee emeritus. Trustees emeriti shall serve as honorary members for life, shall not have voting privileges, and shall be elected in addition to those positions set forth in § 23.1-3202.

B. In addition to the powers granted by subsection A, the board may evaluate the significance and suitability of the furnishings, household items, and other objects acquired by purchase, gift, or donation with or for the Museum for the purpose of accurately presenting the means, tastes, and lifestyles of the people living during the era depicted by the Museum. The board may exchange or sell those furnishings, household items, and other objects that it determines to be of little or no significance or suitability for achieving the purpose or mission of the Museum as long as such disposition is not inconsistent with the terms of the acquisition of the relevant property. Sales of these items may be conducted by auction houses recognized for their expertise in the sale of such property.

C. Any furnishings, household goods, and other objects previously acquired by donation or purchase and the net proceeds of any sale of these items as provided in subsection B shall constitute a discrete fund of the Museum and shall be used solely for the acquisition of period furnishings, household goods, and other objects consistent with the purpose and mission of the Museum.

D. Donations to the Museum of any funds, securities, and any other property, real or personal, for use in accordance with its purpose and mission shall constitute endowments or unrestricted gifts for the purposes of § 23.1-101. The board may change the form of investment of any such funds, securities, or other property, real or personal, if the change in such form is not inconsistent with the terms of the instrument under which such property was acquired and may sell, grant, or convey any such property, except that any transfers of real property shall be made only with the consent of the Governor.

2000, c. 541, § 23-298; 2002, c. 129; 2003, c. 940; 2008, c. 242; 2016, c. 588.