Dr. Sims’s institutional home is the Fredericksburg Area Museum, located in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. She joined the FAM as the inaugural Curator of African American History and Special Projects in August 2022, responsible for the development of exhibitions, interpretation, and programming related to African American History at the museum and for the City of Fredericksburg.

Dr. Sims was promoted to FAM’s Vice President of Programs and Interpretation in summer 2024. In her new role, she oversees the museum’s curatorial, collections, and education departments.

Gaila remains committed to transformative public history work centering African American individuals, stories, and communities. The FAM will open Living Legacies: African American History in the Fredericksburg Area in May 2025, the largest and most comprehensive exhibition in the museum’s history.