Gallery Tour (all ages)

1 hour

Available for any student level, our gallery tours can take you through any of our current exhibitions, whether that is our award-winning, permanent Story of Virginia exhibition or one of our many changing exhibits. Please note what gallery and/or topics you would like to cover during your visit.

Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality

1 hour 30 minutes

Determined examines the ways in which the arrival of enslaved Africans in 1619 shaped the United States that we know today. The exhibition is arranged in chronological sections and asks visitors to find connections between past events and current lives. Due to the layout of the exhibit, we are limiting guided tours to 25 participants at a time. Groups with more guests are welcome to self guide, or pair this exhibit with another exhibit on display.

Virginia History Day's Breaking Barriers (4th-5th, 6th-12th)

1 hour

Look at Virginia history through the lens of this year’s Virginia History Day theme: Breaking Barriers. Students will take a guided tour of the Story of Virginia before exploring on their own to determine a topic idea. Maximum 30 students (extension option available for up to 60 kids when paired with an additional 60 minute program)

Dressing the Past (PreK, K, 1st)

1 hour

Using clothes and replica artifacts, students will take a journey through time to look at items of clothing from famous Virginians and important periods in Virginia’s history. Participants will be able to draw conclusions about life in the past vs. present, and talk about why individuals and communities lived, worked, and dressed differently. Maximum 100 students.

Marvelous Maps (K, 1st)

1 hour

Students will develop map skills and view primary and secondary sources by investigating a variety of maps to learn about basic map symbols, cardinal directions, and land/water features. Participants will also compare globes to flat maps, historic maps to modern maps, and local maps to national maps. Maximum 100 students.

Famous Faces (1st)

1 hour

Using primary and secondary sources, students will be introduced to Famous Virginians. Participants will be able to discuss the contributions of these individuals to life in Virginia today, as well as how we as a community remember them. Maximum 100 students.

Powhatan's People (2nd)

1 hour

In our guided program (up to 60), educators will take students through the museum as they talk about the lifestyles of the Powhatan in comparison with the Lakota and Pueblo tribes. In our self-guided stations (up to 100), students will rotate through four activities, using gallery scavenger hunts, replica artifacts, archaeology, and a craft to learn about the lives and customs of the Powhatan Indians in comparison to other Native American tribes, with a focus on the Lakota and Pueblo peoples.

The Voice, The Pen, The Sword (3rd)

1 hour 30 minutes

Students will spend time in our Story of Virginia exhibit learning about the diversity of population and perspective throughout Virginia history. We will analyze our system of government, and what happens when people don’t agree on the laws! In the classroom, participants will work together on an interactive activity that illustrates the process of creating and voting for different laws. Maximum 100 students.

Hands-On History Box (Virginia Studies)

1 hour

Using replica artifacts, images, and reproductions of VMHC manuscripts, students will explore a particular era in Virginia history in depth. Permanent topics include Pocahontas and the Powhatans, the Revolutionary War, Westward Expansion, and the Civil War. Please let us know in the notes which you are choosing! Maximum 60 students.

Story of Virginia/Hands-On Workshop Combination (Virginia Studies)

1 hour 30 minutes

This program includes a 45-minute tour of our Story of Virginia Gallery and a 45-minute interactive classroom activity. Permanent topics include Pocahontas and the Powhatans, the Revolutionary War, Westward Expansion and the Civil War. Please let us know in the notes which you are choosing! Maximum 100 Students.

Hands-On-History Stations and Scavenger Hunt

1 hour

Students will spend the entire time in our galleries as they explore the Story of Virginia with a self-led scavenger hunt. Educator-staffed stations that represent the Powhatans, the Revolutionary War, Westward Expansion, and the Civil War with replica artifacts will also be available for students to touch and experience. Scavenger hunt topics all correlated to Virginia Studies SOLs, and can cover a variety of topics, from a general timeline, to women’s history, to African-American histor

Story of Virginia Tour and Scavenger Hunt

1 hour 30 minutes

Students (max 60) will spend the entire time in our galleries as they explore the Story of Virginia with an educator-led tour. They will then end their experience with a self-led scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunt topics all correlate to Virginia Studies SOLs, and can cover a variety of topics, from a general timeline, to women’s history, to African-American history.

Virginia Studies SOL-Review Gallery Tour and Interactive Classroom Program (Virginia Studies)

2 hours

Specifically developed for elementary Virginia Studies students, this program follows the timeline of Virginia history from prehistory to present day. Students will experience a 60 minute interactive classroom activity and a 60 minute gallery tour. We do advise that this program is best booked in April or May, after students have covered the majority of their curriculum. Check out our Hands-On History Boxes or Story of Virginia/History Box Combo for other times of the year! Maximum 100 students.

PSI: Primary Source Investigations (6th - 12th)

1 hour 30 minutes

Using manuscripts, images, and replica artifacts, students will explore a specific topic from Virginia’s past. Students will analyze the impact of changing types of media and reword public documents as tweets. Students will also be assigned different perspectives and craft appropriate social media responses to historical public events from those diverse viewpoints. Please specify topic you are looking to investigate in the notes. Maximum 60 students.

Junior Curators (6th - 12th)

1 hour 30 minutes

Students will tour museum galleries to see and analyze how sources and artifacts are displayed to best illustrate a topic of your choice. This program also includes a classroom portion that focuses on analysis of primary sources, and finally allows students to “curate” their own pop-up exhibit for quick presentation to the class about why the students chose the images, sources, and artifacts that they did to represent the chosen topic. Maximum 60 students.

Custom Educational Program

1 hour

Have the VMHC Education Staff help you develop a customized program to meet your group's individual needs. Please note that these programs require at least a month of advance notice to book, and are subject to staff approval.

Custom Education Program

1 hour 30 minutes

Have the VHS Education Staff help you develop a customized program to meet your group's individual needs. Please note that these programs require at least a month of advance notice to book, and are subject to staff approval.

Custom Educational Program

2 hours

Have the VMHC Education Staff help you develop a customized program to meet your group's individual needs. Please note that these programs require at least a month of advance notice to book, and are subject to staff approval.

Adult Group Tour - Self Guided @ $8/person

1 hour @ $8.00

Your time in Richmond can be enhanced by a visit to the VMHC, whether you’re in town for a family reunion, looking for an activity for your church group, or interested in a corporate outing for your employees. Self-guided group tours benefit from our group rate of $8/person. You are welcome to stay in the museum after your one hour time-slot!

Adult Group Tour - Guided @ $10/person

1 hour @ $10.00

Your time at the VMHC can be enhanced by booking a guided tour, whether you’re in town for a family reunion, looking for an activity for your church group, or interested in a corporate outing for your employees. Your group benefits from a reduced group rate for our guided tours, at $10/person. You are also welcome to stay in the museum and look through any remaining exhibits after your reservation is over!