Our Commonwealth
This signature exhibition provides an in-depth, multi-sensory journey through the five major regions of Virginia and features stories and artifacts from across the state to reveal that place is not only about geography, but also the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
Featured Events
Featuring award-winning speakers, tours, and family activities for all ages and interest levels. To browse all upcoming events, please click through to our calendar.
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
First Fridays at VMHC
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Member Mondays
Front Lawn Fun
Teacher Tuesdays
Stories at the Museum
Lecture: An Unholy Traffic
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Teacher Tuesdays
Stories at the Museum
Lecture: Apples in the South
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
July 4th Ceremony
First Fridays at VMHC
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Lecture: The Unvanquished
Stories at the Museum
Collections Up Close: Virginians on Vacation
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Collections Up Close: Virginians on Vacation
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
Lecture: Legend of the Witch of Pungo
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Beyond the Bullet Points
Stories at the Museum
First Fridays at VMHC
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
Lecture: You’ll Do: A Southern History of Marrying for Reasons other Than Love
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Front Lawn Fun
Stories at the Museum
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Lecture: This Fierce People
Julia Child Highlight Tours
Julia Child Highlight Tours
First Fridays at VMHC
First Fridays at VMHC
Collections Up Close: Tales of Murder and Mayhem
Collections Up Close: Tales of Murder and Mayhem
First Fridays at VMHC
First Fridays at VMHC
Featured Collections Items
The VMHC has a collection of more than 9 million items. Here are just a few them (please note that not all of them may be on display to the public). Search the Library or Museum Objects Collections databases to learn more.
Tennis Items, Arthur Ashe
Tennis racquet,bag, and wrist band, all belonged to Arthur Ashe.
Drawing, Natural Bridge
Pastel drawing depicting Natural Bridge in Snow by George Brewerton in 1872.
Painting, George Washington
Portrait in oils of George Washington by Charles Peale Polk, nephew of Charles Willson Peale, whose 1787 portrait of the general was the basis for this image.
Bowie Knife
Bowie knife taken from John Brown at Harper's Ferry in 1859 by J.E.B. Stuart.
Desk circa 1780-1805
Chippenale slant-front desk with bracket feet, Eastern Virginia, probably Richmond, based on Williamsburg prototype.
U.S. Navy WAVES Uniform
Complete WAVES uniform from World War II worn by Nancy E. Bailey (Bon Cogsdale).
Equal Suffrage League of Richmond Photograph
1915 Photograph show a group of women gathered in Capitol Square holding large banners which read "Equal Suffrage League and Richmond, Virginia" and "Votes for Women."
Program, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1962
Program from the Virginia State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference meeting, includes a black and white photograph of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and five signatures (clockwise from
Photographic print, No. 3, Pocahontas [train], barrels by Shawsville on its night run to Cincinnati, 1955
Image depicting Norfolk and Western Train No. 3, the Pocahontas, in a shroud of exhaust with 13 cars of Christmas mail and passengers.
Tintype Portrait of Robert Thaxton
Tintype portrait of Pvt. Robert Thaxton, a Confederate soldier killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, in May 1863.