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Virginia's Top Ten Endangered Artifacts Program


Virginia's Top Top Endangered Artifacts Program 2027

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The Virginia Association of Museums is excited to announce the return of the Top Ten Endangered Artifacts program, presented by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture! The Top Ten Endangered Artifact program is a nationally-recognized, annually awarded program that invites museums, archives, libraries, historical societies, and all other collecting institutions in Virginia and Washington, D.C. to nominate and endangered object in their collection for conservation grant award consideration.

What does it mean for an object or artifact to be endangered? We define endangered as a piece in an institution's collection that is in imminent need of restoration, stabilization, conservation, or repair in order for it to remain possible for the institution to care for the object for generations of Virginians to come. In the past, the Top Ten Endangered Artifacts program has helped to fund the restoration of a rare ambrotype of author Edgar Allan Poe, stabilize a 19th-century silk bodice worn by Patrick Henry's daughter, and carefully preserve a fragile photo collage of the graduating class of 1954 at the Robert Russa Moton High School. 

Over the course of this winter, our volunteer Selection Committee will carefully review all nominations and publish a Top Ten Honoree list of finalist objects to be highlighted on our website and social media in the weeks leading up to our 2027 Annual Conference in Charlottesville, March 13-16. This is an excellent opportunity to share the diverse stories of these rare treasures and the institutions that care for them! 

The following conservation grant awards will be announced at the VAM 2027 Annual Conference: 

  • Juried Award of $1,500.00 | Awarded by VAM's Museum Practitioner Committee

  • People's Choice Award of $1,500.00 | Voted Online by the Public Community

  • All remaining Top Ten Honoree institutions will be awarded $500.00 each for conservation of their object

2027 Nomination Form

2027 Nomination Themes
This year, in honor of our nation's 250th anniversary and in line with the 2027 VAM Conference "Back to Basics: Museum Building Blocks," we are asking institutions to nominate endangered objects in their collection that connect to one of two themes:
 
  • The creation of democracy. As Virginians across the Commonwealth continue to reflect on the sacrifice, meaning, and future of our representative government, what objects help tell this story? This could be an archival work, a piece owned or associated with a civic leader, or any endangered object that sparks a conservation about our American democracy, past and present. 
 
            OR
 
  • Foundational stories. Think of the object that serves as the foundation of the unique interpretation of your institution. Is it a portrait? A tool? A piece of furniture or item of clothing? Whatever it may be, we are excited by the opportunity to help preserve an essential part of your site's story for Virginians to come.  

Eligibility

Object nominations are open NOW through December 31st, 2026!

  • Nominating organization must be located in the Commonwealth of Virginia or District of Columbia and be an institutional member in good standing of the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM). 
  • Nominated objects must fit either of this year's themes and be in need of specific conservation intervention. 
  • If your institution has previously nominated an object that was not chosen as a Top Ten Honoree but fits one of this year's themes and is still in need of conservation, we encourage you to re-nominate! 
  • If your institution nominated an object that was previously chosen as a Top Ten Honoree three or more years ago but did not receive either the Juried or People's Choice Award and fits one of this year's themes and is in need of additional conservation, we encourage you to re-nominate!
  • Historic structures and land are not eligible.
  • Previous Top Ten Endangered Artifact Award Winner objects (Juried or People's Choice) are not eligible. 
  • Institutions represented on the Selection Committee are not eligible to nominate.
  • Objects on loan to an institution are not eligible
    Nomination Process

    In order to nominate an object for this award, please complete the nomination form below by December 31st, 2026. A successful nominee will meet the following criteria:

    • Fully completed nomination form, including up to five clear, high-resolution photographs or other media of the endangered object.
    • Thorough description of the object's significance to the institution, its current condition, and connection to one of the two 2027 themes. 
    • Thorough description of the object's conservation needs. The object does not need to have been previously evaluated by a professional conservator, but the nomination form should include a realistic, detailed assessment of the conservation the object requires.
    • Clear vision of the institution's future aspirations (such as educational programs, exhibit display, or any other use case) for the endangered object should it win one of this year's Top Ten conservation grants. 

    Please note that all submitted application materials, including photographs and other supplemental media will be used for administrative review, and may be used for press and promotional purposes via our website, e-mail, and social media.

    Limit to one object nomination per organization. Nominations close on December 31, 2026. For questions, please reach out to membership@vamuseums.org.

    Review & Award Process
    • Only ten (10) organizations and their endangered objects will be chosen as Honorees for inclusion in the program. 
    • Nominations are reviewed by a volunteer independent Selection Committee comprised of representatives from partner organizations, including the Library of Virginia, Preservation Virginia, Virginia Conservation Association, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and private conservators.
    • The selected Top Ten Honoree objects will be featured in an online public voting competition published on VAM's website and shared via e-mail and social media in the weeks leading up to the 2027 Annual Conference. The winner of this voting competition will receive the People's Choice Award of $1,500.00.
    • The selected Top Ten Honoree objects will also be reviewed by VAM's Museum Practitioner Committee. The winner of this review process will receive the Juried Award of $1,500.00.
    • All remaining Top Ten Honoree institutions will be awarded $500.00 each.

    • A Top Ten Honoree object cannot be awarded both the People's Choice Award and the Juried Award. If the Juried Award winner has also received the highest number of votes in the People's Choice Award category, the object with the second-highest amount of votes in the People's Choice category will be named as the People's Choice Award winner. 

    • At least one (1) member of all Top Ten Honoree institutions must be present to receive recognition at the 2027 VAM Annual Conference in Charlottesville, March 13-16, 2027. 

    • All Top Ten Honorees will be required to complete an Awards Agreement and Awards Progress Report detailing the use of their awarded conservation grant to VAM by December 31st, 2027. 

    • Failure to follow these requirements will result in disqualification from future program participation.

      Questions? Email membership@vamuseums.org for more information.

      Click HERE to See Last Year's Winners!

      The Top Ten Endangered Artifacts program is an essential part of the Virginia Association of Museum's mission to support the Virginia museum community across all corners of our Commonwealth. Your support helps provide funding for future conservation grant awards to ensure the protection and care for these rare treasures for years to come.