Join the Victorian Society

Since its founding in 1966, the Society has been a leader in the appreciation, education and preservation of this country’s extraordinary nineteenth century heritage. There is much to be enjoyed about the Victorian Era — the architecture, the art, the fashions, the mystique, the romanticism, and more. Numbered among the Society’s members are old house owners, professional historians, architects, collectors, students, museum curators, preservation organizations, college libraries, art galleries, antique dealers, and restoration specialists. Interests are as varied as the era itself. So, no matter what your interest in Victoriana may be, the Society can provide you with information, publications, and excursions to make your nineteenth century experience more enjoyable and rewarding. 

Membership Benefits 

  • Subscription to the Society’s semi-annual journal Nineteenth Century
  • Invitations to Study Tours held throughout the U.S. and Canada
  • Invitations to educational symposia on Victorian topics
  • Subscription to our digital and printed newsletter Victorian Quarterly
  • Adding your voice to our preservation efforts on behalf of threatened buildings
  • Making lasting friendships with others who share your interest in the Nineteenth Century
  • Opportunity to attend the Society’s noted Summer Schools in Newport, London and Chicago
  • Becoming part of a wider Victorian community
  • And the tremendous satisfaction of knowing you are helping to preserve this country’s glorious Victorian heritage

Foreign members add $12 to cover mailings. Please go here if you are outside the United States and would like to join the VSA.

Donations

Can I make a tax-deductible donation to the Victorian Society?

Yes! There are several ways in which your monetary donation will assist our educational and preservation efforts each year. Gifts help to defray the cost of publishing our amazing Nineteenth Century magazine, allow us to offer a limited number of full and partial scholarships to our Summer Schools, and support our ongoing preservation activities across the country.

All contributions above the individual membership dues are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. So, when you join as a sustaining or contributing member, you are also helping the Victorian Society by making a tax-deductible contribution to support our mission. You can also make a donation using the button below. All donations are fully  tax-deductible in accordance with current tax laws.

If you are employed by a company that offers matching gifts, please don’t forget to submit the appropriate paperwork.

Leave a Legacy

Leave a lasting legacy at the Victorian Society by including us in your will. Your gift will provide a significant long-lasting contribution to our education and preservation efforts, while at the same time providing tax benefits to your estate.

When you calculate the value of your estate, you may find that life insurance and/or retirement plan assets make up a large part. As you review your estate and financial plans, consider turning such assets into convenient, tax-wise ways to make charitable gifts.

Amounts remaining in Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and other qualified pension fund accounts can be subject to double taxation at death. These assets may not only be included in your taxable estate, but heirs generally will also have to pay income tax on what remains after estate taxes have been paid. The result: Total taxes of 70% or more, with a very small percentage of the funds left to your loved ones. For this reason, you may want to consider using all or a portion of remaining pension funds at death to satisfy your charitable wishes.

Life insurance purchased to protect a spouse or children may no longer be needed for that purpose, yet it increases the size of a taxable estate. Consider adding “new life” to your insurance by making a charitable gift through your estate plan…in most cases it involves merely a change of beneficiary form. Check with your advisors. For additional information, please contact us at the National Office.