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Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History

N/A, N/A, US • 10 - 19 Employees
Museums

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History's mission is to promote, encourage, and develop interest in, knowledge of, appreciation for, and practice of the arts; to collect, preserve, and display works of art, documents, and artifacts relating to the history of the Danville, Virginia area; and to establish, promote, and operate facilities and programs thereof. The Museum's goal is to serve as the primary public educational facility for art and history for the greater Dan River Region.The Museum is housed in the former home of Major William T. Sutherlin, the most influential man in Danville, who parlayed a small tobacco business into a fortune including interests in warehouses, banks and railroads. Considered one of the finest examples of Italianate architecture in Virginia, the Sutherlin Mansion was built by Sutherlin in1859. It is designated as a Virginia Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was in this house that Confederate President Jefferson Davis wrote his final proclamation of the Confederacy. After the death of Mrs. Sutherlin in 1911, the City of Danville purchased the house and from 1928 to 1972 it served as the Danville Public Library. In 1974 the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History opened its doors. In its dual role as a collector and exhibitor of fine arts and history, the Museum not only preserves its historical home but also offers four galleries for changing art and history exhibits.The Museum serves two audiences: a regional one that comes to the Museum for its exhibitions and special events, and a national and international one that comes to vistit the "Last Capitol of the Confederacy." As such, the Museum is Danville's major cultural tourism asset. The Museum is governed by a Board of Directors and has a current membership of 423. The City of Danville maintains the grounds and the exterior of the building, but the Museum Corporation receives no other financial support from the City.