Upcoming
FANCY: Costumes, Characters and the Richmond Masque
May 10, 2025 - Jan 25, 2026
From the dazzling splendor of 19th-century fancy dress balls to the shadowed streets on Halloween, dressing up in costumes is an opportunity to escape the ordinary. FANCY: Costumes, Characters and the Richmond Masque explores the many ways Richmonders have used creative clothing to disguise themselves for frivolity, celebration, and performance.
FANCY Exhibition Opening & Celebration
On May 10, 2025, the Valentine will open it’s first major Costume & Textiles exhibition in five years. FANCY: Costumes, Characters and the Richmond Masque will run from May 10, 2025 through January 25, 2026 in the Nathalie L. Klaus and Reynolds Family galleries.
In honor of this important new exhibition, join the Valentine for FANCY, an opening party and celebration! Whether you attend in costume or your most fanciful cocktail attire, it’s your opportunity to dazzle and embody a fun Richmond persona! Pull out your most unique costume jewelry, festive masks and dazzling headpieces or that spiffy suit you’ve been dying to wear. Find fancy dress a little tricky? Don’t worry, we’ll have a few accessories available for you to don when you arrive. This is an evening to have fun and embody the most outlandish version of yourself!