Despite rumors, local museums will not merge

You may have heard a rumor that three history museums were discussing a merger. They’re definitely talking, but not about merging.

August 5, 2013; 7:05 AM • by Nathan Cushing

Despite rumors to the contrary, three local museums have no plans to merge. It was reported that the Virginia Historical Society, American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, and Museum of the Confederacy had begun negotiations that would possibly lead to a merger.

“The Virginia Historical Society has no plans to merge with any organizations at this point,” said Jennifer Guild, the museum’s senior public relations officer. “I think the term ‘merger’ may have emerged out of talks about more collaboration.”

The three museums have a history of partnership. In Fall 2012, the Historical Society worked with the American Civil War center to feature a live-stream panel of Civil War scholars. And last month, the Historical Society organized the lecture of a Civil War historian with the help of the Museum of the Confederacy.

“We’re not talking merger, we’re talking collaboration,” said Sam Craghead of the Confederacy Museum. He said the trio of museums have recently discussed partnerships to further commemorate this year’s Civil War sesquicentennial.

He said the museums have been talking lately, but only to develop future collaborations. Not to merge.