Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF), an educational institution of the Commonwealth of Virginia, shall foster through its living history museums – Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown – awareness and understanding of the early history, settlement, and development of the United States through the convergence of American Indian, European, and African cultures and the enduring legacies bequeathed to the nation.

We envision the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation as an impactful institution that is engaging while exploring more complex elements of our shared history. We will build diverse and highly skilled teams that work diligently to serve our community-both locally and nationally- with relevant history.

• Best Practices


• Inclusivity and Accessibility


• Relevance


• Integrity


• Creativity and Innovation 


• Excellent Resource Stewardship


• Fairness

Incorporating these values into our work, we achieve the mission in thoughtful and engaging ways which moves us closer to making the vision reality.

Our strategic plan focuses work on three strategic pillars: People, Program and Communications

• People: Recruit, develop and support employees in an Inclusive environment


• Programs: Better reflect the convergence of cultures and legacies bequeathed to the nation as mission-defined


• Communications: Provide dynamic, precise and informative communications to all stakeholders and audiences

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF) administers the Jamestown Settlement (JS) and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown (ARM-Y) museums that tell the story of America's beginnings through engaging films, gallery exhibits and historical interpretation in outdoor re-created settings. The 1607 ship replicas at JS have been designated by the General Assembly as the “Official Fleet of the Commonwealth.”

JYF is governed by a Board of Trustees, consisting of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Education, General Assembly members, appointed citizens, the private affiliate president, and those elected by the Board of Trustees. The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 private affiliate, coordinates private fund development and endowments in support of JYF programs. The Jamestown-Yorktown Education Trust, Inc., a 501(c)3 private affiliate, supports JYF’s enterprise operations.

JYF supports and guides the sub agency, Virginia Commemorations, Inc. (VCI) which serves as fiduciary of state funds for appropriate state-wide historical commemorations. In 2013, the General Assembly designated JYF as the official Executive Branch agency to assist the Commonwealth for the 2019 commemoration of the 400th anniversary of landmark events in Virginia's history. In 2020, the General Assembly designated JYF to serve in similar capacities for Virginia’s American Revolution 250th commemoration.

Annually, more than a half-million paid visitors (64 percent individuals, 36 percent groups) come to the museums and overwhelmingly rate (95+%) their museum experiences as “good” or “excellent.” 

Almost 77 percent of individual visitors come from out of state and museum visitors spend more than $109 million in the Williamsburg (Historic Triangle) area contributing to Commonwealth initiatives to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

Pre-pandemic, JYF was the largest provider of museum structured education programs in the Commonwealth including outreach programs in more than 80% of Virginia’s school districts. Education programs, designed to meet the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL), have been recognized by the American Association for State and Local History and outreach efforts have been endorsed by the National Council for Social Studies.  Emerging from the pandemic, we anticipate a return to robust school program delivery and will be carefully developing learning opportunities that maximize student engagement.

The foundation began as the Jamestown Festival Park which opened in 1957 for the 350th anniversary of Jamestown's founding as America's first permanent English settlement.  In the 1980s, the Board of Trustees redefined the mission to become distinctly education in purpose. In 1987, the museum was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. In 1990, the name was officially changed to Jamestown Settlement in conjunction with new galleries. The museum also served as a stage for America's 400th Anniversary in 2007. The gallery space at JS underwent a major refresh in preparation for the 2019 Commemoration. Yorktown Victory Center (YVC) opened in 1976 as one of three American Revolution Bicentennial centers. The YVC was replaced by the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown in 2015. The new museum had its grand opening in the spring of 2017 to strong reviews and visitor feedback.

Initiatives in FY 2022-24: Fine-tune operations to maintain program quality and while being responsive to fluctuating visitation patterns; develop a comprehensive interpretive plan; support our emerging Indigenous Peoples initiative; reimagine and grow school learning experiences delivered at museum sites and through outreach; creation of high-quality teacher professional development programming; provide engaging special exhibitions at both museums; adequately maintain facilities and technology; meet state compliance objectives; manage the Jamestown Settlement galley Refresh III and Pier Renovation projects; sustain critical non general  fund revenue streams; and plan for maximizing the impact of the 250th Commemoration.

JYF continues to explore visitor planning tools and digital resources on www.jyfmuseums.org, including videos, online interactives and learning resources, and will make substantial technology improvements to ticketing and reservations systems and gift shop point-of-sale and inventory software.

JYF continues to cost-effectively engage new customers and identify niche markets to increase ticket sales, online gift shop sales and donor contributions; continue to seek out marketing arrangements with local, regional and state tourism partners to leverage revenues and generate tourism to region and JYF museums.

