Whether you’re a long time native of Richmond or a newcomer to the area, you most likely have a long list of reasons why you love the city. After all, we have access to amazing food, incredible arts and culture, and breathtaking outdoor sites. But, arguably, one of the most appealing aspects of the city we call home is its rich history. For more than 400 years, the Richmond area has been part of our nation’s historic tapestry, serving as the site of events and moments that shaped the country as we know it. And now you have a chance to explore some of the most influential places in the Greater Richmond area for FREE, thanks to the annual Time Traveler’s Weekend.
On Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, 2019, travel back through more than 400 years of Richmond history.
During this special annual weekend event, 19 of the Richmond region’s most renowned historical sites will waive their regular admission fees to anyone holding a Time Travelers Passport. The “passport,” which is free to all, allows you to visit the homes of some of Virginia’s most important and fascinating historical figures, including John Marshall, Jefferson Davis, John Wickham, and James Dooley. In addition, some of Richmond’s most iconic historical sites will offer free admission and tours, including Agecroft Hall & Gardens, the American Civil War Museum, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, The Valentine, Chimborazo Medical Museum, the Wilton House Museum, and many more.
To receive your free passport, simply click here, download a passport to your mobile device, or print out a hard copy. Then, show your passport via your mobile device or in print at any of the participating venues below and enjoy your jaunt through history!
A Time Travelers Passport equates to savings of more than $65 per person. Please note that some restriction apply.
Sites Participating in Time Travelers Weekend 2019:
Agecroft Hall & Gardens
Agecroft Hall was first built in England in the 1500s, then transported across the ocean and rebuilt in Richmond in the 1920s. This Tudor mansion serves as a beautifully preserved museum furnished with art and artifacts from 17th century England. During Time Travelers Weekend, passport holders can take a 30-minute guided tour, stroll the manicured gardens overlooking the James River, explore the Sunroom Exhibit, get hands-on in the Tudor Kitchen, and shop in the museum store.
Address: 4305 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. 10am – 4pm and Sun. 12:30pm – 5pm
Contact: For more information, visit www.agecrofthall.org. To reserve a specific tour time, call (804) 353-4241.
American Civil War Museum & White House of the Confederacy & Historic Tredegar
The White House of the Confederacy served as the Confederate executive mansion for Jefferson Davis and his family from 1861-1865. Today, the house and museum showcase the full breadth and memory of the Civil War’s presence and impact in Richmond. Over its 200 year history, the house has been used as a private residence for key Richmond families, a headquarters of U.S. occupying forces during Reconstruction, the Richmond Central School, The Confederate Museum, and now the fully restored White House of the Confederacy. All tours are guided and space is limited. As part of the house’s bicentennial, a special themed Lincoln & Davis tour begins at 1:30pm. Note: attendees can use the passport to receive a free tour of the White House of the Confederacy OR a free tour of Historic Tredegar.
Address(es): White House of the Confederacy – 1201 East Clay Street, Richmond, VA; Historic Tredegar – 500 Tredegar Street, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun., open from 10am – 5pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 649-1861 or visit www.acwm.org.
The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design
The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design is dedicated to the elevation of the transformative power of architecture and design and to creating a society that appreciates, supports, and embraces exemplary architecture and design…past, present, and future. The historic Branch House, a Tudor-revival house on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as the museum’s home. It was completed in 1919 by architect John Russell Pope for John and Beulah Branch.
Address: 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia
Hours: Sat. 10am – 4pm and Sun. 1pm – 5pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 655-6055 or visit www.branchmuseum.org
Chesterfield County Museum and 1892 Historic Jail
The Chesterfield County Museum is a brick reproduction of the colonial courthouse of 1749 and sits on a tract of land once known as “Coldwater Run.” At the time, the county was a rural community and the Courthouse served as a social gathering spot, as well as the county’s political center. Speeches, horse trading, games, drinking, and fistfights were standard events of each court day. The old courthouse stood until 1917 when it was razed for a new “courthouse.” The replica Courthouse and Museum were built in 1977. Exhibits include early Indian culture, artifacts from the first iron and coal mines in America which were in Chesterfield County, early household and farming tools, and a country store of the late 19th century.
The 1892 jail, commonly known as “the Old Jail”, could hold up to 24 prisoners whose meals were prepared by the sheriff and his family. At the time of its construction, crime was not particularly high in the county, and the building was seldom used. It wasn’t until 1936 that crime rose and the jail held prisoners on a regular basis. Over time, the building became home for the Chesterfield County Police Department and, later, the Fire Department. It was designated as a museum in 1982. The Old Jail is open for tours which begin at the County Museum next door.
Address: 6813 Mimms Loop, Chesterfield, VA (near Magnolia Grange)
Hours: Sat. 10am – 2pm and Sun. 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 768-7311 or visit www.chesterfieldhistory.com.
