The history of Richmond is complicated and murky. While the city served a distinguished role in the nation’s founding, it also was prominent in the trade of enslaved Africans. Peeks into the past, from historic architecture to scenic overlooks and vistas, can still be found around the city. When digging into the roots of RVA, area museums should be some of the first stops. They serve as connectors and interpreters of the past and set the groundwork for the future of the region.
“Richmond is very fortunate, I think, in terms of a city its size — it has a wealth of museums, particularly those around history,” says Bill Martin, the nearly three-decades-running director of The Valentine. “So with the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, with The American Civil War Museum, with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, you have these incredible places that if you are visiting Richmond and you want to understand what this place is and really understand the complexity of our history, there are plenty of opportunities.”
The “This Is Richmond, Virginia” exhibition at The Valentine (Photo courtesy The Valentine)
An Unfinished Museum
The Valentine, located at 1015 E. Clay St. and a must-visit when tracing the city’s roots, touts the tagline “Discover Richmond Stories Here.” It’s celebrating its quasquicentennial with an exhibition, “An Unfinished Museum: 125 Years of the Valentine,” featuring photography that depicts the evolution of the museum as the needs of the community have changed over the decades. The exhibition continues through Sept. 2.
“At our core is this commitment to telling more stories of different people,” Martin says. “When someone [visits The Valentine] from Richmond, what we hope is that everyone will see their story in the museum, which means that hopefully every tourist, every visitor coming to the city will also see part of their story here.”
The ongoing exhibition “This is Richmond, Virginia” presents artifacts that allow visitors to get up close to pieces of history in hopes of better understanding the larger fabric of the community. Beyond the museum’s walls, programming and neighborhood walking tours offer a chance to dive deeper into the stories that complete the Richmond puzzle.
Upcoming exhibitions include “Turning Point: Richmond in the 1890s,” which runs April 10 through Feb. 2, 2025, and explores the tensions that arose during the decade and how they continue to impact the city. “Sculpting History at The Valentine Studio: Art, Power, and the ‘Lost Cause’ American Myth” premiered Jan. 25 and will remain ongoing. It’s a reinterpretation and reopening of sculptor Edward Valentine’s actual studio, which neighbors the main museum. The workspace is where the artist created some of his most renowned works, many of which were portrayals of Confederate leaders. Valentine’s statue of Confederacy President Jefferson Davis was toppled by protestors in 2020, the same year The Valentine closed the studio space to determine how to tell a more complete story of its contents. The exhibition uses artworks sculpted by Valentine, as well as documents, objects and other pieces, to connect the “Lost Cause” myth (which painted the defeat of the Confederacy in the best possible light), perpetuated by those in power at the time, to today.
The Commonwealth’s Story
For a broader overview of the foundations of the region, head to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture at 428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. The permanent exhibition “The Story of Virginia” is a deep dive into the origin story of the area. Founded as the Virginia Historical Society in 1831, the museum is dedicated to educating the public through programs, exhibitions and events that traverse 16,000 years of history.
“We’ve had a very long history of collecting Richmond’s story and Virginia’s story,” says Andrew Talkov, the senior director of curatorial affairs at the VMHC. “I think that anyone interested in learning about the roots of Richmond can better understand those roots by understanding a broader history of Virginia and its place in our nation and its place in the world.”
“The Story of Virginia” and its companion exhibition, “Our Commonwealth,” jointly create an overview of the region told through a timeline of artifacts, video and digital projections. Talkov notes patrons will experience the significant role of tobacco in shaping Virginia and discover objects including Richmond founder William Byrd II’s surveying tools and the bell from St. John’s Church, which rang out to toll the meetings during the time of Patrick Henry’s “give me liberty or give me death” speech.
Upcoming exhibitions at the VMHC include “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life,” which explores the chef’s influence on the national culinary revolution, as well as her connections to Virginia. It debuts March 16 and continues through Sept. 2. Opening May 25, “A Better Life for Their Children” is a photographic account of the Rosenwald School program, which built thousands of schools across 15 Southern states for Black children who lacked access to public education. The exhibition runs through April 20, 2025.
Photo courtesy Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
Preserving Diverse Voices
With a mission of sharing forgotten and untold stories of African Americans, the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia at 122 W. Leigh St. is a hub for exploring the history and culture of Black communities.
“I tell everyone that what the BHMVA is really good at is telling those stories that you’re not gonna hear anywhere else,” says BHMVA Executive Director Shakia Gullette Warren. “We always try to include a call to action, not only within our exhibitions, but within our programming, so we’re trying to not just educate the public about Black history, but we also want to make the world better, so that’s what we do really well here.”
For those looking to uncover the origins of the city, Warren says a visit to the first-floor gallery educates patrons on the 13th, 14th and 15th constitutional amendments’ impact on the Black experience. There’s also a deep dive into the Reconstruction period and post-emancipation Jim Crow era. Virginia luminaries are highlighted, including Maggie L. Walker, the first African American woman to found and serve as president of a bank; John Mitchell Jr., a politician and civil rights activist who edited the former Richmond Planet newspaper; and Irene Morgan, who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus.
Upcoming exhibitions include “Visions of Progress,” which explores the African American experience of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s and the progress made by the Black community. It opens Feb. 7 and closes March 4. A pop-up exhibition hosted during Black History Month features French artist Sandrine Plante showcasing eight sculptures she created from images in her dreams. In October, an exhibition focusing on Black Virginians in medicine will debut and continue through March 2025.
Journey to the Counties
To dig even further into the roots of the area, there are several county museums and historic sites that educate the public on the region’s early years. The Ashland Museum at 105 Hanover Ave. tells the story of the historic railroad town through permanent and temporary displays. Regular events and walking tours allow participants to learn more about the evolution of the quaint town. A red 1926 C&O caboose in mostly original condition rests outside the museum and is available for tours.
Explore more than 400 years of history at the Chesterfield County Museum at 6813 Mimms Loop. The museum is a replica of the 1750 courthouse that once stood there and includes displays that explore Native American culture, early settlers, the first coal mines in North America and more. There are rotating exhibitions, year-round tours and the neighboring Historic 1892 Jail, which is also open for public tours.
A relative newcomer to the county museum scene, the Hanover Museum of History & Culture opened in 2021 at 7496 County Complex Road. The museum tells the story of the county through engaging and thought-provoking exhibitions.
For those looking to uncover the roots of Richmond, local museums are a great place to start, but they only scratch the surface. The region is dotted with historic buildings and sites, some of which can be overlooked, unknown and, in some cases, unpreserved. The story of Richmond is constantly evolving, and its museums continue to grow with the community and present programming and exhibitions that reflect the pulse of the city.
More to Explore
Discover the region’s origins at this sampling of sites