JYF assists the sub-agency, Virginia Commemorations, Inc. (VCI), with planning for Virginia’s American Revolution 250th Commemoration ensuring a rich and diverse history filled with landmark events and iconic figures is shared across the state drawing visitors from around the country and world.

Information Technology is integral to JYF’s ability to achieve its operational mission. IT supports a blend of services provided by JYF IT staff, the VITA Multi Source model and as needed contracted services supporting five major applications and several commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software applications. JYF-specific applications support business functions that generate approximately 45 percent of total revenues. Network infrastructure, data storage, desktop, laptop, and printer support through the VITA partnership are JYF’s largest IT investments. Operational needs are impacted by response times, upgrade fees and exemption requests. Partnership fees totaled more than $1.4 million or six percent of the agency operating budget in FY 2023.

Adequate funding to provide seven-day-a-week operational support for JYF specific technology remains a challenge. JYF has two full-time and one part-time staff to oversee ticketing and reservations, gift shop point-of-sale and inventory management, fundraising, collections management, accounting systems and public wireless access in the museums. JYF's website, www.jyfmuseums.org is supported by contracted services. 

One full time AV Integration Manager, two full time AV technicians and one part time AV technician work within JYF’s digital media services department to support audio-visual needs and exhibit technology throughout the agency. This includes AV support for events and programs, exhibition media components, and experiential theaters and auditoriums with films, audio and lighting programs and special effects in both of JYF’s museums, open 363 days a year. With ongoing training constrained due to inadequate resources and an average tenure of less than two years for wage positions it is difficult to retain internal knowledge much less keep informed and trained on newer technologies.

Costs and timely responses from VITA provide challenges for implementing new cloud based technologies. VITA assessments and approvals for a web-based cloud facilities work order application took over one year. Requests to use Google Docs to engage with teachers throughout the Commonwealth to share information and scheduling for JYF's well received outreach programs have not been approved hampering ability to streamline communications. Other web-based cloud solutions have not been pursued due to the costs associated with required ongoing VITA oversight which exceeds the cost of the application. VITA oversight of exhibit technology of interactive programs, monitors and applications developed by outside vendors also has impacted costs of exhibits and delays in implementation. JYF is considering seeking exemptions to VITA oversight of exhibit related technologies to address concerns as technology plays a larger role in exhibit design.

JYF is addressing needs to virtualize servers to meet cloud architecture requirements as outlined in Executive Order 19. Sufficient network bandwidth exists to address relocation of remaining physical servers to virtual servers at VITA data center but will need to be monitored as network usage continues to expand. Response times are critical for customer facing point-of-sale applications such as ticketing, reservations and gift shop sales. JYF has postponed an initiative to bring telecommunication equipment at Jamestown Settlement to the same voice-over-internet (VOIP) standard at its other two sites due to budget constraints.

Future IT needs include assessment of the ticketing/reservation software installed in 2006 that combines ticketing, web-based ticket sales, and reservations. It will also assess on-site group scheduling and invoicing software to ensure future viability to meet JYF needs.

JYF's authorized MEL is 176 (113 GF classified; 63 NGF classified/exempt) with part-time wage positions varying seasonally. Positions are in six management divisions: Museum Operations & Education; Marketing & Public Relations; Development; Human Resources & Professional Development; Executive Office; and Administration.

Unlike many state agencies, JYF relies heavily on part-time wage staff to work many frontline jobs in education, visitor services, interpretation, and to support management divisions. In FY 2022, approximately 90 part-time wage staff worked 80,906 hours (46 FTE positions) and comprised approximately 40 percent of total paid staff. JYF has a strong volunteer program; with 960 volunteers providing 38,000 service hours in FY 2022. The VA250 Commemoration has an authorized MEL of 10 general funded, classified positions which will be supported by additional part-time wage staff.

JYF tracks workforce retirement eligibility to ensure replacement or consistency of essential museum knowledge, skills and abilities. Currently, 2 individuals in critical museum roles are eligible to retire, and an additional 13 in lower level museum roles are eligible to retire. Existing staffing levels leave JYF with little depth and the loss of key management could stifle the operations of the Foundation.

Current challenges include recruitment, compression, leadership training, and expanding diversity. Maintaining volunteer programs presents similar challenges. Further, as resource levels change, JYF re-evaluates workloads, programs, organizational structure and processes to determine new strategies to achieve its goals and mission.JYF's authorized MEL is 176 (113 GF classified; 63 NGF classified/exempt) with part-time wage positions varying seasonally. Positions are in six management divisions: Museum Operations & Education; Marketing & Public Relations; Development; Human Resources & Professional Development; Executive Office; and Administration.

