Serving Richmond, Reaching the World: Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross

The Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross was established in 1917 to assist the needs of the community during World War I and has continued to be a vital part of the Richmond’s service community. From its work with servicemen and disabled veterans, the Red Cross has grown to include disaster preparedness and recovery, life safety, first aid and community service. This exhibition features volunteer uniforms, including Nurses and Motor Corp volunteers, as well as clothing worn by volunteers in New York City on September 11, 2001. Visitors also will see posters, photographs, service pins and documents.

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Stop, Drop, and Roll: Firefighting in 20th Century Richmond

Coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the Richmond Fire Department, this photography exhibition examines firefighting, public safety and fire disasters in 20th century Richmond,Virginia.

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Battle for the City: the Politics of Race 1950-1970

With stunning imagery and artifacts, the History Center revisits citywide conflicts over integration, civil rights, urban planning, transportation and political representation.

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Disciples of Vulcan: Examining the Oregon Hill Community

Bordered by Cary and Belvidere Streets to the north and east and Oregon Hill Parkway and Hollywood Cemetery to the south and west, Oregon Hill was settled in the 1840s by immigrant ironworkers and developed into a tight-knit working class neighborhood. Using images from the History Center’s collection, the exhibition traces the development of the neighborhood’s residents, businesses, institutions and preservation challenges.

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Our Hearts on Our Sleeves

Drawing on the Valentine’s extensive collection of historic and contemporary costume and textiles, O­ur Hearts On Our Sleeves celebrates Richmond’s devotion to diverse creative expression. The fashion and fiber arts have long played an important role in Richmond’s creative community, enlivening Richmond’s streets, shops, galleries, museums, and performance spaces. Codes of dress and works of art have both been employed to communicate or challenge cultural values and to reinforce or subvert social structures. Embedded within these tools of identity construction is a dual nature that invites dynamic exchange about both the personal and the communal experience.

Our Hearts on Our Sleeves examines Richmond’s longstanding infatuation with the arts as articulated through individual style and communal support of avant-garde fashion and fiber art. Like the murals that adorn the city’s buildings, textiles adorn citizen’s bodies uniting artistic expression with self-actualization, creativity with civic service, and traditional techniques with profound irreverence.

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In Gear: Richmond Cycles

There’s no question Richmond is a cyclists’ town. This exhibition is a uniquely-Valentine take on the history of cycling in Richmond from the 19th century to the present day

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Edith Shelton’s Richmond

Explore Richmond’s neighborhoods through amateur photographer Edith Shelton’s mid-20th century imagery.

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A Chicken in Every Plot

Featuring the work of nationally-known Richmond photographer Alyssa C. Salomon, this exhibition examines the resurging practice of keeping backyard chickens and how our relationship with food sources continues to evolve. A Chicken in Every Plot includes portraits of Richmond-area urban and suburban chickens and the yards in which they thrive, an homage to the quintessential deviled egg, plus household objects and historic photographs from the Valentine’s collection.

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Faces of Freedom, Stories of Service

This collaborative project with Richmond photographer Mark Mitchell explores local military veterans’ service through portraiture and oral histories. Subjects share their stories in conflicts from World War II to the present day and reflect on how these experiences have shaped their lives and values.

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The Virginia Man: Respect, Responsibility, Rebellion

Do clothes really make the man? The history of Virginia is a complex one. So, too, is the character of the Virginia man. Stories of respect, responsibility and rebellion, preserved in the wardrobes and accessories of prominent and little-known Virginians, were on display in galleries dedicated to an exploration of public and private character of the Virginia man.

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