The Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC), formerly known as the Virginia Historical Society, tour covers two long-term exhibits. “The Story of Virginia” is an exhibition that interprets 16,000 years of Virginia history and features more than 500 artifacts, maps, letters, and diaries. Objects in the exhibition are supplemented by images from the VMHC’s collection, soundscapes, video, and digital interactives. From the earliest American Indian artifacts to life in the state at the beginning of the twenty-first century, visitors can learn about the cultural and historical transformations of the commonwealth as they travel from one gallery to another.

The second exhibit, “Our Commonwealth,” compliments “The Story of Virginia.” It walks visitors through history in a timeline format by immersing them in the landscapes, foodways, industries, and people that make up this diverse state. Highlights include scenic elements and large-scale, slowly changing digital projects called ‘living murals’ that frame the narrative footprint of each region to capture the unique essence of Virginian’s relationship with that place. Regionally inspired lighting treatments and soundscapes complete the effect of bringing guests to the place essence of each region.

The tour focuses on the exhibits and does not allow time for research in the library. However, VMHC is only three miles from the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The library provides access to an unrivaled collection of primary and secondary sources, including books and journals, manuscripts, maps, broadsides, and sheet music related to the history and culture of Virginia. Learn more about VMHC on their website at https://virginiahistory.org/. 

The tour leaves the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 1:00 p.m. and returns at 4:15 p.m. and includes bus transportation and museum admission.

Registration is now open at https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.