A successful building program, funded from state and private investments, has resulted in modern facilities and outdoor exhibit areas that meet operational and business needs. The new American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, a phased construction and exhibit fabrication program critical to JYF’s education goals, was completed in spring 2017. Additionally, a phased renovation of the pier at the Jamestown Settlement began in the summer of 2018. The operational impact of larger facilities continues to be addressed. Proactive planning and preventive maintenance are key to maintaining inviting and functional facilities that will enhance operations and future NGF revenue streams.

Maintenance and protection is essential to:

• keep facilities and exhibits operational 363 days a year to ensure positive, visitor experiences;


• protect artifacts from theft and environmental threats;


• ensure public safety;


• meet stringent security standards for loaned artifacts from national/international museums;


• maintain structural soundness.

Staffing challenges throughout the Covid pandemic required careful management of human resources and the physical plant. Reductions in routine maintenance, grounds keeping and housekeeping were focused on critical items to thwart any accelerated deterioration of the physical plant. As staffing improves, the range of maintenance increases.

Exhibits, digital media services, and facilities need to remain up-to-date with functioning technology to maintain the customer base and to attract new visitors which are critical to protecting tourism market share and producing NGF revenues. Ongoing funding is needed for technology-specific enhancements and changing technology affects the need for continued capital investment. New/improved technologies to support expanded marketing initiatives and create potential for increased efficiencies and revenue include lighting systems, video and sound systems, exhibits and security systems.

Personnel: In FY 2023, 12 percent of full-time employees (18) are eligible for retirement. Some of these eligible are upper level management including our Maritime Program Director, Visitor Experience Manager, and museum operational staff. In the next five years, 25 percent (38) of full-time employees will be eligible for full retirement. Current staffing levels leave JYF with little depth and the loss of key management could adversely impact agency operations. JYF has continuous training needs due to high reliance on part-time employees and volunteers, versus full-time employees, which has higher associated turnover. Staff levels fluctuate with visitation levels and revenue trends. Staffing costs currently comprise 72 percent of the budget. Limited funding exists to support employee recognition and retention programs.

Revenues: Tourism levels to the Williamsburg area directly impact visitation to the JYF museums. For this reason, new and strengthening partnerships are mitigating the risk. Nonetheless, the region is sensitive to inflationary increases, declines in discretionary income and market conditions that limit visitors' ability to travel or limit time spent in a destination. The number of school division field trips is also down considerably due to budget reductions and lingering effects of pandemic protocols. at the district level. With regard to fundraising, the concern is ensuring we are able to nationalize our fundraising operations quickly enough to mitigate the impact of a small, regional, concentrated and aging donor population.

Programming: JYF must ensure programming at both museums and online meets visitor expectations, which continue to change based on advances in technology, new understandings of history, and media consumption. We work to provide fulfilling exhibit experiences, innovative media, and robust online content that further the institution’s mission and engage audiences. The Jamestown Settlement gallery exhibits have recently been renovated to include updated historical content, including a new section on the 1622 Powhatan Offensive, Women and the Law, and the arrival of the first recorded Africans brought to Virginia in 1619. Looking forward, gallery refreshes continue to be warranted at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to ensure that we are providing up to date, accurate, and relevant historical content that aligns with JYF's mission to tell inclusive history. Uncertainty in a post-COVID recovery period and an ongoing challenge in hiring qualified part time educators have reduced JYF’s current capacity to provide programming for Virginia's students. Despite this, JYF strives to maintain its position as a key provider of museum education programs in Virginia by developing new programs for self-guided experiences, interdisciplinary programs, and virtual learning in order to support delivery of core educational programming. JYF teacher professional development program offerings and learning resources will also expand in program topics and delivery platforms. We recognize that changing transportation costs, SOL requirements, and private donation levels also impact participation in education programs for school districts. In addition, the General Assembly charged JYF work closely with Virginia’s American Revolution 250th Commission through our VCI to ensure a successful commemoration across the state.

Advertising:  JYF museums visitation is directly correlated to the visitation levels of the Historic Triangle and Virginia. In 2018, a major attraction in the area cut their advertising investment by $7.0 million, which materially impacted JYF ability to attract visitors from outside of Virginia. The State’s budget amendment funding for FY 2022 and FY 2023 has helped JYF redirect its advertising efforts and make much needed improvements in its marketing profile The new destination program hasn't replaced all of the lost investment as of yet, but has the potential to grow commensurate with the growth in number of visitors to the area. JYF advertising investment is appropriate for an attraction, but independently is not enough to attract the volume of visitors needed to bolster JYF museums' potential market share.

Physical Plant: The limited maintenance budget threatens the visitor experience, exhibits, ships, artifacts, and facilities.

