The Council of VMFA upcoming events

Connect & Learn: Holocaust Remembrance Day Presentation (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Join us for an opportunity to hear Nancy Wright Beasley speak of her devotion to researching and writing about the Holocaust.

April 14th, 2026

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

$15 per person

VMFA Conference Room 1

(across from Cheek Theater)

Nancy Wright Beasley, a long time council member, has devoted the last 29 years of her 47-year journalistic career to researching and writing about the Holocaust. She was inspired at a Kristallnacht service held at Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery in 1997 when she heard Alan Zimm, a Holocaust survivor, recite the names of his entire family, except one brother, killed during World War II.

Her presentation will focus on the importance of keeping Holocaust literature alive and will be held on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Nancy, a lifelong Christian, is the author of two books about the Holocaust in Lithuania, one of which was adapted for the stage by Swift Creek Mill Theatre in 2016. Both books have been used in various schools and colleges since their publication. In 2019, she established Chutzpah and Courage, a 501c3 organization dedicated to bringing Holocaust education to the community and especially to schools to inspire students to be “upstanders,” instead of bystanders, when they witness bullying, discrimination, and antisemitism.

Members can bring 1 guest.

Registration begins April 3, 2026.

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For additional information, please contact:

Gail Bourner, Director of Membership Enrichment Programs, vmfacouncilmep@gmail.com

Day Trip to Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington, DC (Thursday, April 16, 2026)

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:15:00 GMT

Come with us to enjoy a day at Hillwood Estate, the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973), who was one of the wealthiest women of her time.

Thursday, April 16, 2026
7:15 AM - 5:00 PM

Washington, D.C.

Cost: $130

Members can bring up to 2 guests.

Filled with the most comprehensive collection of Russian imperial art outside Russia and a distinguished collection of 18th century French art, the "mansion that became a museum" is surrounded by 25 acres of landscaped gardens and natural woodlands. Our day will include guided tours of both the mansion and gardens, and a delicious lunch from Merriweather Cafe. Some light snacks and refreshments will be provided on the bus, but registrants should plan to bring their own morning beverage of choice and/or water bottle for the trip.

7:15 a.m. - Meet bus at VMFA
7:30 a.m. - Departure from VMFA
9:30 a.m. - Arrival at Hillwood Estate
10:00 a.m. - Orientation film
10:30 a.m. - Guided garden tour
11:45 a.m. - Seated lunch
1:30 p.m. - Mansion tour
3:00 p.m. - Departure from Hillwood Estate
5:00 p.m. - Arrival at VMFA

Lunch Choices

Coronation Chicken Salad Sandwich
Vegetable Quiche
Chef's Salad with Turkey
Choice of non-alcoholic beverages
Sweet treat/cookie

Last Day to register and payment deadline is April 5th, 2026.

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Organized by Suzi Via & Cammy Carleton

For additional trip information, please contact:

Gail Bourner, Director of Membership Enrichment Programs, vmfacouncilmep@gmail.com

Refund Policy:

If there is someone on the waiting list who can take the member's place, the member may cancel a reservation up to 10 days prior to the event (or date stated in Announcement) and receive a full refund. Within 10 days of the event date, there are no refunds for any reason.

Event Terms:

By completing the registration process, the participant agrees to waive all claims and suits against, defund, release and hold harmless the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, its officers, agents, representatives and affiliated support organizations for all liability for personal injury, death, property damage or less of any nature whatsoever arising from his/ her participation in the tour.

VMFA - Council Appreciation Event (Friday, April 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:30:00 GMT

Please join us for a Reception Recognizing The Council of VMFA

Friday, April 17, 2026 | 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Claiborne Robertson Room

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Thank you for all of the wonderful ways that you, as a member of The Council, support VMFA. Please join us for refreshments themed around our next exhibition, India’s Great Mughals: Art Power and Opulence.

We hope you will be able to join us!

2026 April Book Chat - The Mughals (Monday, April 20, 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The Mughals are coming to VMFA in May and the Council Book Chat is readying a welcome!

April Book Chat

Because many of us know very little about the Mughals we have decided that rather than select one book, the April Book Chat will give readers a choice. So choose a book about Mughals and their culture, history, or arts that interests you, and come and talk about it.

These are the books that the committee has read and can recommend:

Daughters of the Sun - Ira Mukhoty - This is a non-fiction book about the women of the period. - This is available on Amazon.
Royal Legacy: Mughal Life & Culture from Babur to Shah Jahan - Sanaya Kashaikar - This is also a non-fiction piece which looks at the art, cuisine and history of the period . This is available on Amazon.
Taj Mahal: The Eternal Love Story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz - Rajesh Sahae - This is short Kindle piece of historical fiction.
The Twentieth Wife - Indy Sundaresan - This is a historical fiction about the women of the period and is the first book of a trilogy. This is available on Amazon and at the VMFA Shop.