Chimborazo Medical Museum
During the Civil War, hundreds of hospitals sprung up in the south to accommodate thousands of sick and wounded soldiers and, subsequently, Richmond became a medical hub. No medical facility anywhere on the continent during the Civil War equaled the fame and notoriety of Chimborazo Hospital. It quickly emerged early in the war as one of the largest, best-organized, and most sophisticated hospitals in the Confederacy. At the time of its construction, it contained more than 100 wards, a baker, and even a brewery. Today, while the hospital no longer exists, a museum contains original medical instruments and personal artifacts. Other displays include a scale model of the hospital and a short film on medical and surgical practices and the caregivers that comforted the sick and wounded.
Address: 3215 East Broad Street, Richmond,VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 9am – 4:30pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 226-1981 or visit www.nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/chimborazo.htm
Clarke-Palmore House
The Clarke-Palmore House Museum is located high atop historic Marion Hill in Henrico County. The Museum interprets the story of the Palmore family who lived on a small farm in 1930. Like other farm families living through the Great Depression, the Palmore family struggled to make a living during tough economic times.
Address: 904 McCoul Street, Henrico, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 652-3406 or visit henrico.us/rec/places/clarke-palmore/.
Courtney Road Service Station
The 1920s were the boom years for construction of gas stations in the United States due to an increase in cars, improved roads, and low gas prices. By 1929, there were 143,000 “filling” stations across the nation. Many were built in the “House with Canopy” design of the Courtney Road Service Station, a style that was a 1916 Standard Oil Company prototype. In 1938, the Barlow family owned the station and surrounding land. Selling Sinclair Gasoline and Oil Products, the station was operated by Mr. Millard G. Wiltshire. The station also served as a social hub for the Glen Allen community.
Address: 3401 Mountain Road, Henrico, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 652-1455 or visit henrico.us/locations/courtney-road-service-station/.
Dabbs House Museum
Dabbs House is a historic house museum with exhibit galleries and a research library. The Dabbs House served as General Robert E. Lee’s field headquarters during the summer of 1862. The museum provides a place to learn about the history of the Dabbs House from its use as a residence for the Dabbs family to its tenure as Henrico’s police headquarters from 1941-2005. Visitors can tour the 1862 field headquarters and browse the exhibit galleries.
Address: 4305 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 9am – 5pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 652-3406 or visit henrico.us/rec/places/dabbs-house/.
Deep Run Schoolhouse
This two-room schoolhouse opened in 1902. Its predecessor, Stand Spring School, had been destroyed by fire the previous year. The school was in use until 1911 offering seven grades of instruction. Wood stoves provided heat for the structure and a privy was located outside. By folding the center wall of doors, the space converted into one large room for weekly square dances for the entire community. The County of Henrico moved the school to this location from Three Chopt Road in 1996.
Address: 3401 Pump Road, Henrico, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 652-1455 or visit www.henricohistoricalsociety.org/threechopt.deeprunschool.html.
Edgar Allan Poe Museum
The Poe Museum began over a century ago when Edgar Allan Poe collector and researcher James Howard Whitty and a group of literary enthusiasts met in Poe’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia to create the state’s first monument to a writer. Since that time, the museum has enjoyed a history as unique as the author it honors and, today, houses the most world’s most comprehensive collection of diverse items relating to Poe’s life and writings. Visitors can explore the museum in the Old Stone House and stroll through the Enchanted Garden that was inspired by Poe’s poem “To One in Paradise” and is home to several black cats.
Address: 1914-16 East Main Street, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. from 10am – 5pm
Contact: For more information, visit www.poemuseum.org.
Historic St. John’s Church
A year prior to drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Thomas Jefferson attended the Second Virginia Convention held inside St. John’s Church. Alongside George Washington, Richard Henry Lee and other important figures in the American Revolution, Jefferson listened as Patrick Henry gave his now-famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. This speech ignited the American Revolution, making St. John’s a must-see landmark for anyone interested in the universal struggle for human rights. Since 1938, St. John’s Church Foundation has been charged with the preservation of St. John’s Church, now a National Historic Landmark.
Address: 2401 E. Broad Street, Richmond VA
Hours: Sat. from 10am – 4pm (last church tour at 12:30pm) and Sun. 1pm – 4pm (last church tour at 3:30pm)
Contact: For more information, call (804) 648-5015, or visit www.historicstjohnschurch.org.
The John Marshall House
The John Marshall House, built in 1790, was the home of the “Great Chief Justice” John Marshall for forty-five years. Marshall served as Chief Justice from 1801 until 1835 and his influential decisions, such as Marbury v. Madison, helped shape the principle of judicial review. Listed on the National and Virginia Historic Registers, the John Marshall House has undergone remarkably few changes since Marshall’s time and today, hosts one of the largest collection of original Marshall family pieces.