JYF funding of the base budget comes from general funds (57.6 percent) and non-general fund sources including admissions revenue (42.3 percent).

JYF is heavily dependent upon admissions revenue to support its operating budget. FY2022 combined paid admission revenues totaled $5,604,402. Miscellaneous revenue includes reimbursement of private affiliate operational expenses, private affiliate endowment and annual fund support, and gift shop net revenues. Other revenue sources are private grants, fees for outreach, distance learning and summer history-camp programs and private event rentals.

Additional education and sales programs have been explored to generate new revenue, including expanding programs for homeschool and niche markets, offering private museum tours for individual visitors, and promoting after-hours event rentals. The private affiliate, Jamestown- Yorktown Foundation, Inc., raises private funds to support artifact acquisitions, special exhibitions, and public and education programs.

Key facts regarding JYF:

Challenges faced by the tourism industry, both locally and in heritage tourism locations as a whole, will have an impact on JYF operations over time. Destination and major area marketing and attraction efforts in the past provided umbrella positioning and messaging under which JYF could then work in tandem and in partnership to leverage opportunities and capture market share. When additional money is invested in the "destination sell" effort, JYF will attract more visitors to our nationally accredited museums. Per capita ticket pricing and management strategies help JYF protect non-general revenue generation as much as possible.

The number of Virginia school districts is relatively stable while student population growth is falling slightly as private and homeschool populations increase following the pandemic. JYF is making strides increasing educational services to private schools, home-schooled children, out-of-state school districts, and creating new teacher professional development offerings. Through the use of existing and emerging technology, JYF has greater opportunity to extend products and services to a wide customer base.

The pool of potential contributors remains relatively constant. There is a risk that potential donors may be drawn to other programs and JYF could lose crucial support.

JYF works closely with regional and state-wide museums, attractions and other cultural/business partners to better help deliver on our mission through programmatic partnerships, training and shared expertise. Among the organizations that JYF collaborates with include all state agency museums, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, National Park Service and Jamestown Rediscovery.

JYF is open daily year-round, except Christmas and New Year's Day. Normal operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museums feature films, gallery exhibits, hands-on activities and historical interpretation. Outdoor exhibits include recreated historic areas: Paspahegh Town, representing an Indigenous town site, three 1607 replica ships, 1610-1614 re-created fort and self-guided riverfront discovery area at Jamestown Settlement and a newly expanded Continental Army encampment and 1780s farm at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. JYF features a distinctive collection of more than 210,931 17th- and 18th-century artifacts and continues to acquire new artifacts for exhibit at both museums in support of its educational mission.

JYF served 111,982 students through programs in FY 2022, including 76,116 at our museums and 35,866 through outreach and virtual programs in 64 of Virginia's 134 school districts. Eight on-site programs for students and seven outreach programs explore topics from the Powhatan Indian World to Revolutionary Virginia. Summer programs include fifteen different children's history camps. Teacher Professional Development programs served approximately 100 teachers during FY 2022. Online resources for teachers and students, including curriculum materials, videos, interactives and essays are available on www.jyf.museums.org.

The Maritime Program provides outreach opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay area with the Jamestown Settlement ships to conduct education programs, create awareness for fundraising, and promote tourism and museum visitation. In 2022, Godspeed, the Foundation’s primary outreach sailing vessel, re-started its outreach sailing program after a COVID shutdown.  The 2022 sailing program includes four events, including Jamestown Day, Norfolk’s Harborfest, a fall voyage to Chestertown, Maryland and Urbanna, Virginia.  The crew conducts special hands-on programs at ports of call. 2,635 guests were welcomed aboard at Norfolk Harborfest. JYF will use the passenger for hire program at Chestertown’s Downrigging Weekend as a pilot to inform the creation of a potential revenue producing visitor sail program that could be offered at other ports of call and occasionally out of Jamestown Settlement.  

Special exhibitions and public programs generate repeat visitation and foster donor support from awareness through media coverage. Looking ahead to November 5, 2022, JYF will open Reign & Rebellion, the first joint special exhibition in the Foundation’s history. Open through September 5, 2023, the joint exhibitions will explore the convergence of cultures and the coming of the Revolution in Virginia through the lens of the Stuart monarchy and its lasting impacts on the Commonwealth. Special programs and community engagement activities will continue the momentum of these exhibitions through its life cycle. A core content team is already at work to establish a special exhibition calendar leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. 

Customer Satisfaction: FY 2022 customer survey results indicated 99.7 percent “Good” or “Excellent” ratings regarding their visit and experience with JYF programs and facilities.

Return on Advertising Investment: The FY 2022 ratio of admissions revenue to direct media advertising was $4.85:$1, based on $5.6 million in revenues and $1.2 million in direct media expenditures.

