Dominion Energy Gallery Unveiled at the Valentine Along with New Additions to the “This Is Richmond, Virginia” Exhibition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2023
Contact:
Christina Swanson, MA
Director of PR & Marketing
cswanson@thevalentine.org
RICHMOND, VA – The Valentine’s first-floor public gallery space now has an official name! The Dominion Energy Gallery honors the company’s ongoing support of the Valentine’s mission and is a testament to Dominion’s dedication to enriching the cultural fabric of the Richmond region.
“Dominion Energy is a part of Richmond’s past, present and future,” said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. “We’re proud to support the Valentine in its mission to tell the Richmond story.”
The Dominion Energy Gallery houses the Valentine’s permanent exhibition, This Is Richmond, Virginia, which explores Richmond’s vibrant history and highlights diverse stories and experiences. This dynamic exhibition has been rotating in new objects from the Valentine’s collection since it opened in 2014, keeping the content timely and fresh for new and repeat visitors alike.
The brand new additions to this exhibition include Tom Wolfe’s typewriter, the Heilig-Meyers furniture company “MacSaver” sign featuring the firm’s Scottish mascot, and a brightly colored pantsuit worn in the 1970s by Elizabeth Bunnell Bauder when she was the vice president of Thalhimers Department Store.
These objects join other icons of Richmond’s historical narrative including a portrait of John Marshall from 1824 by John Wesley Jarvis, a barber chair from Robinson’s Barber Shop, and Edward Valentine’s Jefferson Davis statue, currently on loan from the Black History Museum of Virginia.
“We are deeply grateful to Dominion Energy for their continued partnership and support,” said Bill Martin, the Valentine’s Director. “This collaboration embodies our shared commitment to fostering a rich, vibrant community and telling great Richmond Stories™.”
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The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. thevalentine.org
About the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation: About 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE:D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed $45 million in 2022 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education, and encourage community vitality. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.