Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

On a rainy day, I decided to go to the museum instead of staying inside. But not just any museum, but the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. I can say this was a great way to spend my afternoon. I was able to tour the museum at my own pace. I had arrived early, so it was if I had a private opening all to myself 😊 I was able to go floor to floor at my own pace, admiring all the amazing work of the artists. The intricate detailing of their work was breathtaking. The bold and vibrant colors of the artwork at times I could not differentiate if it was an actual painting or photography. I do want to thank the security guard, Mr. Hamlin for introducing me to the works of a specific artist, the work of this artist is phenomenal, I do highly recommend that you go and take a look for yourself and see if you can guess which artist he introduced me to. While also immersing yourself in the rich history of the museum. And don't forget to check out the interactive wall on the 1st floor. As well as all of the other amazing things inside of this building. All in all, it was a great rainy day decision.

This museum is in a converted armory. Very sleek and attractive. Exhibition halls are unique and fascinating. And their events are informative often with lively conversations. A warm and friendly atmosphere. Worth a visit.

Quaint museum with rich black history that shaped Virginia and the rest of the US. It has lecture spaces and hosts several art talks. There are 2 floors each space guides visitors through different eras. There is also a small gift shop and a tiny café that is open only during special events.

Thanks to Hopewell's Community Center mom&I went here with others together back in 2019. I always loved history subject wise as a female in the early thirties now. A picture of Arthur Ashe I had to take. It's pretty cool to honor him in this way. 😲

Well-curated, with a spotlight on local art. Displays feature a variety of art forms, including some interactive pieces. I learned so much about Virginia history and will definitely return for a longer visit soon!

Not a large museum 2 floors but lots of information on the kiosk and history. The original counter where blacks first sat is in the museum.

The 2-floor museum was small and clean, and the staff was welcoming. I liked that many aspects of the first floor were interactive. The gift shop would be much better if it had way more items and better variety. I was hoping to learn more about Richmond’s Black community, but it seemed much of the information was general Black history I was already aware of before visiting. While the 2nd floor had 2 rooms dedicated to local African Americans in healthcare, it wasn’t the type of communal or interesting local Black history I had hoped to learn. Still, I learned a few new facts, and I appreciated the art on the walls of the staircase.

Great experience, learning the history in VA and Richmond was very insightful. The staff here is AMAZING and truly makes you feel welcomed. Mr. Henry, Mr. Chuck, and the Lovely Diva security you guys ROCK!

This is a must visit gem when in Richmond, Virginia. It is small- but packed with history, artifacts, and the energy of the ancestors. Really puts into perspective how short lived the freedoms African Americans have in America. A woman came out of the crowd to say someone in the exhibit's photo was her grandfather! He was among a group of lawyers and prominent men of the time working to form Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute- known today as Virginia State University in Petersburg. I particularly enjoyed the second floor exhibit of African Americans in healthcare - doulas, doctors and dentists. Making everyday job aids hold so much honor and respect for the accomplishments by practitioners. The historians on staff were very gracious with sharing their knowledge and their oratory brought history to life.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent museum for the area. Note: If you have visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture in D.C., this museum is significantly smaller than the one in D.C. Depending on the permanent and temporary exhibitions, you probably will need only about two hours or less to see everything. I will admit that I kind of breezed through the Reconstruction/Jim Crow era/Civil Rights galleries because I find it somewhat traumatic having seen these images numerous times throughout my life. I get that it is important to know about our past, but I wanted to have a more uplifting experience that would not bring down my inner-peace for that day. That said, I did view many of the exhibits in these galleries that were specific to Richmond, Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region. However, as a biomedical scientist, I was in for a great treat because the temporary exhibition featured African Americans in healthcare and medicine. In particular, I really loved the Sweet to the Soul and Healing to the Bones exhibition because the paintings that displayed Black excellence in medicine was absolutely amazing and inspiring. While I really enjoyed this exhibition, I wished there were a few more exhibits that focused on biomedical research. It seem that the focus primarily was on medicine, optometry, and nursing. Hey, you can't win them all. ;) The first floor of the museum has an amazing touchscreen timeline wall that shows relevant events (both US-wide and Virginia-specific) from BCE to modern times (I think the wall stopped at 2015). I'm really glad that I saved the wall for last, because it was nice to leave the museum on a positive note. Hopefully, the museum will add more events to the timeline wall since we are now in 2024, and like I mentioned above, the wall stopped at 2015. Since the galleries have a lot of touch screen monitors/displays, I think this museum would be a great experience for pre-teens to learn more about the history of African Americans in the US and in Virginia. Since the musuem is on the smaller side, I also think it would be a great experience for younger children who might become overwhelmed with a large museums. The cost of admission was $10, which I thought was fine. However, I've been a bit spoiled living in the DC area because most of the museums are free. Overall, I thought the staff was pretty hospitable.

