Virginia Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Historical Society (VHS), founded in 1831 as the Virginia Historical and Philosophical Society and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia
, is a major repository, research, and teaching center for Virginia history
. It is a private non-profit organization, supported almost entirely by private contributions, and is the Official State Historical Society of Virginia.
The Virginia Historical Society features award-winning exhibitions and programming that are entertaining and educational for visitors of all ages. One of the largest historical societies in the country, the VHS has thirteen exhibition galleries occupying more than 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) and has the largest display of Virginia artifacts on permanent view. The VHS is the only museum with all of Virginia’s history under one roof — all centuries, all regions, and all topics are covered.
In the 1950s, increasing resources allowed the addition of a professional staff. Over the next several decades the Society's collections grew. The publications program also increased as the Society gained a significant role in the academic community.
In 1992 the Society opened the Center for Virginia History, increasing its display and archival resources. Shortly thereafter, it entered into a partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, an agency of the state government, which also had significant historical holdings (both artifacts and archives), forming a unique private-public partnership.
By collecting, preserving, and interpreting the Commonwealth’s history, we link past with present and inspire future generations. The Society has a major collection of Confederate imprint
s.
The VHS offers a wide array of educational programs, especially for students and teachers. These include outreach programs that take place in school classrooms, guided tours of exhibitions, and workshops and week-long summer institutes for teachers.
The VHS offers three members-only evening lectures and twelve to fifteen noontime lectures every year that are open to the public. Audio and videos of past lectures are accessible on the web site.
, U.S. ambassador to Spain and Argentina, and his wife, Virginia Weddell, in 1928 from the materials of a sixteenth-century English manor house previously standing in Warwick
. It was a blend of three romantic English Tudor designs, and, for its time, was a thoroughly modern home complete with seven full baths, central heat, modern kitchen, and commodious closets.
Now owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society as a museum, the house has been preserved much as it was when the Weddells resided there. Virginia House and gardens are open by appointment (please call 804.353.4251).
The eight of gardens and grounds of Virginia House provide a rich tapestry of texture and color throughout the year. Today, close to 1,000 types of ornamental plants thrive throughout formal and naturalistic gardens.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, is a major repository, research, and teaching center for Virginia history
History of Virginia
The history of Virginia began with settlement of the geographic region now known as the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States thousands of years ago by Native Americans. Permanent European settlement began with the establishment of Jamestown in 1607, by English colonists. As tobacco emerged...
. It is a private non-profit organization, supported almost entirely by private contributions, and is the Official State Historical Society of Virginia.
The Virginia Historical Society features award-winning exhibitions and programming that are entertaining and educational for visitors of all ages. One of the largest historical societies in the country, the VHS has thirteen exhibition galleries occupying more than 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) and has the largest display of Virginia artifacts on permanent view. The VHS is the only museum with all of Virginia’s history under one roof — all centuries, all regions, and all topics are covered.
History
In its early years, the VHS gathered an eclectic collection of natural history specimens, historical artifacts, and printed and written material. The Society was reconstituted after the Civil War and was renamed the Virginia Historical Society in 1870 to reflect a primarily historical focus as it became more active in publishing historical material. The Society gained its first permanent headquarters building in Richmond in 1893. The Society's journal, the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, has published on a quarterly basis without interruption since 1893.In the 1950s, increasing resources allowed the addition of a professional staff. Over the next several decades the Society's collections grew. The publications program also increased as the Society gained a significant role in the academic community.
In 1992 the Society opened the Center for Virginia History, increasing its display and archival resources. Shortly thereafter, it entered into a partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, an agency of the state government, which also had significant historical holdings (both artifacts and archives), forming a unique private-public partnership.
Mission
Connecting people to America’s past through the unparalleled story of Virginia.By collecting, preserving, and interpreting the Commonwealth’s history, we link past with present and inspire future generations. The Society has a major collection of Confederate imprint
Confederate imprint
A Confederate imprint is a book, pamphlet, broadside, periodical or sheet music printed in the Confederate States of America in a location which, at the time, was under Confederate and not Union control. Confederate imprints are important as sources of the history of the Civil War and many...
s.
Programs
The 54000 square feet (5,016.8 m²) Charles F. Bryan, Jr. wing, completed in 2006, houses the Reynolds Business History Center (RBHC) and the long-term exhibition, Virginians at Work. The RBHC seeks to acquire company records from important and representative businesses from around the commonwealth. In addition, the VHS has developed business history programs for scholars, businesspeople, students, and the general public.The VHS offers a wide array of educational programs, especially for students and teachers. These include outreach programs that take place in school classrooms, guided tours of exhibitions, and workshops and week-long summer institutes for teachers.
The VHS offers three members-only evening lectures and twelve to fifteen noontime lectures every year that are open to the public. Audio and videos of past lectures are accessible on the web site.
Long-Term Exhibitions
- The Story of Virginia, an American Experience (Visit the new online exhibition at www.vahistorical.org/storyofvirginia.htm)
- Virginians at Work
- Silver in Virginia
- Solving History's Mysteries: A History Discovery Lab
- The Virginia Manufactory of Arms Collection
- Four Seasons of the Confederacy: Murals by Charles Hoffbauer
- Making the Murals
- Arming the Confederacy
- The War Horse
- Warwick to Windsor Farms: Building Virginia House (On display at Virginia House)
Virginia House
Virginia House, situated on a hillside overlooking the historic James River in Richmond, Virginia, was constructed by Alexander W. WeddellAlexander W. Weddell
Alexander Wilbourne Weddell was an American diplomat. He served as United States ambassador to Argentina from 1933 to 1939 and to Spain from 1939 to 1942....
, U.S. ambassador to Spain and Argentina, and his wife, Virginia Weddell, in 1928 from the materials of a sixteenth-century English manor house previously standing in Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
. It was a blend of three romantic English Tudor designs, and, for its time, was a thoroughly modern home complete with seven full baths, central heat, modern kitchen, and commodious closets.
Now owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society as a museum, the house has been preserved much as it was when the Weddells resided there. Virginia House and gardens are open by appointment (please call 804.353.4251).
The eight of gardens and grounds of Virginia House provide a rich tapestry of texture and color throughout the year. Today, close to 1,000 types of ornamental plants thrive throughout formal and naturalistic gardens.
External links
- Virginia Historical Society web site
- Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
- History of the VHS
- Current and Upcoming Exhibitions
- View Online Exhibitions
- The Reynolds Business History Center
- Search VHS Collections
- Join the Virginia Historical Society
- Tour the Virginia Historical Society
- Follow the VHS on Facebook
- Watch Virginia Historical Society's videos on YouTube
- Follow the Virginia Historical Society on Twitter
- Read the Virginia Historical Society's Blog
- Check in at the Virginia Historical Society on Foursquare
- A Turning Point for Richmond: The Virginia Historical Society's Civil War Exhibition, a review of an exhibition at the Virginia Historical Society by William G. Thomas III published in Southern Spaces