Cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and the hum of a city in motion — when The Valentine first opened its doors in the mid-19th Century, Richmond looked very different. Yet even then, its purpose was clear: to capture the city’s evolving story and help generations understand where they came from and where they’re headed.
As Richmond’s oldest museum open to the public, and one of the oldest in the country, The Valentine’s role extends far beyond preservation. While the Virginia Museum of History & Culture houses an older collection, Director Bill Martin noted that The Valentine was the first museum in Richmond to open its doors to the community.
“We’re all Richmond, all history, all the time,” said Martin. “Our job is to tell the broad story from the very beginnings of the city to today in ways that engage people and maybe even push them to think about the history differently.”
Since its founding, The Valentine has been defined by inclusion and accessibility. From the early 1900s, the museum opened its doors to Richmond Public School students for free, a tradition that continues today. That early commitment to openness shaped how the institution evolved over the next century, building a foundation rooted in diversity and community engagement.
Martin said the museum’s approach to access and representation has long set it apart. Long before other institutions prioritized community outreach, The Valentine was already doing it, offering free admission to schoolchildren, welcoming diverse leadership and collecting stories that reflected the whole city.
“The Valentine had this long history and a commitment to service in the community that many museums only serve as standard practices today,” said Martin. “Those traditions of community engagement were so deep that they became part of the museum’s DNA…and they still are.”
Throughout its history, The Valentine’s programs and leadership reflected the city’s diversity, with contributions from Jewish, African American and women community members rarely represented elsewhere at the time. Those values of openness and inclusion continue to define its mission today.
A glimpse into “This is Richmond, Virginia”, where artifacts tell the story of who we are as a city and community.
History That Comes Full Circle
Martin believes Richmond’s story can’t be told without tracing its roots and understanding the consequences of decisions made generations ago.
“We really can’t understand Richmond’s future without having an understanding of how we got here,” he said. “For instance, in the 1950s that highway cut straight through the middle of the city, displacing 10% of Richmond’s Black community. When you look at where people live today and what neighborhoods they live in, it didn’t just happen by chance.”
That throughline from the past to the present runs through every exhibition and program at The Valentine. Exhibits like “Sculpting History” invite visitors to examine how the city has remembered, and at times rewritten, its story.
“It’s about asking how we know what’s true,” Martin said. “Museums help people move beyond what they see online or what they heard once in school. We give them a place to research, to ask questions, to find context.”
The museum’s Learn & Research center serves as a community hub for educators, students and historians as a place to explore Richmond’s archives, discover personal connections and gain perspective on the city’s ongoing evolution.
“People want to be in rooms with other people, having conversations about their lives,” Martin added. “People are tired of being online, and gathering together in museums around real things is powerful.”
A Museum That Moves with the City
The Valentine’s evolution mirrors the city it represents. The museum’s programs reflect adaptability and collaboration. Through initiatives like “I Know Richmond” and the “Common Good” lecture series, The Valentine partners with organizations such as the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, PlanRVA and the Richmond Times-Dispatch to create conversations that connect people around shared values.
“We never do programs alone,” Martin said. “Those partnerships create conversations about the things we all need and the ways we can do better.”
As Richmond grows, The Valentine continues to expand its storytelling, focusing on underrepresented neighborhoods and voices that haven’t always been included.
“It’s about making sure that we don’t let important stories go untold,” Martin said.
The museum also offers up a robust lineup of community-oriented events, from walking tours to community education programs. These experiences invite Richmonders to explore their neighborhoods, uncover local stories and connect with the city in new ways.
A Shared Future
The Valentine’s success is deeply intertwined with Richmond’s own.
“For The Valentine to be successful, downtown has to be successful,” Martin said. “Broad Street has to be successful, because Broad Street means Virginia Rep, the ICA, the Library of Virginia the Hippodrome — they all have to be successful. We all have to be in this together.”
That philosophy of mutual growth and shared history has kept The Valentine relevant for more than a century. Today, the museum continues to expand that mission through its Projects & Initiatives, a collection of community-driven efforts that look toward Richmond’s future while honoring its past.
Among these efforts is the Richmond History Makers program, which spotlights modern Richmonders whose work is shaping the city’s next chapter (e.g. civic leaders, artists, educators and advocates making real impact in their neighborhoods). The Valentine is also amid a fundraising campaign to support new preservation projects, expanded archival spaces and enhanced educational programming.
Each of these initiatives reflects the museum’s belief that history is ongoing and that today’s choices will become tomorrow’s stories.
“Understanding the past helps you understand why things look the way they do today,” Martin said. “Those divisions, those communities…they didn’t just happen by chance.”
For those who want to help preserve and shape Richmond’s story, Projects & Initiatives page offers opportunities to donate, participate, and stay connected to the museum’s future.
A City’s Museum
To Martin, The Valentine is more than a museum. It’s a reflection of Richmond itself.
“Take a walk. Take a tour. Visit. Attend programs,” he said. “But mostly, just get out and enjoy the city.”
The Valentine’s story, much like Richmond’s, comes full circle: always returning to its past to better understand its present and to shape what comes next.
