Voting for Virginia's Top 10 Endangered Artifacts Now Open

The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) recently announced the nominees for its 2015 Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program, and voting is now open to the public to narrow the list of 25 nominees down to a final top 10.

The program is designed to raise awareness about preserving historic artifacts throughout the Commonwealth, and as part of the voting process residents may donate money toward the preservation of the particular artifacts on which they placed a vote.

“Each year that we do this program, I am amazed by the diversity and importance of the artifacts in the care of Virginia’s museums, Jennifer Thomas, VAM executive director, said in a recent news release. “Each year, we have success raising awareness for endangered artifacts, and collecting institutions benefit from the Top 10 by garnering support for their conservation efforts. I am confident that this year will be no different.”

Voting will remain open through Aug. 23, and the top 10 will be formally announced on Sept. 15.

Click here to vote.

Among this year’s 25 nominations are a World War II camera collection, a “fire fighting vehicle” from the 1850s, a 1942 Dodge Carryall and a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence dated to 1843.

Click here to view the full list of nominees.

Due to the program’s success in Virginia, it has since been duplicated in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Colorado.

Image credit: VAM