2025 Annual Report: A Year of Construction and Progress
Every year the Montgomery Museum aims to offer an annual report at the end of the year, so that we may renew our connections with one another and with the mission of the Museum. We continue to actively engage in the mission to connect and engage the community through the arts and the preservation and interpretation of local and regional history. This year, like all of those that came before, was jam packed full of events, programs, and exhibits. And amidst all of it, construction was happening in the background! This construction, which includes the installation of an elevator, will expand our exhibit and program space for the entire community.
Let’s take a moment to look back on what the Museum has accomplished in 2025…
Collections, Exhibits, and Education
Christiansburg Courthouse, Roselee Jurison, 1978. Watercolor on paper. Gift of Jody Booze-Daniels
The museum houses over 20,000 objects, books, papers, and photographs. So far in 2025, 1,803 items from 130 donors have been cataloged. The Collections Committee, Collections Volunteers, and staff work hard to ensure that the historic pieces entrusted to us are preserved and ready to contribute to future learning. We used our collection, along with items loaned to us, to produce seven new local history exhibits created in-house this year. These bring our past to life with objects and interpretive material.
Because the museum has a dual mission of History and Art, it is equally important to note that our Arts Advisory Committee has hung ten art shows giving regional artists an opportunity to share and sell their work.
Another important service of the Museum is the Educational Outreach that we provide. This is easy to see in our active work with other community partners. One of our favorite programs each year are the annual student shows with Montgomery County Public Schools. These shows provide many young artists their first opportunity to be part of a museum show. The receptions for these shows this spring were attended by about 300 people. These art shows are possible because of partnerships with both MCPS and the Blacksburg Regional Artist Association.
Building Montgomery History Exhibit
Beings by Linda Hinson
Events and Programs
Programs are an important part of our work in sharing art and history and also help fulfill the Museum’s budgetary needs. Over the course of 2025, the Montgomery Museum has hosted five workshops, four lectures, and two paint night workshops. Receptions are equally important events, as they allow an opportunity to celebrate local art and history, meet artists, and ask questions about history. We have held a total of nine exhibit receptions this year - and we want to give a special thanks to the Museum’s Hospitality Committee for their incredible work and help at these events. If you’ve enjoyed the lovely refreshments at any of our events or receptions, you should know who to thank. They always make the Museum look good.
The long-running Heritage Day event brought history, music, traditional & new crafts to the community free of charge in August. This community event had a special focus on local luthiers ( instrument makers) and included an exhibit featuring many historic and locally made traditional Appalachian instruments. The weekend that we have held this event has become very crowded with other, similar events over the last few years. Our hard-working staff and Heritage Day committee will be working in the coming year to analyze how we can improve attendance and participation at this important Museum fundraiser in coming years.
Completing the musical year for our major events are the two traditional Appalachian music concerts: one was held in September and the other in November. The concerts, which so beautifully fulfill our mission, are also important fundraisers for the Museum. These concerts highlighted the important history of Appalachian music while also demonstrating that many modern musicians are preserving musical traditions.
Finally, the Museum welcomed a new event to this year’s roster - the Historic Holiday House Tour. Exploring seven historic properties in downtown Christiansburg, this event offered a view of both the early history of the town as well as historic architectural styles. These beautifully decorated properties welcomed over 160 visitors, making this event extremely successful.
Growth within the Garden
You are probably aware that the Museum still owns the former museum property on Pepper Street. The historic Pepper House is now used as rental office space, but the gazebo and the Museum Garden are open to the public. Over the 36 years of the garden’s evolution, volunteers have created a beautiful, well-designed space accommodating: a place for education, including sustainability of regional native plants and the overall environment; the donation of over 150 pounds of produce grown in the garden and donated to food banks seasonally; a space for art exhibits and; a place of respite for the community.
The Museum Garden is managed by many volunteers, including many Master Gardeners and other community contributors. The garden is a living example of the use of native flora in creating a beautiful space that serves to build community through education, preservation and connecting visitors to nature as well as one another and can be visited year round.
Celebrating the Virginia and Montgomery County Semiquincentennial
Cultural institutions across the country are working to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. Formed in 1776, Montgomery County is one of only two counties in Virginia that share the nation’s birthday and the Museum is co-chairing our local committee to create a celebration that will excite, inform, and entertain citizens from across the county.
The Museum has a special role in the Virginia 250 celebration. We received a highly competitive Virginia 250 Preservation Fund grant that is funding a two-pronged project. First, a lift (a specific type of elevator) will be installed to make all three levels of this building ADA accessible. This work, which will enhance the use of our large community room on the lower level is so important to the full use of this building. Secondly, a broad exhibit will examine the history of the entire area that was originally part of Montgomery County’s borders in 1776. This includes 12 localities in Virginia and part of West Virginia as well - reaching all the way to the Ohio River. Opening in June of 2026, the exhibit will be part of the Museum’s contribution to the 250 celebrations.
The Museum’s elevator is scheduled to be completed mid-to-late January. After months of noise and dust, all of the Museum community is eager to have a fully accessible building. Check out these photos of the construction process!
State of the Museum: Capital Campaign and Fundraising
In thinking about this wonderful building, which the Museum is so fortunate to own, it is an ideal time to offer an update on the final phase of the Capital Campaign.
Between 2021 and 2024 $1.68 million has been raised. These contributions have funded a portion of the purchase price of the building; full HVAC replacement for original systems; and the lift to make the building accessible. At the beginning of this year, $500,000 was needed to complete the campaign. Since January 2025, $228,463 has been raised towards this goal. Naming rights opportunities are still available.
In addition to the Capital Campaign, it is important to examine the Museum’s operations budget which has grown significantly since our move to this building. This year we are very grateful for the very generous response to our Give Local NRV fundraiser. We raised $64,370 and received the special $1,500 prize from the Community Foundation of the New River Valley because the Museum had the largest earnings among medium-sized institutions.
Fundraising is an on-going task at the Museum, as it will help us sustain our collection preservation and support our staff as they work to provide a full calendar of exhibits, events, programs, and classes for you in 2026. Consider giving an end-of-year gift to the museum as we reach the end of 2025!
Fond Farewells: Becky Novy
There is an amazing team who work together to make this the best Museum possible. As this year closes, all of us at the Montgomery Museum would like to say a very special thank you to a very special museum staff member. Joining the museum, first as a volunteer and Board Member, Becky Novy has been a part of our staff since 2017. Her title of Special Projects Coordinator does little justice to all she has done for the work of the Museum including educational programming and tours, genealogy, volunteer coordination, and bookkeeping. Becky will be retiring from the Museum at the end of this year and all of us will miss her knowledge, efficiency, and incredible willingness to assist so very much.
She promises that she will continue to join us as a volunteer to the immense relief of the entire Museum community. Please join all of us in thanking Becky Novy for her many years of dedicated service!
The Montgomery Museum would also like to give a special thank you to our generous Business, Non-Profit, and Giving Circle Members…
Elizabeth & Eric Ackermann - Anonymous - Paula and Thomas Alston - Joan Bellis - NL & Sylvia Bishop - BNI - Jody and Lee Booze-Daniels - Brew Crew Studio - Sharon Chickering - Judy Goins & Mark Cox - Jean Haskell - Bob Lewit - Becky & Scott Mann - Pete Marty - Judy Niehaus - Rebecca Novy - Rebecca Riley - Hometown Security - Michael Sutherland - Margot Thompson - Ernie Wade - Charlie Whitescarver