This is Richmond, Virginia

The final designs for the new “This is Richmond, Virginia” exhibition are now complete. While this is a major accomplishment, I think that there is a bigger challenge with the project.

Curators Meg Hughes and David Voelkel work together on label copy for the upcoming “This is Richmond, Virginia” exhibition.

The final designs for the new “This is Richmond, Virginia” exhibition are now complete.  While this is a major accomplishment, I think that there is a bigger challenge with the project. This exhibition will build a new narrative of the city’s history as told by over 300 objects from our collections.  Imagine trying to concisely and clearly tell the history of the region in a relatively small gallery.

What objects would you pick among the 1.6 million in our collections of photographs, costume and textiles, and decorative arts that would best represent this complex history?

Our curators Meg Hughes and David Voelkel have now completed this list and are creating the text panels and labels that will pull all of this together.  Below are just a few of the objects that we have chosen to feature. We can wait to share this new exhibition with you this fall!  

The above collage includes: Monumental Church Painting by Margaret May Dashiell, Old Chief Smokum Statue, Gabriel Prosser Scratchboard, Mitchell & Tyler Sugar Bowl

The above collage includes: Monumental Church Painting by Margaret May Dashiell, Old Chief Smokum Statue, Gabriel Prosser Scratchboard, Mitchell & Tyler Sugar Bowl 

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.   Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

Bill Martin, Director

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Open Wide

We said we wanted to open up the Valentine and connect with the street…but we may have gone just a little too far.

We said we wanted to open up the Valentine and connect with the street…but we may have gone just a little too far. 

There has never been this much natural light and fresh air flooding the building. 

Windows from the 1970’s addition were removed this week to make way for new windows that will not only provide views into the galleries but also reduce the levels of harmful UV light. 

Everything is safely secured each evening by our friends at Kjellstrom and Lee, but it is a little disturbing to see this giant opening in the side of building. 

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by. 

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give. 

Bill Martin, Director

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What’s Next?

While our updates have focused on the physical improvements to our Clay Street home, the reality is that we could have perfect buildings…and be perfectly irrelevant.

 

While our updates have focused on the physical improvements to our Clay Street home, the reality is that we could have perfect buildings…and be perfectly irrelevant.  Ultimately, our vision is to create accessible and engaging experiences with Richmond history that transform our lives and our region.  It is about using the collections and historic buildings in creative ways that will secure a relevant and sustainable future for the Valentine. 

Over the last year, staff, board and volunteers have worked together to develop a new strategic plan that will inform the use of our new spaces and, more importantly, our evolving engagement in the community.

Click here to review our new Strategic Plan. 

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by. 

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give. 

Bill Martin, Director

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Feeling Groovy

Surprise! (and this one is really interesting!)

One more discovery was made last week as walls were being removed.  An unfamiliar (and kind of groovy) graphic panel was revealed behind a ramp leading into our education center.

What is this odd combination of designs?

Providing hands-on educational experiences for the region’s schools has always been at the heart of the Valentine’s mission.  From the 1960’s through the 1980’s, the Valentine’s Junior Center (supported by the Junior League of Richmond) provided innovative science and art education programs to complement the museum’s long-standing history programs.  As you look at the wall, you can almost hear the punk rock and disco music of the era.

From the swirl of a galaxy to an artist’s palette, from a capital of an architectural column to a fish from the James River, the simplified design reminds us of the arts, science, nature and history programs that were offered in the education center.  (We even had an active bee colony on display!)

It is hard to imagine today, but when this panel was installed in the 1970’s there wasn’t a Science Museum of Virginia, a Children’s Museum, a Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a Black History Museum or even a Maymont Nature Center.

What an amazing growth in our museums and the cultural assets in our region!

As the educational resources have expanded over the decades and as new museums have opened, the Valentine has continued to adapt and innovate.  This tradition and commitment to engagement in public education will continue as we plan to open the Sara D. November Education Center this coming fall.

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director

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Keep Calm and Hammer On – Week 29

Exactly five months from today we will begin a week-long celebration of the grand re-opening of our galleries, education center and gift shop.

 

Exactly five months from today we will begin a week-long celebration of the grand re-opening of our galleries, education center and gift shop.

Schedule your staycation at the Valentine for the week of October 20th!

While there have been a number of surprises along the way, I am pleased to report that we are on schedule and that we are very close to our budget projections for the renovation.

I  realize now that there isn’t any wiggle room in our schedule and we wish we had more of our construction contingency left for additional surprises.

Exhibition designs are nearing completion and their fabrication will begin soon.

Community conversations and public programs are being planned for the new spaces.

Facility rentals are beginning to be confirmed. (A very brave group even booked the first holiday party in a space that today has no walls.)

Large groups gather each week for our Hard Hat Happy Hours.

Funding requests continue to move forward.

