Virginia Museum of History & Culture

As a VENUE: Host your event…

Our two unique properties offer a variety of spaces and layouts to suit your needs, whether you are planning an: * elegant wedding * corporate meeting * academic seminar * family gathering, or community celebration. Six distinctive spaces are offered:

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture, centrally located on N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, offers a variety of unique spaces for ceremonies, receptions, and other special events. Our events team will work with you to find the right combination of indoor or outdoor locations across the property to suit events of almost any size. Museum spaces can accommodate anywhere from 50 to 150 guests.

• Commonwealth Hall: Expansive and open, with high ceilings, a wall of windows, and great acoustics. Can be combined with the Barbara & William B. Thalhimer, Jr. Gallery; the Robins Family Forum (theater); and/or the Halsey Family Hall for larger events. Only available for rental after 5 pm.
  • Standing reception: 300
  • Banquet-style seating: 200
• Thomas F. Farrell, II Gallery: Features high ceilings, stunning parquet floors, and the Landscapes of Virginia exhibition. Can be combined with the Vickie & Tom Snead Lobby for larger events. Only available for rental after 5 pm.
  • Standing reception: 120
  • Theater-style seating: 120
  • Banquet-style seating: 80
• Halsey Family Hall: This spacious, multi-purpose room is the ideal space to express your individual creativity. Perfect for a seated dinner, meeting, large reception, or community gathering. Features a raised stage that can accommodate a lectern or small musical group, a large drop-down screen (120 inches x 160 inches), public WiFi, and sound booth. Adjacent to the Cabell Gallery.
  • Standing reception: 250
  • Theater-style seating: 200
  • Banquet-style seating: 130
• Robins Family Forum (theater): One of the best acoustical spaces in Richmond, this large fixed-seat theater and auditorium has a stage, large drop-down screens, wheelchair cut-outs, comfortable cushioned seats, soft lighting, two access aisles, and public Wi-Fi. Perfect for larger meetings, concerts, theatrical performances, and lectures.
  • • Theater-style seating: 488
• Harper Education Center
  • Cullen Meeting Room – 40 (can be combined with Lacy Meeting Room for 100)
  • Lacy Meeting Room – 60 (can be combined with Cullen Meeting Room for 100)
  • Byrd Meeting Room – 75 (can be combined with Reynolds Leadership Center for 175)
  • Reynolds Leadership Center – 100 (can be combined with Byrd Meeting Room for 175)
  • Rees Terrace (can be combined with the Byrd Meeting Room and/or the Lacy Meeting Room)

Virginia House, a romantic English Tudor manor house, was relocated to Richmond’s Windsor Farms neighborhood in 1925. Nestled on a hillside overlooking the James River and surrounded by nearly eight acres of grounds and gardens designed by Charles Freeman Gillette, it is the perfect backdrop for: * portraits * retreats * dinners * ceremonies, and * receptions. Preserved with original woodwork and antiques, the house itself maintains its original character while offering modern amenities necessary for large gatherings and special occasions.

• Standing reception, indoor: 80
• Banquet-style seating, indoor: 60
• Standing reception, outdoor: 250
• Seated dinner, outdoor: 150
• Wedding, outdoor: 150

Support the Virginia Museum of History & Culture …by simply booking your next special occasion here:
https://virginiahistory.org/support/host-event

As a SHOP: Find unique gifts…

Your purchase at the Museum Shop supports the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Merchandise is catalogued within these collections: * Gourmet Goods * Books and Media * Kids * Apparel and Accessories, and * Home Décor.

Support the Virginia Museum of History & Culture …by simply purchasing your specialty merchandise here:
https://www.shopvirginiahistory.org/

As an EATERY: Food for thought…

Cozy Up in the Café – The Museum Café is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and features coffee from Virginia-based vendors, tea, and espresso beverages; wraps, sandwiches, and salads; baked goods; and wine and Virginia beer that can be enjoyed in a cozy indoor atmosphere or al fresco on the patio.

Support the Virginia Museum of History & Culture …by simply dining here:
https://virginiahistory.org/visit

Be a DONOR: Show that you care…

Since our founding as the Virginia Historical Society in 1831, we have been dedicated to preserving, sharing, and engaging with Virginia’s history to inspire current and future generations. As a private institution with no state funding, we rely entirely on charitable contributions from supporters like you. You know the value of our shared history. Browse our membership and giving opportunities to help us ensure others experience it, too.

Membership:

Your membership support helps provide vital educational programming for schools, develop multi-generational learning experiences, preserve important artifacts of Virginia’s history, and foster community engagement. Gift memberships are encouraged. Give the perfect gift to the history lover in your life and so they can explore the diverse and ever-changing story of Virginia. When you purchase a gift membership to the VMHC, you are giving the gift of history! Memberships at specified levels are offered: * Individual * Dual * Household * Supporter * Sustainer, and * Patron.