Outreach Education Programs: Served 35,866 students in FY 2022 in 64 school divisions, an increase of 26% over the previous year. 

On-site Education Programs: Served 76,116 participants in FY 2022, 202% over the previous year’s total, which had seen a significant reduction due to the pandemic.

Visitor Complaints: In FY 2022, fewer than 1.58 percent of customer surveys included complaints about facility operation or maintenance.

Educational and public programs, visitor experiences, exhibitions, and digital media promote an understanding and awareness of early American history through the convergence of Indigenous, European and African cultures and the shared legacies today.

Provide museum experiences that result in visitors indicating that they felt connections to the past or others in the present based on learning about the convergence of cultures through visitor evaluation.

• Develop an interpretive plan centered on providing a more complete historic narrative reflecting Virginia Indian, West Central African and Anglo-European cultures.

• Implement a comprehensive review of all program plans, living history demonstrations, and resources at each museum to ensure accuracy and inclusiveness per our mission statement.

• Create or reimagine programs to make essential the stories of African Americans, Indigenous people, women and other underrepresented cultures.

• Design and implement methods of evaluation that help document existing audience understanding and provide evidence of shifts in understanding subject matter as a result of programs and visitor experiences.

• Conduct historical research that will serve as the basis for all programs utilizing staff, interns, volunteers, and outside scholars as available.

• Coordinate and assess learning goals of education programs in relation to the Commonwealth's Standards of Learning.

• Ensure programming accommodations for diverse audiences (e.g., family, adult, special needs, educators, and other professionals).

• Manage and care for more than 67,000 square feet of existing gallery exhibits and 5 outdoor living-history exhibit areas at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

• Offer dynamic and engaging multi-year on-site gallery exhibit programs and outdoor living-history programs to visitors that advance the goals of empathy and diverse perspectives.

• Plan and fabricate changing exhibits at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown that center mission and audience impact.

• Extend teacher professional development programming to serve teachers in Virginia and outside the Commonwealth with professional development programming delivered in person and virtually.

• Re-establish the Museums & Programs Advisory Council (MPAC) in its review and evaluation of JYF education programming, changing exhibition plans, gallery planning process, and living-history area improvements.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

Reimagine and grow school learning experiences delivered at museum sites and through outreach with a focus on making the convergence of cultures in early America relevant to youth today.

• Review existing school programs to ensure standards align with State requirements while also promoting empathy and relevance for students.

• Reimagine the on-site school experience to support growing the number of self-guided visits, interdisciplinary connections, and inquiry-based learning.

• Implement outreach programming in school districts both in person and virtually.

• Secure private contributions to support rising program costs.

• Create opportunities for youth engagement, including volunteerism and internships that foster interest in the fields of history and museums.

• Use social and digital media across multiple platforms to make relevant connections through history and museum collections in a dialogue-driven format.

• Develop opportunities for youth to be contributors and co-producers of content, programs, and exhibitions.

• Extend youth civic engagement programs inspired by the legacy aspects of our collections and exhibitions through programs and digital content.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

Increase the number of community partnerships and creation of programs that expand our audiences.

• Identify organizations and opportunities to engage with our community and develop a plan for outreach programming that works to be intentionally inclusive and maximize new opportunities for using Foundation resources.

• Design new program opportunities with specific generational audiences in mind that are currently underrepresented at JYF, including Gen Z and Millennials.

• Create opportunities to be in service to the local community, both at community sites and as a location to host community-based events.

• Expand communication with regional and national museums to further meaningful partnerships for projects and audience development.

• Examine the needs of lifelong learners and expand programming and resources tailored to adult learners.

• Develop programs and digital content that address trending topics for the public that highlight the relevance of historical events and connect them with events that are shaping today’s world.

• Implement JYF’s Indigenous Peoples Initiative, including cultivating reciprocal tribal relationships and programming.

• Obtain private contributions to offset rising program costs.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

Growing the collection is central to our mission of exploring early Virginia and American history through the lens of a convergence of cultures and their legacies in our world today. As history interpretation continues to evolve, our collection must grow in order to provide relevant, engaging, accurate, and empathetic narratives to our visitors and stakeholders.

Manage and care for the collections, and for borrowed artifacts according to collection guidelines, American Alliance of Museums (AAM) standards and artifact loan agreements.

• Review and revise master and annual acquisitions plans (as guided by the JYF Collections Policy) to grow an artifact collection that tells diverse stories of early Virginia and the American Revolution, and continues to center the Commonwealth’s collection on an international stage.

• Conduct historical research and make preparations for new special exhibits and planned gallery refreshes that drive new audiences and foster comprehensive and more complete narratives of our past.

