The mission of the Richmond History Center is to engage, educate, and challenge a diverse audience by collecting, preserving, and interpreting Richmond's history. The history of the institution begins with Mann S. Valentine, Jr., the museum’s founder, who made his fortune with the creation and production of Valentine’s Meat Juice, a health tonic made from pure beef juice. As did many men of his era, Mann collected artifacts. His collection may have begun, as rumored, with a cigar box filled with arrowheads, but it soon grew to comprise hundreds of objects. Mann shared his love of history with his brother, renowned sculptor Edward V. Valentine. Mann laid the foundation for the museum in 1892; when he died in 1893, he provided the original bequest for the Valentine Museum, leaving his personal collection of art and artifacts and the 1812 Wickham House. The Valentine Museum, the first private museum in the City of Richmond, opened in 1898; Edward Valentine served as its first president from its opening until his death in 1930. In his own will, he left an incredible collection of his sculpture, papers, furniture and memorabilia to the museum that still bears his family name. Over time, the institution has evolved from a general art and history museum to one focusing on the life and history of Richmond, Virginia. For more than 100 years, the Richmond History Center has collected, preserved and interpreted the materials of Richmond's life and history. Through its collections, exhibitions and programs it reflects and interprets the broad issues and diverse communities which define the history of Richmond and its surrounding counties. The History Center is the only institution in the city committed solely to this mission. The Richmond History Center offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. The History Center includes the stately 1812 Wickham House, a National Historic Landmark and outstanding example of neoclassical architecture featuring rare wall paintings.

1. Overview

2. Mann Valentine

3. Valentine Meat Juice Factory

4. Valentine Brothers

5. China Room
China Room

6. Wickham Rear Exterior

7. Wickham Library

8. Wickham Dining Room

10. Robert E. Lee Sculpture

11. Edward V. Valentine’s Studio

13. Silk Evening Dress

14. Quilt

15. c. 1810 Cotton Dress

16. Quilt

17. Sally Sue Hats

18. Women’s Clothing

19. Boys Pink Short Suit 1924,
Lavender Romper 1920

20. Patrol Officer Uniform
Richmond
Bureau of Police 1984

21. Red Dress

22. Egyptian Building – CC

23. Capitol

24. Main St. Spotswood Hotel Ruins

25. Van Lew House Rear

26. Reconstruction Leaders

27. Emancipation Day

28. First African Baptist Church

29. Dump Behind White House of the Confederacy

30. Making Cigars

31. Interior of Richmond Locomotive Works 115 E. Broad St.

32. Female Bus Driver c. 1940

33. Flood Marshes May 14, 1924

34. Monument Ave. – Lee Monument

35. Lee Monument Being Erected

36. Haxall Flour Mill

37. Bell Tower Capitol Sq. 1912

38. Flower Market, 6th St.

39. Sit In at Murphey’s – 1960s

40. Thalhimers

41. Rusty Wallice Pit Crew Member – 1990

42. Line to Purchase Tickets at Capitol Theater

43. Capitol Street

44. Forest Hill Park Rollercoaster – Dip the Dip

45. 17th St. and Main

49. Tools

51. Silver Plated Candlesticks

54. Ballot Box

55. Jim Crow – Racism and
Reaction
in the
New South

56. Howdy Doody

59. c. 1805

60. Richea Myers Marx – c. 1825

61. James Armistead Lafayette

63. John Marshall

66. Capitol

67. Richmond – 1840s

68. Episcopal Church at Richmond Virginia 1831

69. Washington Monument

70. Richmond Burning

71. Lincoln in Richmond

72. Territorial Growth of Richmond – 1931

73. Insurance Policy

74. Shockoe Machine Works – 1884

75. Virginia – 1858

78. Tobacco Ad

79. Meat Juice

81. Miller and Rhodes Clock