Discovering Collections, Making Connections

- Oct 20, 2013

This exhibit highlights the extensive and diverse collection of books, costumes, documents, drawings, furniture, glass, household items, paintings, photographs and textiles that are being preserved and used at the Valentine.  Displays of interesting museum collections and individual pieces give the visitor a unique glimpse of our collective past. Current rotations are:

School Days

These artifacts explore the experiences of public and private school students in Richmond. Objects date from the 1880s to the 1960s and chronicle how students, teams, schools, and student activities have continued to change.

Let’s Party!

Who doesn’t love to dress up for a party? Let’s Party! features garments worn by Richmonders to various social events. Exhibit highlights include a dress made entirely of paper donned in 2010 for the reopening of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; an evening gown worn to a ball in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Virginia in 1824; and a tuxedo jacket made from fabric printed with Richmond Times-Dispatch articles.

Holt Tobacco Collection

This rotation features an assortment of items from the Holt Tobacco Collection, including tobacco tins, advertisements, tools, books and cigarette cards. It was collected by Bernard Stuart “Skip” Holt (1932-2011) and donated to the Museum recently by his wife Carol A. Holt.