Sign Spotting

When is the last time you slowed down and looked at all the signs around you? Do you think about who put them up? And why? Whether lit from within, glitzy with gold or hoisted up high, signs communicate. Signs are also location-specific, providing information within a defined space.

Come and explore our newest exhibition, Sign Spotting, which takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Richmond’s history of signage. From vintage neon signs to public facility signs from the Jim Crow era to local advocacy signs, this exhibition explores how iconic Richmond signage has been used to inform, advertise, and persuade.

Enjoy free admission to the Valentine on Saturday, May 27th in honor of Sign Spotting.

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Click here to listen to audio descriptions of the exhibition.

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The Wickham House

A dialogue-based guided tour of the Wickham House, a National Historic Landmark built in 1812, challenges guests to explore aspects of life in the early 19th century. The Wickham House was purchased by Mann Valentine Jr. and in 1898 became the first home of the Valentine Museum. This historic home allows us to tell the complicated story of the Wickham family, the home’s enslaved occupants, sharing spaces, the realities of urban slavery and more.

 

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This Is Richmond, Virginia

What defines a city? Physical boundaries? People? Economy? Government? Shared beliefs? Richmond is defined by all of these concepts. No one aspect is greater than the other. Together, they create this unique place we call Richmond, Virginia. Richmond is also defined by artifacts, which convey meaning and tell stories. They are collected as silent witnesses of the past and present. The objects in this exhibition have passed through many hands to create personal stories. Collectively, these artifacts help to tell the community’s larger history.

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The Valentine First Freedom Center and Monument

The Valentine First Freedom Center is located on the same corner where Virginia’s General Assembly met in secret during the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1777. Enacted in 1786, this revolutionary document paved the way for the first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and continues to impact how Virginians and the nation view the free exercise of religion.

Free to visit, the First Freedom Center celebrates this important history by exploring the past, present and future of religious freedom in America. Physically connected to the Marriott Residence Inn, guests and visitors can also experience the First Freedom Monument, which includes a 27-foot spire, a limestone wall etched with the enacting paragraph of the Statute and a 34-foot banner featuring a seminal Jefferson quote.

You can watch an introductory video about the First Freedom Center below:

You can also watch a video of the 2019 Religious Freedom Day Celebration at the First Freedom Center below:

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