There are no museums to display or house artifacts, collectibles, or antiquities on St. John. Items that are earmarked for the historical society or held in private collections are at risk for damage from future storms. Development of a museum would reduce this inherent risk as part of preparedness planning.

St. John has previously been home to several small museums, but these facilities are no longer operating. A museum would help protect items of cultural significance to St. John and provide a new tourism site. An ongoing effort to identify, assess, and repair damaged historic properties, items, and artifacts is being undertaken by St. John Historical Society and the Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation Office (VISHPO) in partnership with the Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums (DLAM), the Council on the Arts, and the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA). This project involves locating usable public space, or building an appropriate structure to house artifacts, artwork, and other items of historic value to St. John and the territory. Plans are being developed for St. John Historical Society to build a permanent location for a museum and archives. A newly formed nonprofit, St.JanCo, is pursuing a project to renovate the historic Cruz Bay Battery for museum space. This is complementary to the newly declared Cruz Bay Historic District and part of a larger effort to tell the story of historic St. John. The Battery was originally constructed as a defensive fortification in 1774 and transitioned to the civil administration headquarters in 1824. The Battery has watched over the historic town of Cruz Bay for nearly two-and-a-half centuries. The Battery is the oldest standing utilized structure within the Historic District and the town’s most distinguished landmark.

IMPLEMENTATION STEPS: 1. Support the Historical Society to develop a museum and archives on the St. John Community Foundation’s historic Bellevue Estate site on Gift Hill Road

Key Players: St.JanCo; Island Administrator Alignment: NCR, Econ RSFs Cost: > $1 Million Timeline: One - Three Years