These are the books that are in stock at the VMFA Shop:

The Adventures of Amir Hamza - Ghalib Lakhnavi
The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857 - William Dalrymple
The Baburnama: Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor - W.M. Thackston, Jr
Attendant Lords: Bairam Khan and Abdur Rahim, Courtiers and Poets in Mughal India - T.C.A. Raghavan
A Lamp for the Dark World: Akbar, India’s Greatest Mughal - Parvati Sharma

We are looking forward to seeing you on April 20, 2026 at noon in the Founders Room across from Cheek Theatre. A docent tour of the VMFA’s works that relate to this period will take place after the chat.

Registration opens on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

I look forward to meeting with you!

-Suzanne Bristow, VMFA Council Book Club Chair

Note: Refreshments are not included. Feel free to bring a brown bag lunch to the meeting or stop by Best Cafe for food or a free cup of coffee.

For additional information or registration questions, please contact:

Gail Bourner - VMFACouncilMEP@gmail.com

Council Information Event / India's Great Mughals Preview (Thursday, May 07, 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

We hope you can join us for coffee and conversation in Conference Room 1 (across from the Entrance to Cheek Theater) to learn about the enriching activities and volunteer opportunities provided by The Council of VMFA.

Thursday, May 7th at 9:30 a.m.

The presentation and coffee will be followed by an exclusive opportunity to experience the VMFA Member Preview of India's Great Mughals: Art, Power and Opulence before this highly anticipated exhibition opens to the public.

What is The Council of VMFA?

The Council is a dynamic, diverse volunteer organization whose men and women actively give of their time and talent in support of the museum. Becoming a Council member is a chance to give back to the community, meet new friends, and enrich the experience of visitors to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The Council of VMFA enthusiastically welcomes new members!

If you have any questions please email MaryMoss Walker, President, The Council of VMFA at marymoss.walker@vmfa.museum

Please note this event is for prospective Council Members not existing Members.

We will have passes for anyone who needs them to enter the India's Great Mughals: Art, Power and Opulence after The Council Information session.

Spring 2026 Lecture Luncheon (Monday, May 11, 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Collecting Modern: The Making of VMFA’s Design Collection

by Alisa Chiles, Ph.D.

Dr. Alisa Chiles is the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Decorative Arts, 1890 to the Present at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where she oversees a collection of more than 3,100 decorative arts objects created after 1890. This includes the museum’s renowned holdings of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, widely considered among the finest outside of France.

Spring Lecture Luncheon on Monday, May 11, 2026

Luncheon Cost: $65

Deadline to Register: April 29, 2026

9:15 am - 10am - Check In

9:30 am - Guided Tours (optional)

Plan to arrive at 9:15 am in the atrium. Tours will leave promptly at 9:30 am. Please attend if you sign up! Our docents work hard to prepare for the tour and their focused tours will add to your appreciation of our lecturer.

10:30 am - Council Business Meeting and Lecture - Cheek Theater

Lecture: Collecting Modern: The Making of VMFA’s Design Collection

This lecture traces the development of modern and contemporary design collecting at VMFA, from the transformative Lewis Collection gift to the establishment of a “Good Design” program in the 1980s with support from The Council. It explores future areas of growth, with a focus on building a more globally inclusive design collection and deepening the museum’s engagement with contemporary design.

*Image 1: Robert Venturi (American, 1925-2018) (Designer), Knoll, Inc. (Manufacturer), Art Deco Chair, 1984, Bent plywood, laminated plastic, Overall: 31 3/4 × 23 1/2 × 23 7/8 in. (80.65 × 59.69 × 60.64 cm), Council Good Design Fund and the Sydney and Frances Lewis Art Nouveau Fund, 87.3

*Image 2: Shiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934-1991) (Designer), Kurosaki (Manufacturer), How High the Moon Armchair, 1993, Nickel-plated steel, Overall: 28 1/4 × 37 3/8 × 32 1/2 in. (71.76 × 94.93 × 82.55 cm), Council Good Design Fund, 95.20

Noon - Luncheon - Marble Hall

Menu:

Chicken Marsala over rice with asparagus tips
Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce

Wild Mushroom Marsala with tofu over rice (Vegan)

Sorbet

If you would like to sit with friends at the luncheon, please send the names to Kathleen Murphy, klmarquessmurphy@gmail.com by April 29, 2026. Please verify that the members in your group have all registered for the luncheon, and send all names in the same message.

For additional information contact:

Gail Bourner, VMFACouncilMEP@gmail.com

This requires a specific registration and payment. Any payments by check must be received by April 29, 2026.

Registration limited to 128 people.

Payment options:

Pay Online with Credit or Debit Card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express)
Mail a check payable to "The Council of VMFA" addressed to The Council of VMFA, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220-4007. Attn: Wayne Gautier