Section 30. Procedures

A. Public service hours.

1. Museum building. Unless otherwise posted, the public exhibition areas of the museum building shall be open to the public during the hours posted at each public entrance and on the website: http://www.vmfa.museum. These opening/closing times do not apply to members of the public attending functions or programs in the museum that are sponsored by the museum or are held at the museum pursuant to contract with the museum. Opening/closing times will be posted at each public entrance to the building. Unauthorized persons found on the premises after the posted closing times will be subject to arrest and prosecution.

2. Museum grounds. Unless otherwise posted, the grounds of the museum shall be open to the public every day, year round.

a. Dogs may be brought onto the museum grounds provided that they are leashed and under the control of the owner at all times and that the owner assumes responsibility for cleaning up afterwards. Nothing herein shall prohibit the use on museum grounds, in museum buildings, or in other properties of service animals actively serving the handicapped.

b. Bicycles are permitted on all roadways, sidewalks, or pathways that do not have steps with the exception of times when sidewalks and pathways have pedestrians. During such times bicyclists shall dismount completely and walk. Pedestrians always have the right of way. Bicycles are not permitted on grass areas.

c. Skateboards, in-line skates, and roller skates are not permitted.

3. Other properties. The public service hours of other properties of the museum shall be posted on those properties. Unauthorized persons found on these other properties during times other than the posted public service hours may be subject to arrest and prosecution.

B. Prohibited activities. No soliciting, pamphleteering, assemblages or the displaying of flags, banners, or devices designed or adapted to bring into public notice any party, organization, or movement shall be permitted within the museum, its grounds or other properties except as provided herein.

C. Exceptions. With the approval of the director, the prohibitions set forth in subsection B of this section may be suspended by the director to permit meetings, gatherings, or assemblages and the displaying of flags, banners, or devices that are not part of a museum-sponsored activity or event, if, in the director's reasonable discretion, (i) the general enjoyment and use of the museum building, its grounds and other properties are not impaired, (ii) the public visiting the museum or attending an approved function is not disrupted, (iii) the security or condition of the collection or the welfare, health, and safety of visitors and persons performing various duties on the premises are not endangered, and (iv) it does not impose additional expenditure of staff or facility resources.

D. Permit required. Assemblages, meetings or functions that are not sponsored by the museum or that are not held at the museum pursuant to a contract with the museum require a permit. Requests for permits for assemblages, meetings, or functions by any party, organization, movement or other private group must be in writing, must be submitted to the director at least 15 working days prior to the requested date, and must contain the following information:

1. Name of organization, date of origin, status (corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, nonprofit corporation, etc.) and name and address of registered agent, if a corporation.

2. Name, title within the organization, permanent address, occupation, and telephone number of the individual member who shall be responsible for the conduct of the meeting or function.

3. Statement as to the approximate number of members or other persons who will attend.

4. Date and specific period of time requested (from......to.....).

5. Purpose of meeting or function, to include names and titles of speakers, if any.

E. Parking lots and walkways. Except for approved functions, the vehicular drives and parking lots within the museum grounds must remain unencumbered and the pedestrian walkways must afford reasonable movement of pedestrians at all times during public service hours.

F. Denial of permit. Requests for meetings or functions of organizations shall be denied if, after proper inquiry, the director determines that the proposed event will impair the general enjoyment or use of the museum building, its grounds and other properties; will disrupt the public visiting the museum or attending an approved function; will endanger the security or condition of the collection or the welfare, health, and safety of visitors and persons performing various duties on the premises; or will impose additional expenditure of staff or facility resources.

G. Violation of Virginia law. The director may refuse authorization for the use of the museum building, its grounds or other property, if there is reason to believe that the organization requesting a permit is organized, functioning, or conducting business in violation of Virginia law.

H. Written approval. Authorization for the use of the museum building, its grounds or other property will be set forth in a letter addressed to the individual named in subdivision D 2 of this section.

I. Revocation of permit. Violations of this policy may result in immediate revocation of the permit by the director and in the event such revocation occurs, all participants shall be required to leave the museum building, its grounds or other property forthwith.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 13, Issue 26, eff. August 25, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 22, eff. June 15, 2012.

Statutory Authority

§ 23-253.4 of the Code of Virginia.