Our Mission

The mission of the West Virginia Association of Museums is to serve, educate, advocate for, and enhance communications within the museum community. WVAM carries out this mission by listening to its members, serving their interests, and keeping the members informed of current standards and activities on a national scale.

History

The West Virginia Association of Museums was organized in 1989 and officially established when the Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) met in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1990. At that time, the local planning committee decided to create a state association that would benefit the institutions, professionals, volunteers, and others interested in the museums of the Mountain State. They voted to adopt a constitution and bylaws and form the West Virginia Association of Museums (WVAM).

The founding board members, who represented institutions from across the state, felt that they needed to work together to promote West Virginia museums and immediately began publishing newsletters, holding workshops, and hosted the first annual conference in 1991. Workshop topics over the years include conservation topics, collections care, record keeping, starting a museum, artifact identification, museum operations, exhibit design, grants, and many more. Today, WVAM fulfills its mission through workshops, our annual conference, statewide museum communication, a social media presence, and more. Since 2016, WVAM has had a part-time Preserve WV AmeriCorps who coordinates events, communications, membership, and the association’s daily operations.

The WVAM Board of Directors is comprised of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, and six directors-at-large. The Board meets bimonthly to conduct the affairs of WVAM.