The Arlington Historical Museum has a collection of over 6,000 physical artifacts that represent Arlington County and its residents from pre-Columbian history to the present. The primary focus of the museum is collecting artifacts with documented significance to Arlington County. Museum curation staff have recently completed an extensive review of the current collection and are working to diversify the artifacts preserved. The goal is to avoid extensive collections of artifacts related to any single entity, event or person. Arlington Historical Museum does not collect artifacts solely because of their age, ie. the Society does not collect general history artifacts.
Consistent with Arlington Historical Society’s Mission the museum collection focuses on the following topics:
1. Artifacts related to or useful for interpreting and furnishing the Ball-Sellers house.
2. Artifacts related to or useful for interpreting and furnishing the Arlington Historical Museum related to its former use as a school.
3. Artifacts that represent the diversity of cultures, races, and socioeconomic groups in Arlington County.
4. Artifacts representing or contributing to our historical understanding of the development, growth, and diversity of Arlington County.
5. Contemporary artifacts that represent culturally or historically significant events, people, places or businesses in Arlington County.
6. Historic artifacts that represent culturally or historically significant events, people, places or businesses unique or especially significant to Arlington County.