• Monitor and record temperature and humidity in the galleries, assess collections management facility needs in accordance with guidelines and procedures, and integrate requirements into the JYF master planning process.

• Monitor and review collections storage conditions to ensure compliance with best practices standards, regularly update information cataloged in Vernon Collections Management system or its equivalent, review artifacts for conservation on a regular basis.

• Facilitate accessibility of the collections through digitization efforts (3D scanning and high res photography).

• Present lectures, staff training programs, and respond to research requests from public, donors, and various federal and state agencies to advance the visibility of JYF’s collection and grow the Foundation’s intellectual and academic capacity and credibility.

• Facilitate reasonable access to collections for the purpose of staff research projects as it benefits JYF’s interpretive goals.

• Develop and implement a special exhibition for the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

• Review all aspects of collections management and policy to maintain AAM accreditation.

• Review display cases, lighting and HVAC systems to ensure safety for both artifacts and the public.

• Work effectively with major national and international lenders to ensure loaned exhibits and artifacts are stored in appropriate conditions, artifact mounting meets or exceeds standards and all curatorial issues are addressed and resolved without adverse impact on the exhibition schedule.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

As a result of its success in fulfilling its mission, JYF visitors spent an estimated $109 million in the Historic Triangle in 2021 - on lodging, meals and other commodities, and visiting other attractions during their visit.

Generate admissions revenue through an effective marketing program.

• Actively manage admission rate pricing strategy and develop ticket products.

• Expand group sales and packaged tour growth.

• Implement media relations promotional efforts.

• Maximize online and off-site museum admission ticket sales.

• Operate in-house advertising agency and media placements.

• Promote sales of combination and co-op tickets.

• Promote the landmark events of the VA250 Commemoration.

• Effectively utilize web-based marketing and digital communication strategies, including www.jyfmuseums.org, social media and digital advertising.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

In order to fulfill its mission, JYF must have attractive, well designed facilities that adequately handle visitation demands, meet rigorous museum standards for the protection of the artifact collection, and ensure the comfort and safety of staff, visitors and artifacts.

Maintain lean, but functional facilities and grounds operation in order to provide a positive visitor experience.

• Maintain buildings and expanded grounds efficiently in accordance with the highest standards.

• Maintain strict humidity and temperature levels in galleries according to mandated museum standards.

• Maintain sufficient staffing and resources to meet compliance and accommodate service levels.

• Operate and maintain facilities during periods of peak visitation.

• Provide landscaping improvements to sustain view sheds, and thus improve the public product.

• Provide ongoing engineering/project supervision services in order to identify facilities issues, design improvements, develop detailed project costs, and ensure quality workmanship.


• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

In order to fulfill its mission with limited resources, JYF must operate under sound business principles and satisfy the Commonwealth of Virginia's state compliance requirements.

Ensure resources are used efficiently and programs are managed effectively, and in a manner consistent with applicable state and federal requirements.

• Annually review/assess internal tools such as bylaws, statements of purpose, board criteria, board responsibilities, annual goals, and related external materials to ensure/establish protocol for JYF and its affiliates.

• Attract and retain qualified paid and volunteer staff.

• Construct necessary facility improvements to ensure the agency’s continued ability to attract visitation and generate non-general fund revenue.

• Continue evaluation of JYF's management and operation systems.

• Ensure effective board and committee meetings.

• Implement the agency’s capital improvement plan in conjunction with the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Construction and Professional Services Manual.

• Incorporate the Governor’s initiatives as they relate to JYF in agency planning whenever feasible.

• Maintain an active membership roster and hold functions for The Council, an organizational affiliate consisting of former board members, to enlist members’ assistance as long-term ambassadors of JYF and private affiliate organizations.

• Maintain contact with central state agencies and federal and local agencies to maintain awareness of agency needs.

• Maintain memberships in professional organizations, attend professional conferences and meetings, and subscribe to professional publications in order to keep abreast of the innovations and news within the education and museum communities and within state government.

• Maintain sufficient staffing and resources to meet compliance and service levels.

• Maximize non-general fund income from museum shops and café commissions.

• Monitor the need for board meetings or similar forums and convene such forums as needed.

• Coordinate with sub agencies to support commemorative events in an efficient and effective manner.

• Promote adequate state government support for operating, capital and maintenance expenses.

• Promote dynamic working relationship between JYF Board of Trustees, the boards of its private affiliates, business leaders, and members of the Museum Programs Advisory Committee to utilize the leadership and vision of top museum, business and governmental leaders to best fulfill the agency’s mission.

• Provide sufficient security to safeguard artifacts and provide staff and public safety.