Corporate Membership: Corporate Benefits Include: employee engagement and client entertainment opportunities; visibility and branding through sponsorships of various VMHC events and programs; access to our Reynolds Business History Center; invitations to special events, lectures, and travel programs; discounts on facility rentals at the VMHC and Virginia House. Corporate membership at specified levels is offered: Corporate Sustainer * Corporate Patron * Corporate Fellow * Corporate Benefactor * Commonwealth Council * Corporate President’s Council, and * Corporate Chair’s Council.

Donations:

Your gift provides powerful support. As a private institution with no state funding, we rely entirely on charitable contributions from supporters like you. You know the value of our shared history. Financial gifts power the heart of our mission, helping to underwrite exhibitions, events, and programs. These gifts also support school and community group tours and activities, multi-generational learning experiences, and teacher training and re-certification workshops. There are many ways to give. Thank you for considering making a contribution.

• Give to the VMHC Annual Fund: As a private, non-profit cultural organization, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture does not receive government operating support. We rely on gifts from generous donors like you to underwrite exhibitions, events, and educational programs – especially today we face an unprecedented challenge and remain committed to keeping our entire staff employed. A donation of any amount is appreciated and will help us weather this storm and continue to serve our community and Commonwealth long into the future. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
• Tribute Gifts: Give a gift in honor or memory of friends and family.
• Matching Gifts: Maximize your contribution to the VMHC by participating in your employer’s matching gift program. You and your company will be recognized for your company’s matching gift.
• Corporate Partnership: Connect your brand to the oldest cultural organization of its kind in the Commonwealth. Your support provides free student and teacher programming and public access to the full story of Virginia’s history through exhibitions, lectures by award-winning historians and more.
• The 1831 Society: Donors whose gifts total $1,000 or more during the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) are recognized as members of the 1831 Society and receive special recognition and event invitations. 1831 Society level members receive all general member benefits and more.
• Legacy Giving: You care about Virginia history… make it your legacy. Include the VMHC in your financial or estate plans and fulfill the promise that the next generation of Americans will continue to learn from Virginia’s past. When you include the Virginia Historical Society in your financial or estate plans, you fulfill the promise that the next generation of Americans will continue to learn from Virginia’s past. Bequests and other planned gifts give the Virginia Historical Society the necessary resources for this venerable institution to plan for its future. In addition to simple bequests, you can name the Virginia Historical Society, owner and operator of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) and Virginia House, as a beneficiary in your retirement plan or life insurance policy. You also can make a legacy gift now and receive income for the rest of your life. Gifts like these can offer you and your family significant tax benefits as well as greater financial flexibility in meeting your personal and philanthropic goals.
  • Leave a Legacy Through Your Will: Through various types of bequests to VMHC, you may secure an estate-tax charitable deduction for the value of the gift. Best of all, you will know that your generosity will support our mission for years to come.
  • Beneficiary Designation Gifts: Designating the VMHC as a beneficiary in your retirement, investment, or life insurance policy is a simple and affordable way to make a legacy gift. They also are among the most flexible of all charitable gifts.
  • Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from a traditional or Roth IRA: If you are 70 ½ years or older, you can donate up to $100,000 per year (and up to $200,000 for married couples) directly from your IRA to the Virginia Historical Society.
  • Secure Act 2.0 – Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) for Life Income Gifts: As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, the Secure Act 2.0 includes a new legacy giving opportunity allowing donors to make a one-time tax-free IRA charitable rollover of up to $50,000 to fund a charitable gift annuity (CGA). A CGA is an excellent planned giving vehicle option for donors who want to utilize their required minimum distribution from their retirement account and receive a fixed amount of income in return.
  • Charitable Gift Annuity and Deferred Gift Annuity: Charitable gift annuities and deferred gift annuities will provide you with income for the rest of your life.
  • Charitable Lead Trust: If you are looking for a way to pass on some of your assets to your family while reducing or eliminating gift or estate taxes, a charitable lead trust is an excellent option.
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts: Charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) are an ideal form of philanthropy for those who wish to make a legacy gift and to receive income for their lifetime and/or the lifetime of others.
  • Charitable Remainder Unitrust and Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust: You may be concerned about the high cost of capital gains tax with the sale of an appreciated asset. If you are looking for a way to save on taxes this year and plan for retirement, a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) or a charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT) might offer the solutions you need.
• Gifts of Appreciated Securities: Gifts of appreciated securities enable you to make a significant contribution to Virginia Museum of History & Culture while avoiding capital gains taxes on the donated shares. Gifts of appreciated securities offer a number of tax advantages over a cash gift: you receive a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the securities and avoid capital gains taxes on the appreciated securities.

Support the Virginia Museum of History & Culture …by simply joining and giving here:
https://virginiahistory.org/support