▁transform ▁the ▁house ▁into ▁a ▁modern ▁museum . ▁A ▁Capital ▁Fund ra ising ▁Committee ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁raise ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁a ▁Col lections ▁Committee ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁solic it ▁and ▁archive ▁artifact s ▁for ▁the ▁permanent ▁collection . ▁ ▁The ▁Leg acy ▁Project ▁became ▁the ▁Leg acy ▁Museum ▁of ▁African ▁American ▁History . ▁ ▁Ren ov ation ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁building ▁that ▁is ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁home ▁began ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁a ▁celebr atory ▁dedic ation ▁and ▁grand ▁opening ▁was ▁held . ▁Dr . ▁Viv ian ▁P inn , ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Research ▁on ▁Women ' s ▁Health ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health , ▁gave ▁the ▁opening ▁address . ▁The ▁rib bon ▁was ▁cut ▁by ▁civil ▁rights ▁pione er ▁Dru c illa ▁M oul tr ie ▁and ▁historian ▁Harry ▁Fer g us on , ▁both ▁in ▁their ▁ 9 0 s , ▁and ▁six - year - old ▁Ash ley ▁Lewis . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁museum ▁has ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Foundation ▁for ▁the ▁Human ities ▁and ▁five ▁other ▁central ▁Virginia ▁museum s ▁to ▁share ▁ideas ▁about ▁programs ▁and ▁staff ▁development . ▁ ▁Mission ▁▁ ▁The ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁museum ▁is ▁" to ▁collect , ▁preserve ▁and ▁store ▁historical ▁artifact s , ▁documents ▁and ▁memor abil ia ▁rel ating ▁to ▁significant ▁contributions ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁American ▁Community ▁in