Previous Virginia's Top 10 Endangered Artifacts Honorees

The Virginia's Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program identifies significant, endangered artifacts at libraries, archives, and museums throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and Washington DC on an annual basis.

Top 10 Endangered Artifacts are kept on the "endangered" list until which time the threat to the artifact has been resolved. 

Help us continue our work to conserve & recognize Virginia's historic and cultural treasures by making a donation today!


Interactive Endangered Artifacts Map

Virginia's Top 10 Endangered Artifacts Honorees for 2023

For the 2020 program, we invited collecting institutions in Virginia and DC to nominate artifacts related to underrepresented communities to highlight the broad diversity of the collections found in Virginia’s museums and to share and celebrate our communities' lesser-known stories, accomplishments, and struggles. After a professional review by the selection committee of partner organizations - Library of Virginia, Preservation Virginia, Virginia Conservation Association, and Virginia Department of Historic Resources - the following ten unique artifacts were selected as this year's Honorees.



View Past Nominees

2017 Nominees

2016 Nominees

2015 Nominees

2014 Nominees

2013 Nominees

2011 Nominees


View Past Honorees

2020 Honorees

2019 Honorees

2017 Honorees

2016 Honorees

2015 Honorees

2014 Honorees

2013 Honorees

2012 Honorees

2011 Honorees


Top 10 Status Report

(updated as we learn of new information about our previous honorees)*

 

Organization
Top 10 Year
Artifact
Status

Booker T. Washington National Monument

2011

Photographs with cellulose nitrate negatives, 1957-1984

Film is currently being conserved in a freezer.

Hermitage Museum & Gardens

2011

Korean 18thcentury Sakyamuni Triad silk tapestry

Repatriated back to Korea and is currently being conserved. Future plans include public display.

Klug-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia

2011

Yolngu Bark Painting by Narritjin Maymuru, depicting Djarrakpi Story (Indonesian Trader Ship)

Currently being conserved and will be on display at UVA soon.

The Mariners’ Museum

2011

USS Monitor’s Revolving Gun Turret

Currently in conservation. An estimated 18 years of work needs to be completed. Fundraising is needed.

Virginia Museum of Transportation

2011

Norfolk & Western SD45 Diesel Locomotive #1776

Received $10,000 grant fromTrains Magazinetoward improvements to Locomotive #1776 thanks to its People’s Choice recognition.

Warren Rifles Confederate Memorial Museum

2011

Confederate Battle Flag of Co. B, 6thVA Cavalry

Artifact has been conserved and is on display.

The Fairfield Foundation

2012

Ware Neck Store Sales Receipts; c. 1870s-1930s

Documents cleaned and placed in proper storage. Artifacts scanned by VCU’s Virtual Curation Laboratory. Experts are assisting with the project.

Salem Museum

2012

Records of African-American Midwife, Georgianna Saunders; c. 1916-1940

Records being transcribed and put in a database. People delivered by Georgianna Saunders have contacted the museum.

Tudor Place Historic House & Garden

2012

George Washington’s Revolutionary War Camp Stool; c. 1776

Conserved by the Historic Trades Department of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, through a collaborative research project with the Museum of the American Revolution in association with Tudor Place.

Wilton House Museum

2012

Waistcoat of Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood; c. 18thcentury

Artifact is currently being conserved.

MacArthur Memorial

2013

World War II Filipino and U.S. Guerilla Unit Flag, c. 1940s

Thanks to the support of a generous donor, the flag has been conserved and is on view!

St. John’s Church Foundation

2013

Reverend Robert Rose Monument, 1751

St. John's oldest visible grave marker has been conserved! and will be dedicated on the anniversary of Rose's death on June 30, 2017.