By clicking on these links, you can go directly to particular sections:

Relevant History, Tourism, and Preservation Websites
Richmond Tourism Information
Things to Do
Places to Eat
Places to Stay
Transportation
Other Relevant Websites

Links to Websites Pertaining to Places Featured in the Itinerary

Selected Bibliography for Richmond


Richmond Tourism Information

City of Richmond The official government site for the City of Richmond provides information on historic preservation and a neighborhood guide.

City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities The official website for the City of Richmond parks department provides information on park facilities and the Passport to Fun program as well as points of interest, such as the City Hall Observation Deck.

Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes tourism in the metropolitan Richmond area.

The Valentine Richmond History Center maintains a renowned collection of archives, books, artifacts, textiles, and documents pertaining to Richmond history and operates the Wickham-Valentine House and the Valentine Sculpture Studio.

Venture Richmond provides information on arts, culture, sports, and festivals and events. 

Virginia Tourism Corporation The Commonwealth of Virginia’s official web page for tourism with up to date information on Richmond.

Things to Do
In addition to the numerous historic places to visit described in the itinerary, Richmond has a plethora of other activities to enrich your visit. Click on a link below for a specific activity.

Historic Theaters and Performance Venues
Museums
Other activities

Historic Theaters and Performance Venues
Byrd Theatre  Richmond’s landmark movie palace shows second run movies and weekend midnight movies, and hosts special events.

Carpenter Theatre/Richmond Center Stage  Under construction at present, Center Stage plans to present a full program is scheduled for 2009.

Empire Theatre Theatre IV at the historic Empire Theatre offers a season of plays for children.

Firehouse Theatre The Firehouse Theatre Project produces contemporary theater of the United States in an authentic urban space, the historic former Station House #10 of the Richmond Fire Department.

Landmark Theater  Richmond’s landmark theater, built in 1926 as the Acca Shrine “Mosque,” plays host to a variety of events: Broadway, symphony, ballet, children’s theater, lectures, concerts, school commencements, fashion shows, and the Richmond Forum.

National Theater This historic theater, constructed in 1923, is being converted to a new music performance space.

Toad's Place This concert venue hosts local and national acts in the rehabilitated Lady Byrd Hat Factory.

Museums
American Civil War Center  This museum in the Tredegar Iron Works presents the story of the Civil War, its causes, and its legacies from the viewpoints of Unionists, Confederates, and African Americans.

Agecroft The restored house and grounds of Agecroft Hall. 

Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives A museum of Richmond’s Jewish history in the Beth Ahabah Synagogue.

Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia A museum of Virginia’s African American history in the Jackson Ward neighborhood.

Children's Museum of Richmond  A modern museum building dedicated to children’s programming.

Library of Virginia The LVA mounts exhibits on Virginia history from its collection.

Museum of the Confederacy The White House of the Confederacy house museum and an adjoining collection and archives building.

Poe Museum Housed in the 18th century Old Stone House, the museum boasts a collection of Edgar Allan Poe's manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia, and personal belongings.

Science Museum of Virginia Located in historic Broad Street Station, the Science Museum houses a wide array of science exhibits and programming.

St. John's Church  This museum interprets the history of Richmond's oldest church, St. John's, constructed in 1742.

The Valentine Richmond History Center maintains a renowned collection of archives, books, artifacts, textiles and documents pertaining to Richmond history and operates the Wickham-Valentine House and the Valentine Sculpture Studio.

Virginia Center for Architecture invites the public to explore the power and importance of architecture through exhibitions, educational programs, publications, and its stewardship of a historic landmark.

Virginia Historical Society A museum dedicated to all aspect of Virginia's history, located in the 1911 Battle Abbey building.

Virginia Holocaust Museum Virginia’s museum dedicated to the Jewish Holocaust, housed in a historic tobacco warehouse.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts One of the largest fine arts museums in the South with a diverse collection.

Virginia State Capitol The Capitol is open for tours. The Commonwealth of Virginia is developing exhibits on the history of the Capitol.

Virginia Telephone Museum is maintained by the Richmond Life Member Club of the Old Dominion Chapter #43, Telecom Pioneers of America, which collects, stores, processes, and displays items of importance to the heritage of the telephone.

Virginia House A significant house with collections and gardens of note.  

Wilton is a historic house museum.

Other Activities

City of Richmond Parks and Recreation lists city parks and their facilities.