This is a small but mighty museum . The entire area is filled with rich black history, American history! We were greeted by a pleasant person at the front desk. And given a lot of information, suggestions, aware to look and how things are laid out. There are several floors to view, artifacts, history, and information. A lot of local history, shown throughout the museum, great photos memorabilia donated by pioneers and their family. This would be a great location to host a party fundraiser, baby shower, etc.

For a small museum, this place punches above its weight class. When I went last year, there was an exhibit focused on Black healthcare practitioners. I never realized there were HBCU medical schools, outside of Howard. The best thing about the experience was the staff. Their docents were some of the nicest and most knowledgeable people I've ever met. Coming from DC, I wasn't expecting that level of professionalism, so it was a bit of a surprise (Richmond is definitely the beginning of the US south). The experience made me interested in exploring more Black history museum and cultural centers around the US. Definitely check it out if you're ever in Richmond.

Wonderful staff and great exhibits. Great to visit this place. I was visiting from out of town and this is a great stop.

I highly recommend a visit to this museum Our family started at the beginning of the timeline. It was so much information that was relevant and inspired quality conversation especially when we looked at the first black to do ..... there is so little progress made overall for Black Americans. As is stated by so many the snuggle is real. The art, the photos the upstairs area held so much. 4 adults in out 60's spent 3 hours and could have stayed longer but they were closing for the day Become a member. It is worth while and it supports education for all who enter its door.

This was a saddening but brilliant educational experience and I would recommend it to everyone. The interactive screens keep you so engaged. I am not a big Museum person but was probably there three hours as the information was both very educational and shocking as well. They have a KKK outfit on show, it just makes you think so hard about how hateful some people were/are -- and why? They have a timeline wall as well, I chose to start from the year before I was born to see what happened in my lifetime and was in shock at some of the things that changed in only my lifetime. I highly highly recommend a visit. Thank you to those of you that have put this together and support it.

Excellent museum with kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming staff. The permanent exhibits on the first floor were thought-provoking and informative; it was particularly helpful to understand Virginia's civil rights events in the context of greater U.S. and global history. It also was jarring to realize that much of the progress achieved is fairly recent and still fragile. The second floor featured an excellent multicultural sculpture exhibit featuring a wide variety of artists. I especially enjoyed reading the thoughtfully written bios of each artist (which enhanced our appreciation of their artistic expression). The guide on that floor was friendly and engaging, and we really enjoyed our interactions with him. We highly recommend this museum.

I'm so glad I finally made my way here. The museum is not huge, but it's chocked with great information. When I arrived the lady at the front desk got me checked in. Then she gave me an overview of the history of the gilding and the museum, which was a great intro before walking around. Im not from Virginia, so it was nice learning some new facts about the state and the city. I also loved the jazz exhibit on the second floor!

Looked up museums in the area and this popped up so I walked over. Although I wasn't expecting to pay $10, it was worth the trip. It's small but surprisingly interactive which is a nice combination for young school aged children who might be overwhelmed with a large museum and tons of facts. There's just enough to keep them engaged. The first floor has a nice touchscreen timeline of some poignant, overall, black history interwoven with some of Virginia's standout events. In addition, there are a couple rooms with an abbreviated version of historical moments. Also on the first floor is midsize reception room. Looks like it might be available for rent for a small gathering/meeting. Now I'm not sure if the upstairs exhibit is permanent but in my opinion, it's the best of the museum. About 4 rooms are dedicated to paintings and art that depict various stages of black history from the lens of the individual artists. Remarkable and definitely worth the visit.

