Chap. 84.—An ACT to incorporate the Valentine museum. .

Approved January 24, 1894.

Whereas the late Mann S. Valentine, esquire, of the city of Rich-
mond, Virginia, by his last will, devised and bequeathed his resi-
dence in said city, and his books, pictures, curios, and some other
personal effects, and also the sum of fifty thousand dollars, to trus-
tees, with the object of establishing in the city of Richmond, Vir-
ginia, an institution to be called the Valentine museum, for the pur-
pose of preserving and accumulating objects of archeology, anthro-
pology, and other kindred arts, and so forth, for publishing literary,
historical and scientific papers, compatible with the ability and
amount of endowment of the said institute; and

Whereas the said testator did enjoin upon and request the said
'rustees to procure an act of incorporation of the said institution.
containing such powers and provisions as would carry out his wishes,
declared in his will: Now, therefore, in order to carry out the objects
declared by the said testator,

A. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That Gran.
Ville G. Valentine, Benjamin B. Valentine, Edward Pleasants Valen.
tine, and Edward V. Valentine, all of Richmond, Virginia, and such
persons as may hereafter be associated with them and become mem-
bers of the corporation hereby created, and their successors, are hereb:
created a body politic and corporate by the name of “the Valentin:
museum,” for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a museun
in the said city of Richmond, to be called “the Valentine museum ”’
of preserving and accumulating objects of arch:eology, anthropology
and other kindred arts, and so forth; of publishing literary, histori
cal and scientific papers; of advancing the general knowledge of the
aforementioned and other kindred subjects; and of furnishing popu.
lar instruction in relation thereto.

The said corporation shall have perpetual succession and a com.
mon seal, and shall be entitled to all the rights, privileges and pow.
ers conferred by the laws of Virginia on bodies politic and corporate
s0 far as the same may be applicable and are not inconsistent with
this act.

2. The said corporation shall have power to make and adopt a
constitution and by-laws, and to make rules and regulations for the
conduct of its business, for the admission, suspension and expulsion
of its members and their government, for the number and election
of its officers, and to define their duties and powers, and for the
safekeeping and managing of its property, and from time to time
to alter, amend and add to such constitution, by-laws, rules and
regulations. Until such constitution and by-laws shall be adopted,
and an election shall be held pursuant thereto, the persons named
in the first section of this act shall be, and they are hereby, declared
to be the trustees and managers of said corporation and its property,
and shall be capable in law of exercising all the powers, rights and
duties conferred upon the said corporation.

3. The said corporation may accept, take, use and apply the
property devised and bequeathed by the last will of Mann S. Valen-
tine, deceased, for its corporate purposes, as set forth in the first sec-
tion of this act, and the title to said property shall vest in said cor-
poration without any formal acceptance upon the passage of this act.

4. The said corporation may also.accept, take, use and apply anv
gifts or donations of any property,either real or personal, made to it
by deed, will or otherwise, for the advancement or promotion of any
branch or department of science, art or literature, or for the encour-
agement or diffusion of knowledge or instruction therein under such
lawful terms, conditions and regulations as may be prescribed by
the donor, or as may be established by said corporation.

5. The said corporation may purchase and hold or lease, or acquire
by gift, grant, devise, bequest, or otherwise, any real or personal
estate necessary or proper for its corporate purposes; and the said
corporation shall have power to sell, alien, lease and convey from
time to time any property, real or personal, held by it, however the
same may have been acquired, whenever it may seem advantageous
and proper, so to do either for the purpose of changing the invest-
ment thereof or for promoting and advancing its corporate objects.

6. All property belonging to the said corporation shall be exempt
from taxation, both state and municipal, so long as no part of its
revenues are used for private profit or distributed among its mem-
bers; but the payment of reasonable salaries to the necessary officials
and employees of the said corporation shall not be deemed a viola-
tion of the foregoing limitations.
7. This act shall be in force from its passage.