Chap. 70.—An ACT to accept a conditional gift of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000.00) to the Commonwealth of Virginia from the Honorable John
Barton Payne for the erection of an art museum and to authorize the governor
and the art commission to proceed with the erection of a State museum without
cost to the Commonwealth of Virginia on the soldiers home property or else-
where in the city of Richmond if and when they shall receive the necessary
additional donations. [S B 323]
Approved February 27, 1932

Whereas, the Honorable John Barton Payne in nineteen hundred
and nineteen generously donated to the Commonwealth of Virginia a
collection of valuable works of art which have been temporarily ex-
hibited in the building sometimes called the Battle Abbey in the city
of Richmond, and ,

Whereas, the said John Barton Payne has indicated his willingness
to give to Virginia one hundred thousand dollars towards the erection
of a suitable building for the exhibition of said works of art and any
other art treasures which the State now possesses or may hereaiter
acquire, the said amount to be paid in instalments to be agreed upon
when an additional sum of one hundred thousand dollars has been se-
cured and the plans for the erection of said building have been ap-
proved as hereinafter provided ; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia as follows:

Section 1. The governor is hereby authorized to gratefully accept
the said gift of one hundred thousand dollars to the said John Barton
Payne, for and on behalf of the Commonwealth for the erection of an
art museum; and the governor and the art commission be, and they
are hereby, authorized to receive a donation of a site in the city of
Richmond for the erection of said museum, and to receive additional
donations for the erection of said museum; and the governor and the
said commission are hereby authorized to proceed with the erection
of the said museum without cost to the Commonwealth, if and when
the necessary funds for the same are raised.

Section 2. If the governor and the art commission are not offered
within a reasonable time after the passage of this bill the donation of
a site satisfactory to them, they are hereby authorized to erect said
musetim on a spot to be selected by them on the property belonging
to the Commonwealth in the city of Richmond and known as the sol-
diers home property.

Section 3. The said museum shall not be erected except and until
the site and plans for the same are approved by the governor, the art
commission, and the said John Barton Payne or his representative.