Media Alert
May 1, 2023
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of PR & Marketing; tfuqua@VirginiaHistory.org; 804.342.9661
Richmond, Va. – The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is thrilled to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its historic grand re-opening with a special edition of First Fridays at VMHC, presented in partnership with the Museum District Association.
On Friday, May 5, from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm, guests can enjoy extended museum hours, free admission to the galleries, food trucks, live music by Bio Ritmo, a bounce house and other special kids activities, and much more. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, enjoy good food, good music, and good company.
“It has been a thrilling year since of grand re-opening last May. With record-setting attendance and engagement, we have seen the big goals of our recent reimagination come true,” Jamie Bosket, President & CEO of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture said in a statement. “In the same spirit of our work to better welcome and reflect at Virginians with the renovation of the museum, we can think of no better way to mark this one-year milestone than with a great community party hosted in partnership with our friends at the Museum District Association.”
The $30+ million renovation of nearly two-thirds of the VMHC’s 250,000-square-foot building began in October 2020. After completing the most transformative renovation in its nearly 200-year history, the museum reopened to the public on May 14, 2022, with the unveiling of a new grand two-story entrance atrium; an immersive orientation theater; an entirely new research library; several community meeting and gathering spaces; a new campus connector between the VMHC and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; an enhanced green space; and a new café and museum store.
The project also included the addition of approximately 50 % more exhibition space to accommodate an exciting mix of long-term and changing exhibitions, including the most recent exhibition Apollo: When We Went to the Moon. This extensive exhibition is the largest to be mounted at the museum and immerses guests into the epic story of human space exploration through objects, artifacts, and interactive experiences.
Since the museum’s re-opening, it has welcomed record-setting crowds, and hosted more programming than ever in its nearly 200-year history.
For more information on First Fridays at the VMHC and specific offerings, please visit VirginiaHistory.org/FirstFridays
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is the only institution dedicated to presenting the entire history of Virginia over time and across regions. Its nationally significant collection of more than 9 million objects, renowned research library, galleries and public programs demonstrate the centrality of Virginia to the narrative of the United States.
The VMHC is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation.