Donations
Help us build our collection:
What is Your Richmond History?
The history of each family, business or organization is unique. Take a look at the objects around your home, your office, your school or your church. What stories do they tell? What history would they share with future generations? Please help us fulfill our mission of collecting, documenting and preserving objects that interpret Richmond history. The Valentine History Center accepts many different types of objects and documents related to the history of the Richmond region for its permanent collection for use in exhibitions, educational programs, and research.

Due to limited space for storage and exhibitions, the History Center cannot accept all objects offered to the museum. Factors that are considered include the object’s physical condition, the number of similar objects already in the collection, its rarity or uniqueness and the object’s history and use.

Artifacts are selected for the collection based on the following criteria:

• The object must relate to Richmond region history.
• The object must fall within the museum’s mission.
• The History Center must have the resources to properly house and provide long-term care for the item.
• The donation must be an unrestricted gift with transfer of permanent ownership.
• The acquisition of material must conform to the History Center’s collections policies.
For the Archives and General Collection, we are looking for the following:
* Photographs of Richmond and Richmonders, especially the 1930s and the 1980s to the present.
* Household items and kitchen equipment used in Richmond homes from the 1920s to the present.
* African American artifacts related to Richmond families and business.
* Items made by Richmond companies such as furniture, glass, silver, etc.

If you would like to discuss donations to the Valentine Richmond History Center, please contact:

Director of Collections and Interpretation
Valentine Richmond History Center
1015 E. Clay Street
Richmond, VA 23219

OR: ssavery@richmondhistorycenter.com

Please include the following information with your query:

• Object/Item Name:
• History of object related to Richmond region:
• Previous owner(s) of the object:
• Contact Information: Name/address/e-mail/daytime phone number of donor