Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Visitor experience Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation's museums jamestown settlement and the american revolution museum at yorktown presented a full calendar of public programs that commemorated historical events, educated audiences, celebrated the holidays and engaged adults and children with the stories of america's founding from diverse cultural perspectives. The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, which had an operating budget of $23.5 million in fiscal year 2023, receives partial operating support from the commonwealth of Virginia and earns income through museum admissions, retail and concessions, and fundraising. Fundraising totaled $3.8 million in fiscal year 2023. Gifts made a critical difference in our ability to engage, educate and welcome 462,014 paid visitors in fiscal year 2023, 76% of whom visited from outside Virginia. Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation museums' recovery from the covid-19 pandemic's effect on visitation has been robust. However, visitation numbers have yet to fully return to fiscal year 2019 numbers (533,730). Exhibitions, events and programming are integral to the visitor experience. "reign & rebellion," an innovative two-fold special exhibition, ran from november 5, 2022 to september 19, 2023. "reign & rebellion" illuminated the legacy of the stuart monarchs (1603-1714) in colonial Virginia from initial english settlement to the american revolution. At jamestown settlement, the exhibition considered how the monarchy under the stuarts solidified early Virginia's identity, which had lasting impacts for the remainder of the colonial period. At the american revolution museum at yorktown, the exhibition explored how the legacies of the stuart era contributed to Virginia's journey from loyal cavaliers to fighting for independence from great britain, crafting a distinctly american identity in the process. Both halves of the exhibition highlighted how the interweaving of indigenous, west african and european influences contributed to Virginia's relationship to the stuart legacy. The Foundation continued to cultivate donors and obtain funding for special exhibitions, including "reign & rebellion and the upcoming "ruth e. carter: afrofuturism in costume design." These special exhibitions, along with our permanent galleries, enable jyf to share many of the 210,877 artifacts in the Foundation's collection. Re-created living history sites at jamestown settlement and the american revolution museum at yorktown complement the permanent and special exhibition galleries, bringing early american history to life for our visitors throughout the year. Seasonal museum programs and events held during fiscal year 2023 at both museums offered unique activities and ways to connect with history. Annual seasonal programs drew over 58,000 visitors during fiscal year 2023, including: liberty celebration, our independence day celebration; first africans commemoration, honoring the legacy of the first recorded africans brought to Virginia in 1619; family frights, a halloween-themed transformation of our interpretive areas; foods & feasts of colonial Virginia, exploring 17th and 18th-century foodways; christmastide in Virginia; after angelo, an annual celebration of african and african american history and culture named for the first recorded african woman to arrive at jamestown in 1619; military through the ages, featuring hundreds of re-enactors of armed forces from 500 b.c.e. To 21st-century soldiers; indigenous arts day, celebrating traditional and contemporary indigenous art; jamestown day, marking the anniversary of jamestown's 1607 founding; juneteenth; and civic season, a series of civics-related programs and events to engage younger generations in american democracy. Jyf also continued a new program launched in 2022, the director's series, inviting visitors and local community members to join executive director christy s. coleman as she joins with prominent scholars and public figures for lively and enlightening conversations surrounding our shared legacies of american history.

Collections the Foundation collection is comprised of 210,877 archaeological and non-archaeological artifacts relating to historical themes at the museums, including 17th- and 18th-century portraits, documents, furnishings, toys, ceremonial and decorative objects, tools and implements, weaponry, military equipment, nautical objects, clothing, personal effects and household objects. The Foundation continues to build its collection by acquiring artifacts to exhibit at both museums in support of its educational mission.the Foundation's collections policy reflects an emphasis on public education and exhibition by acquiring objects that are central to a dynamic exhibits program. Period artifacts add another dimension to the fulfillment of the agency's educational mission, allowing historical themes and educational programs to be more effectively illustrated. All artifacts in our collection are given a high standard of care. Our conservation facilities give us the capacity to carry out the full range of collection care that is expected and required of a fully accredited institution.

Educational programs the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation continued to carry out its mission as the largest provider of museum education programs in the commonwealth. These programs include curriculum-based, on-site programs for student groups and homeschool families, in Virginia classroom outreach settings, teacher development programs and virtual education opportunities for both adults and children. In fiscal year 2023, corresponding with the 2022-2023 academic year, jyf museum education staff engaged with 199,144 students, a 78% increase over fiscal year 2022, through interactive programs and guided experiences at both museums and in outreach settings. Jyf museum educators engaged with 6,887 students from 38 under-resourced Virginia school districts, a 250% increase over the previous year. The Foundation's award-winning education programs support students in meeting Virginia's standards of learning as well as national learning standards and have been endorsed by the national council for the social studies. The summer teacher institute hosted 20 teachers from 18 Virginia districts, providing an array of new teaching methods, tools and content to support teachers in bringing hands-on, engaging history lessons back to their classrooms. 190 teachers from around the country attended six virtual teacher workshops.

Annual fund in fiscal year 2023, the annual fund raised $789,828 from nearly 1,900 donors. Gifts to the annual fund provide unrestricted support that helps sustain the Foundation's museums and education programs, including artifact acquisitions and collections care; living-history interpretation within the outdoor exhibits; curatorial services, public programs and events; museum education programs for students, including field trips, classroom outreach and distance learning; volunteer recruitment and retention; and maritime educationfurthering the Foundation's educational mission.

Endowment the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc. has investment oversight over all of the Foundation's endowed assets, which as of december 31, 2023, amounted to $18,972,984. For the fiscal year 2022, the endowments' expendable earnings were used to support core public programs and education program areas including living-history interpretation, maritime education, outreach education, special exhibitions and artifact acquisition.