It's a good museum in a cool building! The Leigh Street Armory was built entirely by black workers in 1895, and it's red brick facade is a beacon of the Jackson Ward neighborhood. It's not a large museum, and you can probably get through it all within an hour and a half. Entrance is $10, with discounts for seniors, students, and military. There are a lot of interactive screens showcasing everything from slavery to the Civil War to civil rights. I think they do a good job of personalizing this era of our history, and also of combining exhibits suited to both adults and kids. They have many physical artifacts as well as artwork and sculptures by local black artisans. If I had just one quibble, I'd say that $10 is a little steep for a museum of this size. I definitely learned a lot, and it's well thought-out, but I'd question if there was simply enough there ro warrant $10. Another $10 for a single face mask in the gift shop also strikes me as pretty expensive. I'm happy to support an institution such as this, and I certainly don't consider my time wasted. But if lowering the entrance fee is in any way possible, I would recommend it.

This is the perfect museum for a half-day activity (about 2 hours). It's not a big museum but definitely has a lot of information, good information! It's also quite interactive (even in COVID!) as they provide gloves and hand sanitizer. The staff were very kind and hospitable, explaining each room and how to navigate. The BHMVA has several unique and interesting aspects too such as the Box (elevator) and their newly instilled music history on the 2nd floor. As a DC resident, I've been spoiled with free museums but this was a very great $10 spent.

I had a really good time at the museum! The lady who checked us in went in to great detail about the building and about the history. The building was so cool!They had a lot of interactive exhibits will definitely be coming back and trying a tour.

This is a really nice museum! It is very small which is why I am giving 4 stars. There isn't much to see but has a lot of potential. You probably could walk through the whole thing in 30 minutes. I enjoyed seeing the art work and the customer service was great! I loved to support and it's always good to gain the knowledge.

My visit to BHM was decent. The museum has a lot of technology based interactive "exhibits" so it is a lot more different than other history museums that I have visited. There are two floors, the first being the history floor and the second; beautiful art work of various interpretations of freedom. The museum is housed in an old armory which I thought was pretty cool; this building has been preserved for over 100 years. I wonder why it isn't a Historical landmark. There's a ton of interesting facts about Black Americans that have to do with leadership roles within the communities and in politics. Even though it is a lot of information to take in its all very good quality. Personally, I guess I am used to more exhibits than technology in a museum. There is also a lot of history about the city of Richmond and its significance in helping Black Americans in many different ways. Just a ton of good info lol. The second floor's Art work was amazing, (you can't take pictures btw). Another great thing is if you bring children there are tables where they can color and relax while you walk around and view everything. There is also a room with a bunch of different Black dolls and its just one of their best exhibits IMO. The dolls are behind a glass and they are all arranged perfectly for you to just admire them and their outfits. I initially wanted to give this review 3 stars because I wanted more exhibits but thinking about it as an overall experience I got a lot from my visit here and I cant downplay it because it was different than my usual.

We went to the black history museum and truly enjoyed learning so much about the history of Virginia. I didn't know so much of the black history but it was so informative and the new technology was great to be able to read information from the screen and it being very interactive!

Beautiful museum!! I will be back soon to take my time and look around more. A lot of info I didn't know about.

Got to enjoy the black history of Virginia here. Although fairly small, it is loaded with a lot of history. On the first floor you have big screens that you can touch, read and see pictures of history. It really gets you engaged! Upstairs is less technology and more pictures with a story. Overall a great place to go and learn more about African Americans in Richmond!

Small but informative. Love the interactive deplays that are full of great local history.

So happy to have visited this museum... So beautiful and informative... I learned ALOT about VA today

As a native Richmonder, I've enjoyed visiting the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Va over the span of many years. I'm extremely proud of the newer facility on Leigh St, and I'm equally intrigued with the building's rich history. I like the fact that opportunities abound to enjoy history or be a part of it. Exhibitions provide insight of our experiences, long and not so long ago. But, with guest authors and artists sharing their stories and works; with traveling exhibitions offering a view beyond our regional locale, with the works of local talents periodically featured, with First Friday and other special social opportunities, the museum is living out the name "Cultural Center". I think the museum is worth a visit! Touch screen technology allows me to move at my own pace. My only regret is that it isn't larger. RVA is rich with history and memorabilia and so much is scattered around. The museum needs a large exhibition area that is a permanent honor to the many RVA men and women who are local legends as well as those whose contributions have been recognized around the world. That's on my wish list..among other things.