17th Street Farmers Market continues a tradition of public markets in the Shockoe Valley/Tobacco Row Historic District going back to the 18th century.

Canal Cruises/Canal Walk The history of the James River and Kanawha Canal is interpreted with the historic canal walk and cruises on the lower section of the canal.

Carytown Merchants Association Carytown is one of Richmond’s most successful older commercial areas.

City Hall Observation Deck offers impressive views of the James River from 18 stories above downtown Richmond.

Discover Richmond is an annual publication of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, offering a guide to the metro area.

First Fridays/Artwalk First Fridays is a highly successful arts event in the Broad Street Commercial Historic District and other portions of downtown Richmond.

Friday Cheers on Brown's Island  Friday Cheers is a summer music series on Brown’s Island in the James River.

Fridays at Sunset A R&B, Jazz, Reggae and Neo-Soul summer music event in downtown Richmond.

James River Plantations Travel Itinerary This National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary explores a collection of 33 historic plantations that still overlook the tidal portion of the James River below the falls in Richmond. Explore the plantations in conjunction with a visit to Richmond.

Richmond Folk Festival  Richmond completed a successful three-year hosting of the National Folk Festival and now has a Richmond Folk Festival to supersede the national event.

Richmond Shakespeare Festival Richmond Shakespeare holds a summer season at Agecroft Hall and a regular season at Second Presbyterian Church.

Richmond Sports Backers is a group that promotes sporting events in Richmond.

Places to Eat
There are plenty of good places to eat in or near National Register of Historic Places listings.  The following guides can help locate local restaurants.

in-Rich.com Restaurant Guide includes a search engine that allows searching by area, location, and types of meals served.

Richmond.com Check out the Eat Beat section for restaurant reviews and food-related happenings.

Style Weekly/Food Section A good guide to local eating with a list organized by part of town.

Places to Stay
Richmond has abundant accommodations. Historic hotels and bed and breakfasts provide a way to get a sense of Richmond’s past and the flavor of its neighborhoods. 

Two of Richmond’s most distinctive lodgings, The Jefferson Hotel and Linden Row Inn, are featured in the itinerary. The Jefferson Hotel is one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Hotels of America.

Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia A statewide guide to bed and breakfasts that are members of this association.

Transportation
Richmond is located at the intersections of Interstates 95 and 64 in central Virginia and can be reached by car, train, plane, or bus.

Richmond International Airport is just east of the city in Henrico County and is a short drive from the center of Richmond.  

Greater Richmond Transit Corporation (GRTC) is the public transit system in the Richmond area.  GRTC provides service to Main Street Station, Richmond International Airport, and many of the places included in this travel itinerary. The Trip Planner on the site allows easy planning of trips on the system.

Main Street Station is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is located in the Shockoe Valley area of the city.  The station is the Amtrack connection to downtown Richmond and accessible by walking and public transportation.

Amtrak  This is the official Amtrak website. A search for Richmond will provide information on the main Amtrak station in the Richmond area, Staples Mill, located in Henrico County outside of Richmond proper.

Greyhound Bus Lines The Greyhound station is located in the near west end of Richmond at 2910 N. Boulevard near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Boulevard. Call 804-254-5910 for information.

Taxis This is the Richmond Airport listing for taxis in the Richmond area.

Other Relevant Websites
Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods (A.C.O.R.N.) An advocate for the preservation of Richmond’s historic neighborhoods.

Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities Preservation Virginia The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA) is the oldest statewide preservation organization in the United States.

Civil War Richmond This site is dedicated to Richmond Civil War History and has many historic images of Richmond.

Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce This site contains information on the many businesses located in the greater Richmond area, along with information on promotions and events within the central business district.

Heritage Documentation Programs in the American Memory: Built in America Heritage Documentation Programs, National Park Service, administers HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey), the Federal Government’s oldest operating preservation program, and companion programs, HAER (Historic American Engineering Record), HALS (Historic American Landscapes Survey), and CRGIS (Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems). Drawings, maps, photographs, and historical reports produced through the programs and archived at the Library of Congress constitute the nation’s largest collection of historical architectural, engineering, and landscape documentation.

Historic Hotels of America A feature of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Heritage Traveler program that provides information on historic hotels and package tours in the vicinity of this itinerary.

Historic Richmond Foundation This 50+ year old group is dedicated to preservation advocacy and education throughout Richmond.

