The state finalized its biennial budget last month, and once again, a proposed campus of the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Waynesboro was not funded by the General Assembly.
Virginia Del. Ellen McLaughlin (R-Waynesboro) had requested $3.5 million for drawings for the satellite campus in fiscal year 2027 and $28.5 million for construction in 2028.
The state had previously allocated funding for the construction of the museum, but the money was diverted to the COVID-19 response.
Since then, Waynesboro officials and museum representatives have worked tirelessly to keep the idea alive.
Despite another setback, the city and museum remain committed to the project, 15 years in the making.
Waynesboro City Manager Mike Hamp said the city is hoping the change in leadership in Virginia could eventually lead to funding for the $36 million natural history museum.
“The period of transition in the executive branch will be accompanied by a new opportunity to educate about and promote the benefits of the project and work to establish its priority among competing opportunities,” Hamp told AFP. “The most recent effort to secure construction funds was the first with completed design plans and construction drawings.”
The city believes that the museum will be a “spark for some of the derelict and blighted buildings we have in the downtown area,” Director of Economic Development & Tourism Greg Hitchin told City Council last July.
The planned 28,000-square-foot facility is projected to draw 45,000 to 85,000 to the city each year.
Museum officials join Waynesboro in their reluctance to throw in the towel on the project.
“While capital funding was unfortunately not approved during the recent legislative session, VMNH remains committed to moving the project forward in partnership with the City of Waynesboro and the Commonwealth,” said Ryan Barber, deputy director of VMNH. “A budget amendment request for capital funding will be developed and submitted for consideration in the 2027 mid-biennium session, followed by a budget request for the next biennial budget in 2028, as needed.”
ICYMI
- Waynesboro: Delegate continues push for natural history museum funding
- Natural history museum funding under consideration by General Assembly
- Waynesboro: Fate of $36M natural history museum hinges on state funding
- Waynesboro: Natural history museum looks to 2027 to secure state funds for construction
- Waynesboro: Natural history museum delayed; ‘unable to secure’ construction funding
McLaughlin is also hoping the governor and her staff will support the construction of the museum.
“This off season we’ll be gathering all stakeholders for meetings and discussion on how we can make this work,” Jarrett Harlow, McLaughlin’s legislative assistant, told AFP. “Our goal is to convene folks from VMNH, Waynesboro and Governor [Abigail] Spanberger’s finance staff to stress the importance of this project.
While the brick-and-mortar structure hasn’t come to fruition, the museum has put down roots in Waynesboro.
“The partnership between the city and the VMNH remains strong and we look forward to continuing our work together to advance the project which will benefit the VMNH, the Commonwealth, Waynesboro and the region,” Hamp said. “As many know, the museum has established a presence in Waynesboro evidenced by the mobile museum downtown, the ongoing lecture series, and new initiatives to connect the museum’s mission to SOLs [Standards of Learning assessment tests] in public education.”
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Crystal Graham
