Collections
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of Richmond, Virginia, since 1898. With a focus on the history of Richmond, the museum houses a unique collection of objects, archival materials and textiles that document the region’s complex history.
How We Collect & Curate
The Valentine does community-centered collecting that represents the deeply diverse history of the Richmond region, defined as:
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- City of Richmond
- Charles City County
- Chesterfield County
- Goochland County
- Hanover County
- Henrico County
- New Kent County
- Powhatan County
The materials in our care support the museum’s mission through changing exhibitions, programs and research.
For information about how we acquire objects and our ongoing Collection Refinement Initiative, see How We Collect & Curate.
NAGPRA Repatriation
The Valentine is committed to ensuring our complete compliance with federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) guidelines and requirements while also engaging with tribal leadership, members of the community and other institutions to create a thoughtful, open process. To learn more about this process to return Native American sacred and cultural objects, see NAGPRA Repatriation.
Undocumented Property
For more than 125 years, the Valentine has collected, preserved and interpreted materials relating to the history of the city of Richmond and the surrounding region. As part of its commitment to the stewardship of this unique collection, the museum is seeking to recover the histories of objects whose provenance, or ownership history, is unknown. For information about this process, see Undocumented Property.
Learn More
Interested in learning more about objects in our collection?
- Visit Richmond Stories to read, watch and listen to stories about the region told through our holdings.
- Browse our Collection Database to search your own Richmond-related interests.
- See Research for information about collection access and policies.