If you have not taken the time after the Valentines remodel you must stop by. The flow of the museum and the wonderful Richmond exhibits are enough alone to enjoy. The changing exhibits are always well advertised and have never been disappointing. A great museum tucked away in the middle of Downtown Richmond. A must visit for every Richmonder and visitor to Richmond. Enjoy!
After visiting many other wedding venues in Richmond, The Valentine ended up being an easy decision for us. Its location in the heart of the city, combined with the beautiful garden, made it the perfect combination of urban & bohemian. It was also super convenient to out of town guests staying at the Hilton & Linden Row Inn. We were even able to provide our guests with guided tours of the museum during cocktail hour. Peggy, the events coordinator, was very nice and pleasant to work with - though I do recommend having your own day-of coordinator to partner with her on last minute logistics - especially if you need a rain plan. The only down-side/surprise of choosing The Valentine was that the rental fee seemed really reasonable upfront, but when you add in tent rentals and catering (you can only choose from a list of three approved caterers) it ended up being more expensive than we originally anticipated. Other than that, I highly recommend an event at the Valentine!
Fantastic, little jewel of a museum focusing on Richmond's vast history. Along with museum entry, one is able to tour the John Wickham house, an 1812 beauty with fantastic examples of period interior painting. Katie was a fantastic guide. We had a wonderful and informative time learning all aspects of RVA history.
Good overview of Richmond, go on a free day though.
Very nice museum and a great place for wedding receptions
A wonderful collection of Richmond history. The staff is helpful and friendly. A must-see if you're visiting the city!
Went for a school field trip, our guide was very friendly, patient, courteous, and very knowledgeable.
The knowledgeable guides and interesting collection made my valuable one. If I never hear the words "meat juice" again I'll be more than okay.
Intersting exhibits on Richmond's history. However, we mainly went to check out and vote on the proposals on redesigning Monument Ave. Of the 70 proposals, only a handful really seemed to take the assignment seriously. Very disappointed.
Thank you for hosting the RVA Conversations. The Valentine is a lovely space. I felt very welcomed at this evening event. See you next month.
There is a lot of history to be learned. The class enjoyed themselves.
Our tour guide Nathan was just wonderful so very knowledgeable thanks to the entire staff for a wonderful experience
Love love this museum. If you love history, specifically Richmond's history this is a great museum to stop and enjoy the exhibits.
Staff was friendly and helpful. Museum was interesting.
Incredibly detailed and informative museum artfully and intricately appointed. A must see for a Richmond visit.
Oh well, just go for it, depends on tastes but it was fine to me.
Beautiful historic museum. The tour is about 55 minutes and is very informative. They also have nice gift shop, back garden, and a sculpture studio.
Great displays about our city, and the history. The room of display talking about destroying the statues was distasteful. This was not the place for this.
The great museum near the MCV campus. They give you the history of the Valentine family. It tells the story of the Valentine's on how they help Richmond become the great city as it is today
Interesting perspective on Richmond history. Make sure to take the house tour!
I have visited this museum several times. I really enjoyed the variety of Richmond & US history and present day stories that were provided. When I went last, the Miller and Rhoads clock was proudly displayed above the stair well that descended to the basement-like floor; that was something very special to see since my grandparents loved the store. I was also given a tour where our group was allowed to hold old, historically-important books, such as ones belonging to/read by Patrick Henry. That was very fun; I am an avid reader and love history. The museum has a creative mindset with their exhibits, there was not just one area of focus in history, the range was lovely. I reccomend this museum to be visited by adults or older children, the younger ones might not be interested in what they have to offer.
I only visited it once but wish I could visit it again. Lots of lovely art in a wonderful 1812 house. If visiting Richmond a must see. One of the many historical houses that MUST be visited when in the city.
I went with my sons second grade class. It was very well told. The display was excellent. I learned a lot. All the kids were very involved. If you can entertain 13 7 year Olds for an hour you have my vote. The house was amazing and in good repair. The tour guide was very entertaing. I recommend anyone to visit, I'm going back for a longer look.
Museum and adjacent house both offer fascinating insights into the Richmond of yesterday and the Richmond we know now. Accommodating, knowledgeable staff and thorough exhibits.
The Valentine museum is a great experience. You ll learn about meat juice and great elements of what makes Richmond unique and its rich history. Don t miss the house tour!
Very nice museum in Richmond. Touring the Wikham house was also very nice. We especially enjoyed the giant rifle that was once on a gun shop. The gift shop also has some very unique items that I've not seen anywhere else. Certainly worth a visit.
We were at the Valentine for a wedding. Everything took place outside. Lovely setting for around 80 people. But terrible for high-heel shoes. Brick pavers are pretty and museum era appropriate, but several ladies kept sinking in the cracks or stumbling. Also the private parking situation was a nightmare. There should definitely been at least 2 people working during arrival time. But the short tour was very informative and the garden/fountain area was lovely.
A venerable city museum with an interesting history collection. Community-minded and involved in all aspects of contemporary RVA. Helpful front desk staff, nice garden and garden cafe.
Field trip with my niece. Great activities and exhibits.
I've lived a short walk away from The Valentine for several months, but I always thought it was just a house based on the main photo here. I didn't realize the depth of detail that encompasses the museum's interior. It's really Richmond history brought to life. Definitely a must visit for any resident or visitor.
Extremely informative tour on the history of Richmond. Really enjoyed the scope of the museum; covered past to present. Staff were extremely knowledgeable and provided great insights. Highly recommend doing the tour of the attached house.
Great museum to get an overall local history of Richmond and all of its architecture and culture.