• Provide the fiscal, personnel and organizational resources, and structure necessary to support activities planned and implemented.

• Provide timely and relevant financial reporting to effectively manage JYF and private affiliate resources.

• Pursue technology investments and strategies that provide sufficient flexibility and support for marketing, retail, and private affiliate operations, while maximizing the efficiencies and security provided by the VITA network and policies.

• Sustain current compliance levels with all state policies and regulations (e.g., financial, procurement, human resources, and capital outlay).

• Sustain current staff/board communications and working relationships.

• Sustain ongoing cooperation and explore future promotional and working opportunities with other agencies.

• Use agency assessment, performance, and budgeting data to evaluate agency resources.

• Utilize technology to communicate with the public and to operate in a more effective and efficient manner.

• Work with board committees to communicate agency resource and personnel needs and provide accurate and timely information concerning JYF and private affiliate resource requirements.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

Non-general funds are essential for the operation of the JYF museums and an effective marketing initiative is required to generate admissions revenue so that the mission can be implemented.

Generate admissions revenue through an effective marketing program.

• Actively manage admission rate pricing strategy and develop ticket products.

• Expand group sales and packaged tour growth.

• Implement media relations promotional efforts.

• Maximize online and off-site museum admission ticket sales.

• Operate in-house advertising agency and media placements.

• Promote sales of combination and co-op tickets.

• Promote the landmark events of the VA250 Commemoration.

• Effectively utilize web-based marketing and digital communication strategies, including www.jyfmuseums.org, social media and digital advertising.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

Financial support from a variety of sources is required in order to implement JYF's mission.

Financial support from a variety of sources is required in order to implement Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation's mission. Donations assist in this implementation.

• Nationalize funding program while continuing to cultivate and steward regional donors.

• Increase opportunities for private sector funding support for the expansion of educational programs and projects.


• Conduct an effective annual giving program, using direct mail, social media, and other methods to reach the widest possible audience.

• Solicit major gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and federal sources.

• Promote planned giving through the Mathews Society.

• Incorporate the three strategic pillars of People, Program and communication in daily operations.

This service area acquires and provides excellent stewardship for the broad collection that provides museum visitors with tangible connections to the past. Artifacts, material culture, and other historic and contemporary materials provide a lens through which visitors can explore historical themes and their legacies in the JYF museum galleries. 

By using artifacts to impactful and engaging stories about the past, growing, researching, and maintaining the Foundation’s artifact collection directly supports JYF’s educational mission to explore how a convergence of many cultures impacted the evolution of Virginia from the founding of Jamestown to the Siege of Yorktown and beyond. 

Authority: Title 23, Chapter 23, Code of Virginia.

This service area provides period artifacts that are maintained according to stringent standards. It identifies potential artifact loans, implements loan agreements, and creates accurate, engaging historical exhibit themes and research-based content for the permanent and changing exhibits. Jamestown Settlement has 30,000 square feet of permanent galleries plus 5,400 square feet of changing exhibit space. The permanent gallery at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown has 25,500 square feet with 4,000 square feet of changing gallery space.

Permanent galleries typically are replaced every 10-15 years, while a changing gallery typically is open for a period of three to 12 months. The information presented in the gallery must be well researched, clearly organized and well written, and artifacts must be purchased (through JYF's private affiliate), borrowed, and, in all cases, cared for according to American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and artifact loan agreement standards to ensure that artifacts are preserved for future generations to see. Temperature, humidity and light levels must be closely monitored and actions taken to protect the artifacts if building systems are unable to meet standards.

Funding for Collections and Curatorial Services comes from general funds (36.4 percent) and from nongeneral funds (63.6 percent) - largely admissions revenue. Nongeneral funds from the agency's private affiliate, the JYF, Inc. and donors, are used to purchase and conserve artifacts on behalf of the state agency. Other artifacts are conserved utilizing maintenance reserve funds. After the artifact has been acquired, ownership of the artifact is transferred to state government and placed under the state's self-insurance program. Additionally, public and private grants (both restricted and unrestricted) supplement nongeneral funds.

Education and Extension Services includes nine areas:

1. Visitor Services provides on-site ticket sales and customer service to visitors at two museums.


2. Visitor Experience provides costumed historical interpretation for visitors at two museums and oversees customer research, gallery and docent programming, and living history events. 


3. Student Programming provides guided and self-guided educational experiences and hands-on educational classroom programs to school groups visiting the museums, as well as summer children's programs, adult groups, VIPs, and special interest groups. It also provides classroom outreach in the form of in person and virtual presentations.


4. Maritime Services provides the maintenance for three replica ships (Discovery, Godspeed, and Susan Constant) and oversees the sailing of the ships for educational outreach programs.