Address: 818 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. from 10am – 5pm and Sun. from 12pm – 5pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 648-7998 or visit www.preservationvirginia.org/marshall.
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Maggie Lena Walker devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African Americans and women. As a bank president, newspaper editor, and fraternal leader, Walker served as an inspiration of pride and progress. Today, Walker’s home is preserved as a tribute to her enduring legacy of vision, courage, and determination.
Address: 600 N. 2nd Street in Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. 9am – 5pm
Contact: Reservations are suggested for groups of six or more. For more information and for tour times, call (804) 771-2017 (ext. 0) or visit www.nps.gov/mawa.
Magnolia Grange House Museum
Built in 1822 by William Winfree, this Federal-style plantation house is named after the magnolia trees that once decorated its expansive front lawn. Today, Magnolia Grange is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to meticulous restorations over the year, visitors to the home can see the elaborate construction and decor of this historic home and get a sense of what life in a Southern mansion would have been like.
Address: 10020 Iron Bridge Road, Chesterfield, VA
Hours: Saturday, 10am – 2pm; Sunday, 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 748-1498 or visit www.chesterfieldhistory.com.
Maymont
Discover the fascinating story of the Maymont Mansion (also known as the Dooley Mansion), a restored 1893 Gilded Age mansion that was given to the City of Richmond by James and Sallie Dooley. This beautifully preserved home contains original furnishings including Tiffany stained glass and a swan bed that showcase the opulence of the “Gilded Age, ” while tours of the mansion’s “downstairs” show the tasks and challenges of working in service during the Jim Crow era. The surrounding grounds feature Italian and Japanese gardens, magnificent trees, and a carriage display, as well as Virginia wildlife exhibits, a Children’s Farm, and a Nature & Visitor Center. On Sunday, celebrate Maymont’s 125th anniversary with a festive carriage parade, carriage rides, food trucks, music, and costumed Victorian ladies and gentlemen. Please note that there are fees for carriage rides and some activities.
Address: 1700 Hampton Street, Richmond, VA
Hours: Mansion tours are Sat. and Sun. from 12pm – 5pm and the grounds are open from 10am – 7pm.
Contact: For more information, call (804) 358-7166 (ext. 310) or visit www.maymont.org.
Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park
Meadow Farm Museum, an 1860 living history farm site, and museum presents programs and exhibits on the culture of the rural South. History interpreters provide insight into the lives of Dr. John Mosby Sheppard, the owner of Meadow Farm, and his family. Visitors can see live demonstrations of seasonal activities in the farmhouse, barn, doctor’s office, blacksmith forge, kitchen, fields, and pastures.
Address: 3400 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 652-1455 or visit www.henrico.us/rec/places/meadow-farm/
The Valentine & 1812 Wickham House
The Wickham House was built in 1812 by John and Elizabeth Wickham, then later purchased by Mann Valentine Jr. In 1898, it became the first home of the Valentine Museum. In the public first-floor rooms, nationally-recognized neo-classical interiors helped the Wickham family and their enslaved servants present a lifestyle of taste and refinement. The Wickham House cellars opened in April 2017 with new hands-on history interactive chests exploring everyday life above and below stairs as well as a short film, Shared Spaces: Separate Stories. The Wickham House is listed as a National Historic Landmark and serves as a spectacular example of 19th-century Federal architecture and displays some of the country’s finest examples of interior decorative painting.
Address: 1015 East Clay Street, Richmond, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 10am – 5pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 649-0711 or visit www.thevalentine.org.
The Valentine First Freedom Center
The Valentine First Freedom Center houses 2,200 square feet of exhibitions that delve into America’s experience of religious liberty from its European antecedents through today. A room for traveling exhibitions and updatable modules allows flexibility to highlight historical as well as contemporary events. Outside, a 27-foot spire, a limestone wall etched with the enacting paragraph of the Statute, and a 34-foot banner of a seminal Jefferson quote imprint the importance of the “first freedom” on all who come upon that busy corner.
Address: Corner of South 14th and Cary Street, Richmond, VA (Parking is available on the street or in public pay lots.)
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 10am – 5pm
Contact: For more information, call (804) 649-0711 or visit www.thevalentine.org/firstfreedomcenter.
Virginia Randolph Museum
On November 8, 1970, the Virginia Randolph Home Economics Cottage was dedicated as a museum in memory of Virginia Estelle Randolph, a pioneer educator, a humanitarian, and a creative leader in the field of education. Virginia Randolph secured a teaching position with the Henrico County School Board and opened the old Mountain Road School in 1892 and taught for 57 years. The structure, built in 1937 was declared a National Historic landmark in 1976.
Address: 2200 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, VA
Hours: Sat. and Sun. from 12pm – 4pm
Contact: For more information call (804) 652-1475 or visit henrico.us/rec/places/virginia-randolph-museum/.