I went here with my cousin, and neither of us was really impressed. We have been checking out lots of museums this summer, and this was one of the ones that we were excited to check out, but it was the biggest letdown. There were no real artifacts or even photos. Everything was on digital, interactive touch screens. You just clicked through the whole museum, at least the entire downstairs portion, and read. It was like reading a book online, and few people actually like that. It's more of a question of convenience. I would've liked to have seen real photos and artifacts, rather than just digital images. There were a couple of statues, like the Arthur Ashe one, but literally just a couple. While I learned a lot, it just didn't feel like a museum. As far as the feel of the museum, it was awkwardly setup. During our entire time there, about five pairs of people were there. The trouble is, with the whole touch screen design for the whole bottom floor, it really isn't setup for more than one person to enjoy a given display at a time. That's a real pity because a good portion of the bottom floor exhibits are in the huge, interactive timeline screen. If more than one person uses it at a time, it's far too busy and distracting, and so you feel like you're being rude to the person on the other side. Also, it's hard to see if someone else is looking on too because you have to be close to the screen to read it. The font isn't much bigger than what you're reading right now. In spite of the shortcomings, there were some assets to this museum. The upstairs exhibit on the evolution of the portrayal of blacks in cartoons was very interesting. It was composed of art work representing scenes from famous cartoons like "Fat Albert" and "I Am the Greatest," all accompanied by their role in the image of blacks in animated shows. This particular exhibit was wonderful, but I got the impression that it may be temporary. Definitely take advantage of this exhibit. On another note, I do have to say that it's quite cool that the museum is located in the old Armory, but I felt like they could've done a much better job of highlighting that. The info on the building's history was tucked away in a corner that I would've never even noticed had I not stopped by the restroom. Overall, however, I found that the quality of this paid-entry museum was not half as good as the free ones in town. I also found the irony of the entry cost juxtaposed with the poverty of the surrounding area to be far too loud. It's an honor to have a Black History Museum at all and, while I think everyone should want to have and visit such a place, those of us in the black community are especially excited to do so, seeing as there are few such venues to learn about our own history. We all learn about the same 5 people during Black History Month in all of our years in school, so who wouldn't want to learn more? The problem I saw, however, was how on earth can a family of, say, four, in the surrounding community afford to visit this museum? $40 is quite steep for many, but what a sad irony it is for this community to have this museum and then to have it be out of reach for so many of its residents.

This is well worth the visit. The museum is modern and a lot of interactive screens. Plan for 1.5 hours to really digest everything. I will let everyone know about my visit. Very informative and a lot of data about Virginia's rich history.

A fascinating and important museum. The art exhibit they are currently hosting is extraordinary.

We booked the community room in the Black History Museum for a brunch reception the day before our wedding. It proved the perfect backdrop to welcome family and friends to our weekend celebration, and to introduce our out-of-town guests to the rich history and culture of black Richmond. Heather Anderson and her team were incredibly accommodating and hospitable. She was a dream to work with throughout the planning process, and even served as a greeter, personally welcoming every attendee at the entrance of the museum. We were completely blown away by the warmth, kindness, and generosity shown to us by the staff during our reception, and we look forward to hosting our next event at this venue in the near future. It's a true gem of Richmond, and a Virginian treasure!

This was less than pleasurable experience. We took mentees to the museum for a cultural exposure outing for Black History Month. The museum was not prepared for our arrival, did not greet us upon entering. Did not speak directly to the students, but informed us not to let them sit when we entered. The students were not being engaged, the staff was very critical of the students and their behavior. The docent was not fully informed and kept saying that she had forgotten the name or information she was referring to. I was very disheartened by the impatience and unaccommodating attitude from staff. I would not recommend this museum for any student trips.