5. Exhibit Services designs, fabricates and maintains exhibit displays for the museum galleries and outdoor interpretive areas. This area also manages exhibit audio visual technology.


6. Teacher Programming provides synchronous professional development for educators through onsite and virtual programming and teacher resources delivered through programming and digital resources.  


7. Group Reservations manages reservations for student and special programs.


8. Community Engagement conceives and creates public and cultural programming designed to engage diverse audiences, including visitors, community groups and other organizations and institutions.


9. Digital Media Services produces in-house and/or manages outsourced production of digital media products and provides audio-visual support for events, programs and exhibits. 

Education and Extension Services provides all programming, visitor experiences, and customer service for Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. The educational mission includes fostering an understanding and awareness of the development of the United States through the convergence of Virginia Indian, European and African cultures and the resulting legacies. Education and Extension Services directly provides the educational product for JYF’s audiences, both on-site and virtually; sells tickets to and assists visitors so they fully can experience the museums; and maintains ships and provides maritime outreach programs. This unit also provides student programs at our two museums and in classrooms physically and virtually throughout Virginia (including not only public schools, but private schools, home-schoolers, and out-of-state teachers and students), carrying JYF's mission to them during the entire academic year. Many students would not be able to experience JYF’s offerings without these outreach programs.

Authority: Title 23, Chapter 23, Code of Virginia.

Museum Galleries and Living History Sites: Serve as dynamic experiences for tours and programs for individuals, families, and groups, including tour companies and Virginia schools as well as school groups outside of the Commonwealth. Museum exhibits, film viewing and special events can be accessed at both museums.

Visitor Services: Provide advance and on-site ticket sales to both museums as well as combination tickets with community partners' attractions. 

Outreach education programs: Instructors with reproduction artifacts traveling to classrooms throughout the state, utilizing museum programming in their teaching objectives.

Education: Provide meaningful experiences for school groups through museum educators and specialists using material culture, galleries, living history sites, and museum collections. 

Teacher workshops and institutes: Conduct teacher institutes and workshops on state and national basis so that teachers may better utilize the museum experiences and techniques within their own classroom to better teach to Virginia and national learning standards.

Staff training programs and materials: Training for JYF staff and volunteers to effectively serve the public and carry out JYF’s mission.

Customer research: Analyzes visitor surveys, program evaluation forms and visitor comment cards and online comments. Calculates JYF’s economic impact and assists with visitation projections.

Funding for Education and Extension Services come from general funds (69.1 percent) and from nongeneral funds (30.9 percent)-largely admissions revenue.

Operational and Support Services includes the following areas: Finance, Human Resources, Safety and Security, Marketing and Retail Operations, Development, Facilities and Maintenance and the Deputy Executive and Executive offices.

Operational and Support Services supports the JYF mission, as well as the statewide goal of being recognized as the best managed state in the nation, by providing the executive leadership and day-to-day critical services to the museums and its operation.

Authority: Title 23, Chapter 23, Code of Virginia.

Finance Department: Maintains accurate accounts payable and receivables. Provides other accounting functions including payroll, budget analysis and procurement. Prepares background information and recommendations for budget amendments. Prepares monthly financial reporting for state agency and two private affiliates that clearly delineates each entity's financial support. Prepares accurate, timely financial reporting for grants and restricted gift donations.

Facilities and Maintenance: Provides the management and delivery of JYF's capital program and maintenance of its facilities and equipment.

Marketing: Designs and implements marketing programs, including advertising, media relations services, sales and promotions, on-site advertising agency and graphic design and the www.jyfmuseums.org website, to generate paid admissions to Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

Retail Operations: Provides the opportunity for visitors to purchase items that provide meaningful connections to their visit while generating revenue to support key Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation operations and programming, and cultural engagement for the community.

Café Operations: Provides visitor amenities which enhance the visitor experience while generating revenue that supports JYET operations and assists in fulfilling JYET’s objectives of providing financial support to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.  

Development: The Development Office provides fundraising support to JYF.

Human Resources: Provides human resource support to internal and external customers. Enforces state employment regulations, lists new positions, processes newly hired employees, advises on employee benefits, and records management.

Security and Safety Services: Provides a safe environment for visitors and staff; protects the collections, facilities and other physical assets of JYF against loss from fire, theft and willful destruction.

Executive and Deputy Executive Offices: Provides the leadership and management of JYF.

Information Technology: Supports the critical business objectives of JYF through hardware and software applications specific to the agency and oversees network and desktop service provided by VITA.

Funding for Operational and Support Services comes from general funds (48.0 percent) and from nongeneral funds (52.0 percent)-largely admissions revenue.