It seems impossible that just seven months ago we gathered at Richmond History Makers to begin this process.  

Last week we held a reception for major donors to our annual campaign.  It reminded me of the incredible and loyal support in this community for the Valentine.  This has been a long process and I appreciate your willingness to join us every Monday.  I’m looking forward to the next few weeks because there will be much to report on our progress.  Stay tuned… 

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director

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Signs of the Times

There were some big additions to the exterior of the building this week!

The Valentine has a unique collection of signs that document Richmond’s retail and commercial history. From an early painted sign for Freedman-Marks to the molded plastic Triangle Bookstore sign, this collection reminds us of the evolving mix of businesses that have been a part Richmond’s economy.

Many of these signs have been exhibited in our meeting room on the ground level. The renovation provided us an opportunity to restore the signs and relocate them. (While I liked the signs in this space, we have learned over the years that many brides would rather not have a glowing Buster Brown in their wedding photographs.)

Thanks to a very loyal Valentine supporter and lover of neon, the signs have been repaired and mounted throughout the Clay Street campus. The newly restored WTVR and Trailways Bus signs are both great additions to our existing collection that will welcome visitors into the building.

Our diverse collection serves as a colorful reminder of our region’s past.

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director

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Holes in the Walls

Well, let’s just open up the walls!

 

The Valentine Garden is filled these days with folks enjoying their lunch and a break from their busy days. 

How many of our visitors are aware that behind the austere brick walls that surround them are 1.6 million objects that tell the history of the Richmond area?

How would they know about the 1812 John Wickham House or our exhibitions and education programs if they are merely enjoying lunch in the garden?

Well, let’s just open up the walls!

This week our contractors began cutting through the exterior walls and creating new openings that invite people to look in (and hopefully come in). When complete, a new window will tease you with the objects that are displayed in the “This is Richmond, Virginia” exhibition.

An even larger window will visually connect the Edward V. Valentine Sculpture Studio with the galleries. 

While it looks like an ugly hole in the wall now, it’s a window into our past. 

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director

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Stain Remover

And the winner is…

 

Each week we are faced with decisions about the final finishes for our new spaces. This week’s choice is the stain color for our floors. Our galleries and special event spaces will feature a mixture of recycled and new hardwood floors. Many of these floors have been hidden under wall-to-wall carpet for decades. So what color stain should be used to unify all of our spaces on the main and lower level?

And the winner is: GOLDEN OAK!

Just imagine a 19th century map of Richmond painted on this beautiful floor!

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director

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Making Connections

Click on the link to read Week 25’s edition of our renovations blog!

It’s getting fun now. There are people everywhere!

Pipes for the new fire suppression system, ductwork for heating and air conditioning, metal conduit full of electrical wire, stacks of drywall, door frames, and doors fill the spaces.

It’s remarkable the way our folks at Kjellstrom + Lee coordinate all of our sub-contractors as they shape our new galleries. Each element of the mechanical infrastructure must be precisely placed within the constraints of the exisiting building.

While all of these intricate systems will soon disappear behind the walls, we are depending on these hidden connections of pipes and wires to support all of the activities and exhibitions that we are planning.

In many ways this phase of construction is a reflection of the work we hope to do in our community and in these new spaces.

          • Can we actually bring together the complex and interdependent elements of our history and build a new narrative that connects us in new ways?
          • What are the hidden stories that have held our community together that can guide us today?

Making these connections will ensure the sustainability of the Valentine and of our region. 

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening everyWednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by. 

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.
 
Bill Martin, Director
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Pulling it back together.

We are now at the midpoint of our renovation.

Pictured above:

  • The new entrances to the restrooms
  • The new air handling unit in the Education Center
  • Making your mark on history at last year’s Richmond History Markers Celebration
  • The old exhibition label being covered up again by new framework
For the first time since our renovation began we are beginning to have a real notion of the new spaces that we are creating.
  • Walls are going up in our expanded and accessible restrooms.
  • There are hints of the Education Center with its large storage area for supplies.
  • Large spaces have been carved out for the new mechanical systems that are being installed throughout the building.
  • The old plywood ceilings (yes, the ceilings throughout the building have always been plywood!) have been removed and are being replaced with fresh sheetrock for a finished appearance.

Remember all of the generations of messages (graffiti and old exhibition labels) that were found behind the old walls?  These reminders of the building’s past are joining your messages from last year’s Richmond History Makers Celebration.

It is hard to believe that we are now at the midpoint of our renovation.  Our series of opening events are scheduled for the week of October 20.

While the last six months have been about pulling it apart, it’s now time to bring it back together.

Are you curious about our progress? Join us for a Hard Hat Happy Hour happening every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00 p.m. You can contact me for more information or RSVP online and let me know you’ll be coming by.

If you would like to help keep us calm and hammering on, you can support the History Center on our secure donation page at /give.

Bill Martin, Director 

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