Other Free Attractions
Civil War and Emancipation Day: The 150th AnniversariesSaturday, April 14, 2012
Free admission will be offered by the following attractions*:
African Burial Ground
The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar
Belle Isle
Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia
Brown's Island
Canal Walk
Confederate Chapel
Elegba Folklore Society
Gabriel's Rebellion
John Marshall House
Library of Virginia
Lumpkin’s Jail site and archeological dig
Maggie Walker National Historic Site
Museum of the Confederacy
Needy Confederate Women's Home
Richmond National Battlefield Park / National Park Service
Richmond Reconciliation Statue
Richmond Slave Trail Markers and Walk
River District Canal Cruises
Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project
Segway of Richmond
Sons of Confederate Veterans camp
United Daughters of the Confederacy
Valentine Richmond History Center
Venture Richmond
Virginia Historical Society
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Virginia State Capitol
Free activities include but are not limited to*:
American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, 500 Tredegar Street
FREE admission is provided to events throughout the day, from a talk on how balloons were used during the Civil War to a blacksmithing demonstration and slave storytelling traditions. Enjoy a variety of events for all ages. For more information, call 804-780-1865 or visit www.tredegar.org
Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia , Clay Street
Enjoy free admission and exhibits at this Jackson Ward institution. Featured exhibits include the new “Take Our Stand: The African American Military Experience in the Age of Jim Crow,” “My Richmond,” and “Banks, Boutiques and the Deuce.” Also, learn more about the Museum’s plans to form a chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. Museum hours: 10am-5pm. For more information, call 804-780-9093 or visit www.blackhistorymuseum.org
Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street
The Library of Virginia is free and open to the public, featuring its new exhibition "The Land We Live In, the Land We Left: Virginia's People.” The Library's Virginia Shop will offer participants with a Civil War & Emancipation Day a 10 percent discount and a free gift with every purchase made on April 17. For more information, call 804-692-3500 or visit www.lva.virginia.gov
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, 600 North 2nd Street (at Leigh Street)
The second annual Maggie Walker Heritage Day will take place from 11am-3pm at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site including music, dramatic presentations, lectures and exhibits recognizing the accomplishments of the nation’s first female bank president. Free ice cream will be served! For more information, call 804-771-2017 or visit www.nps.gov/mawa
Museum of the Confederacy, 1201 East Clay Street
Stop in to visit the “Between the Battles” exhibition exploring the daily life of the Confederate soldier and “Virginia and The Confederacy” that showcases Virginia as the scene of more battles and deaths than any other state in the Confederacy.
For details call 804-649-1861 or visit www.moc.org .
Richmond National Battlefield, Tredegar Street
Hear historians talk about Richmond in 1860 and learn about photography during the Civil War. These and many other events have been planned for the day. Youngsters will have an opportunity to learn about the Junior Ranger Program. For more information, call 804-226-1981 or visit www.nps.gov/rich
Live performances will be offered throughout the day along with walking tours, exhibits, educational displays, and more. Start the Slave Trail Walk from here, learn more about Richmond's African Burial Grounds, Gabriel's Rebellion, and Richmond's Reconciliation Statue. Highlights include the Lumpkin's Jail Site and the artifacts from the archeological dig at the site and the history Virginia Union University shares with this site. Musical and dance groups will offer performances, and food vendors will be on site.
River District Canal Cruises, Dock & 14th Streets at the Canal Turning Basin
Free admission during event hours only (12-4pm) on April 17. Enjoy 40-minute historically narrated tours of the James River & Kanawha Canal along the historic Canal Walk in one of our covered boats, which accommodates up to 35 passengers and departs on the hour from the Turning Basin in downtown Richmond’s River District. Richmond’s canals were first begun in 1789 after George Washington lobbied the General Assembly to proceed with his vision of a canal and turnpike system that would connect the harbors of the east to the trade and market opportunities in the west. Cruises are open 12:00-7:00pm. For more information, call 804-649-2800 or visit www.venturerichmond.com
Segway of Richmond, 1301 East Cary Street
Thinking of touring Richmond on a Segway? Enjoy a FREE ride on a Segway and learn about tours of Richmond offered on this personal transportation device. Tours are offered 11 a.m., 12 noon, and 1 p.m. at The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar (500 Tredegar Street.) For more information, call 804-343-1850 or visit www.segwayofrichmond.biz
Tours of the headquarters are offered throughout the day, giving visitors a chance to see the historical resources and artwork and the opportunity to learn more about the work of the Daughters.
Valentine Richmond History Center, 1015 East Clay Street
Enjoy “Waste Not, Want Not: Richmond’s Great Depression, 1929-1941” which demonstrates life in Richmond during the Great Depression, which lasted from October 1929 until the U.S. entered World War II. In the midst of calamity, Richmond residents joined other Americans in an explosion of political, organizational and cultural creativity. Members of the Richmond History Center will be aboard shuttle buses throughout the day, providing information about historical sites in Richmond and putting them in their historical context. For more information, call 804-649-0711 or visit www.richmondhistorycenter.com
Virginia Historical Society, 428 North Boulevard
The Virginia Historical Society (VHS)—headquartered in the Museum District of Richmond, Virginia—is a history museum, research library, and educational facility all wrapped in one. The 178-year-old VHS features award-winning exhibitions that are entertaining and educational for visitors of all ages. The Society is the only museum with all of Virginia’s history under one roof—all centuries, all regions, and all topics are covered. Admission to the Virginia Historical Society’s museum and research library is FREE. The Society’s hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.–5 p.m. For more information, please call (804) 358-4901 or visit www.vahistorical.org.
In addition to the free exhibits offered throughout the year at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, visit the Confederal Memorial Chapel and the Needy Confederate Women's Home located on the same site.
* Note: Admission fees and activities are only free during event hours 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