James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives, Virginia Commonwealth University, houses rare books and manuscript collections.

James River Plantations Travel Itinerary

Library of Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia’s depository for historical documents.

National Historic Landmarks National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior, because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. They are all listed in National Register of Historic Places.

National Park Service The main National Park Service website is the gateway to national parks, information on preserving America’s history and culture in parks and communities, and a vast amount of other useful information on National Park Service programs, history and culture, nature and science, education, and other topics. Visit the National Parks in the Richmond area: Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site and Richmond National Battlefield Park, visit the other National Parks in Virginia: Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arlington House-The Robert E. Lee Memorial National Memorial, Assateague Island National Seashore, Blue Ridge Parkway, Booker T. Washington National Monument, Cape Henry Memorial, Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park, Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network, Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Colonial National Historical Park, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Great Falls Park, Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, Historic Jamestowne, Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac National Memorial, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Petersburg National Battlefield, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Shenandoah National Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and Yorktown Battlefield.

National Park Service Office of Tourism National Parks have been interwoven with tourism from their earliest days. This website highlights the ways in which the National Park Service promotes and supports sustainable, responsible, informed and managed visitor use through cooperation and coordination with the tourism industry.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official inventory of historic places worthy of preservation. Districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture are included in the National Register, which is expanded and maintained by the National Park Service (NPS). The National Register website is the gateway to information on authentic registered historic places, the benefits of recognition, and how to become involved in identifying, nominating to the National Register, and protecting these irreplaceable reminders of our heritage.

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a United States Congress-chartered non-profit group that preserves historic places, publishes information about preservation, and operates preservation initiatives. Learn about the programs and membership in the oldest national nonprofit preservation organization.

Pythagoras School for Skilled Building Craftsmanship A Richmond organization dedicated to training in traditional building skills and materials.

Rarely Seen Richmond: a Virginia Commonwealth University Digital Collection Rarely Seen Richmond: Early twentieth century Richmond, Virginia as seen through vintage postcards.

Richmond National Register of Historic Places files Electronic copies of all National Register nominations maintained by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Richmond Then & Now; a photo history Scrolling down this page allows one to see historic and contemporary images of Richmond.

Teaching with Historic Places Teaching with Historic Places is a program of the National Park Service that offers a series of online classroom-ready lesson plans on registered historic places and other resources to help teachers and students use historic places in the classroom.

The Valentine Richmond History Center maintains a renowned collection of archives, books, artifacts, textiles and documents pertaining to Richmond history and operates the Wickham-Valentine House and the Valentine Sculpture Studio.

Virginia Department of Historic Resources The State Historic Preservation Office, whose mission is to foster, encourage, and support the stewardship of Virginia’s significant historic, architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources.

Virginia Historical Society The Virginia Historic Society maintains substantial book, manuscript, and artifact collections on Virginia History.

Links to Websites Pertaining to Places Featured in Itinerary

17th Street Farmers Market

Agecroft Hall and Gardens

American Civil War Center

Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities Preservation Virginia, The John Marshall House

Beth Ahaba Museum and Archives

Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

Byrd Theatre

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Centenary United Methodist Church

Church Hill Association for St. John's Church

City of Richmond

City of Richmond Cemeteries

City of Richmond James River Park System

City of Richmond Old and Historic Properties

First African Baptist Church

Forest Hill Park

The Garden Club of Virginia

Ginter Park Residents' Association

Hebrew Cemetery

Historic Court End Neighborhood

Historic Jackson Ward Association

Historic Richmond Foundation

Hollywood Cemetery

James River Park

The Jefferson

John Marshall Foundation/The John Marshall House

Landmark Theater

Lewis Ginter Recreation Association

Linden Row Inn

Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

Main Street Station

Maymont

Monroe Park

Museum of the Confederacy

Plant Zero Art Center

Poe Museum

Richmond National Battlefield Park

Richmond's Neighborhoods in Bloom

Richmond River District

The Science Museum of Virginia

Scott's Addition Business Association

Second Presbyterian Church

Souvenir Views of Negro Enterprises and Residences in Richmond

St. John's Church

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Tredegar Iron Works

The Valentine Richmond History Center

Virginia Center for Architecture Museum

Virginia Commonwealth University Monroe Park Campus

Virginia Historical Society

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Virginia State Capitol

Virginia Union University

Wilton House Museum

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