Very nice museum. Very friendly people. Gift shop with merchandise from local artisans
Absolutely amazing experience everytime. Wonderful venue for events and the staff is brilliant in assisting with the coordination. Great place for Richmond History with a charming location. Can't miss #rva tourist spot. Miss the big museums and spend the day discovering our hidden gems!
Different exhibits to showcase many talents that are rising in the Richmond VA area.
I learned so much about RVA history here. There is a really beautiful garden in the back with lots of seating. My favorite part was how interactive some of the exhibits are, which tells me the museum staff is really creative. It's got 2 floors and a little addition in the back. You can also eat at the cafe in the back.
Museum is supposed to preserve history not erase it and rewrite it
Special Tip: Make sure to visit the cellar of the actual Valentine house!!
There were a couple of things I really loved about the museum. First, their permanent installation about Richmond history is incredibly well planned; I especially enjoyed their structured flow to the exhibit. The museum remains critical of its (and Richmond's) own history while continuing to look to the future and expose the stories that deserve telling. Yet another example of this commitment is their current exhibit: Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion. This exhibit provides a conversation for the community with the community on what restorative justice looks like for the city. In an age of political divisiveness, it was heart warming to see such a rich conversation toward amends that benefits all.
Great historical perspective of Richmond, VA, and its timeline. Very helpful and courteous staff.
A little disappointed. Most exhibits were posters rather than artifacts.
Bit of a rainy day but this place will bring in some sunshine. Great history, fill in the gaps I did not get in high school. :)
Great venue. Wonderful setting. Gracious staff. Outstanding cultural museum and collection.
The valentine museum has a very interesting historical background and artifacts. The house of Valentine tour is also worth a try!
Incredible museum of Richmond history and culture! Rotating exhibits and a historic house.
Staff was very friendly but compared to a lot of other museums I've been to this one wasn't really note worthy. A lot of their exhibits featured art from 2000-2015. There wasn't much in regards to actual Richmond history and some of the exhibits didn't really belong there. Only other complaint is it was expensive for what they offered.
We visited specifically to see the Monument Ave. exhibit "Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion". All the description we've read leading to our visit talked of 70 different scenarios. Only 20 are actually exhibited, the remaining 50 could be viewed on a video. The visitor is asked to vote on their preference but with only 20 being easily viewed and 50 not readily available a fair vote is not going to happen. The exhibit should be made into a brochure with all scenarios shown. There was an opportunity to make this work but only a fail resulted. Was it done on purpose?
Our wedding venue on 4/9/16. The staff of The Valentine is courteous, tentative, and friendly. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed walking about the museum and the tour.
Small museum and not a lot to look at. Just went for the live music they had.
Lovely, we where allowed to see the home itself... Beautiful drapery in the living quarters...
Always cool things to see at The Valentine! The history of the City of Richmond
We had a good visit. Admittedly it was similar to our tour of the history of Richmond at the History Museum of Richmond, so I'd suggest picking one or the other!
Awesome museum with great tours and awesome education staff
One of my favorite museums in Richmond! The Valentine always has relevant and interesting exhibits.
We only stopped in as part of a scavenger hunt and to get a sip of water. I cannot attest to the museum itself but what we did see on the way to the water fountain looked clean and interesting. The staff was very friendly and taught us about meat juice health tonic.
This Museum was a great experience. There was a good gift shop inside with a good selection. There was over 100,000 items out on exhibit here. They are constantly updating the exhibits. The staff is extremely friendly and has a great deal of knowledge that they share with you if you have any questions. They exhibits are presented in a very elegant way. This Museum encompasses three buildings on this street.
Little museum. Everything is very nice. Slowly, you can see everything in an hour.
I Zenia really had a wonderful time last night. It felt like I was invited to an awards program to receive a trophy., walking on the RED CARPET, yea, yea, and the award i receive was a place on the wall in the Valentine's Museum.
it was like a fairy tail dream. but, hey it was real. with all my family, and other winning recipients. On the wall will all my WARRIORS
This museum captures the rich history of Richmond. They always have unique and interesting exhibits rotating through. If you live in Richmond, you definitely NEED to visit The Valentine. If you are just passing through, this is a great place to add to your itinerary because it will tell you the stories of this amazing city. Look into their walking tours which are also packed full of fun stories about the various neighborhoods, each with their own unique character. And if you need to shop for gifts, their shop is always stocked full of fantastic local gift items.
Our tour guide Jim was fantastic- very knowledgeable of the area and was able to answer so many of our questions. He led a group of young adults from St. Paul's Episcopal Church around downtown- explaining the general and faith-based history of Richmond, which can often go hand in hand. We would highly recommend going on any tour with the Valentine, especially with Jim!
Such a gem in Richmond, and the only place you can get a great comprehensive history of the city
I love many of the museums in Richmond, but if you could only visit one to learn about the history of Richmond this is the one to go to. The Valentine focuses more big picture on the different events throughout Richmond's history.
I stumbled across this museum and glad I did. It is very informational about life and events throughout Richmond's history.
I love this museum and the restaurant is upscale for a museum with great wine. This is a nice place for a date with someone you care about. The staff is committed to excellence. The restaurant made the visit really special on top of the nice museum. A gem of Richmond.
Gorgeous clothing and sculptures for various periods of Richmond's history
Friendly staff and interesting local history exhibits. I have never seen a local history museum with so many interactive programs and exhibits. They really do Richmond proud.
Historic place in Richmond. Good plan to know about the city
Very interesting and a nice your of the Wickham House.
Great experience and history of Richmond, good value for about hour plus walk-through and tour
Great museum with a wide variety of pieces all relating to the city of Richmond (war time, influential people, tattoos even, etc). The house tour was especially interesting and well done.
The Venue is Breathtaking!!! A melting pot of historical knowledge!!!
thevalentine.org
