Richmond, Virginia – Culture, Arts and History (Updated 2024)
Richmond
Virginia’s historic and exciting capital
You’ll love living in Richmond if you’re interested in history. Every neighborhood seems to have a story to share. The English settled here in 1607, and the city has a very long and interesting past. Many of the homes, churches, cemeteries, and battlefields from that time have been carefully preserved and are a big part of what Richmond is today. There are also cool areas and districts in the city with modern shops, restaurants, and breweries, as well as bike tours that go around the city and one of the oldest farmers’ markets in the country.
History comes to life
Do you not know where to begin with this history? Many tour companies help people see as much as they can. The Liberty Trail is a 10-kilometer walking path that leads to 15 important sites. Take a bus tour or make your own Segway tour if you’d rather ride. You can take a walk of St. John’s, the city’s oldest church, as well as the Virginia Capitol building and the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, which is surrounded by other Federal-style mansions. You can see the graves of two U.S. presidents and 18,000 Civil War soldiers by walking through Hollywood Cemetery with a plan. On the Richmond Slave Trail, you can learn a lot about history. It tells the story of the trade in African slaves. The last two stops on your quick tour of historic Richmond are the Edgar Allan Poe Museum and Maymont, an estate with grounds and a wildlife center.
Cool Things to Do
After learning about Richmond’s history, check out its lively society. There are more than 200 unique shops, restaurants, and a farmers’ market in the Museum District’s Carytown neighborhood. You can also do some pretty great thrift shopping there. Along the way, don’t forget to look at the city’s well-known street art. Several food trips, such as River City Food Trails, Richmond Brewery trips, and the self-guided Richmond Craft Beer Trail, look at the city’s food scene and craft breweries. Go to Richmond International Raceway, where NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity series races happen, for more fun. You can also swim, fish, and boat on the James River.
A lot of arts and culture
There are 22,000 works of art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Virginia Holocaust Museum tells the stories of local people who lived through the Holocaust. At the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, you can stop and smell the roses and other plants. You can also see a show by the Richmond Symphony, the Richmond Ballet, or the Virginia Opera.