The Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation Receives the Commonwealth History Fund Grant from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture!

 Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways Museum, Chesapeake VA.

Over $2 million in grants have been awarded to Virginia organizations

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — In recognition of their dedication to saving, sharing and studying history in Virginia, the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation has received the Commonwealth History Fund grant from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC). In 2026, the VMHC is awarding $345,000 to 11 Virginia-based museums, municipalities, foundations, historical societies and associations, bringing the five-year total for Commonwealth History Fund grants to over $2 million.

With the support of the VMHC, the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation will open the exhibition "Voices of the Great Dismal." The audiovisual experience features compelling stories of enslaved and free Black people of the Great Dismal Swamp and surrounding waterways in 18th century Tidewater.

In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, applications related to America’s semi quincentennial were given special consideration, though this focus was not a requirement. More than 90 competitive applications were submitted with a collective request for more than $5 million in funding.

“This legacy program commemorating America’s 250th anniversary exemplifies the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s commitment to being a leader in both the Commonwealth and our field,” said VMHC President and CEO Jamie Bosket. “We are grateful to be in the position to share not only resources but also collections and knowledge with our fellow institutions. Later this year we will announce another exciting, statewide program that includes collaborations with even more historic organizations.”

The 2026 awardees are the Branch Museum of Design (Richmond), City of Williamsburg (Williamsburg), Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation (Chesapeake), James Monroe Memorial Foundation (Colonial Beach), Museum of Chincoteague Island (Chincoteague), Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (Winchester), Norfolk Historical Society (Norfolk), Northumberland County Historical Society (Heathsville), Patrick Henry’s Red Hill (Brookneal), The Valentine (Richmond) and the Virginia Association of Museums (Richmond).

“The impressive projects chosen come from organizations of all sizes, are spread across every region of the Commonwealth and span a great deal of historical topics and time periods,” said Bosket.

Five projects will culminate in exhibitions including “Voices of the Great Dismal” at Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation. The audiovisual experience features stories of the Maroon communities — self-emancipated, formerly enslaved people living in the Great Dismal Swamp in the 18th century. The Branch Museum’s “Americana: How American Identity Has Been Shaped by Design” and Museum of the Shenandoah Valley’s “Revolutionary Valley” use artifacts to show how America has been shaped over time. The Museum of Chincoteague Island and Norfolk Historical Society will both mount exhibitions on the history of their regions during the Revolutionary period.

Preservation focused projects include Northumberland County Historical Society’s HVAC system repair to ensure the care of their irreplaceable historic holdings and the excavation and analysis of the original kitchen site at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill. The Valentine will create the “Wickham House Historic Structures Report” to guide preservation and interpretation at this nationally significant Richmond landmark.

Other projects include the City of Williamsburg’s African American Heritage Trail, constructing a replica of the kitchen and smokehouse from James Monroe’s boyhood home by the James Monroe Memorial Foundation, and the Virginia Association of Museums’ 250th-themed statewide endangered artifact program and accompanying professional development opportunities.

More information about each recipient and the projects that were funded is available at virginiahistory.org/historyfund.

About the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation

The Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation protects, preserves, and promotes the history of the Battle of Great Bridge, December 9, 1775, and the region’s Revolutionary War and canal history to educate the public about the importance of these events in the creation and growth of America.

About the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Founded in 1831 as the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, a private, non-profit organization, is the oldest museum and cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the United States. The museum cares for a renowned collection of more than nine million items representing the far-reaching story of Virginia.