Richmond History Center Exhibitions

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HISTORIC RICHMOnD TOURS: Tours for School Groups
Historic Richmond Tours Guided bus and walking tours are available for grades three through high school. All tours are designed to support the Virginia Department of Education’s Standards of Learning and all Historic Richmond Tour Guides are well-trained and extremely comfortable working with diverse student populations. School Programs Teachers, don't forget to check out our school programs. They are offered on site at the Richmond History Center. Some programs can be brought to your school! Learn More>> Established TOurs Let us coordinate your whole day's schedule! Our staff will make all of the arrangements, with our certified tour guide onboard to weave your stops together with stories and highlights from Richmond's past. You can choose one or more of our tour programs or design your own schedule.
How a City Grows This 2-hour riding and walking tour gives younger students an up-close look at our capital city. From frontier town to the capital city, students will discover Richmond's history, geography, and architecture as well as how our city and state function. GRADE 3 - History SOLs: 1.2, 1.3,1.6, 1.10, 3.10, 3.11; TIME: 2 hours
Ancients in our Neighborhood During this 1 and 1/2-hour walking tour, students explore Richmond architecture influenced by Egypt, Greece, and Ancient Rome. Students will also uncover the architectural elements that distinguish different styles, such as pediments, lintels, columns, and capitals. GRADE 3-5 - History SOLs: 2.1 (Egypt), 3.1; TIME: 1 1/2 hours
Capitol Square Tour This 2-hour guided walking tour explores Capitol Square's rich history and architecture. Students discover the ideals of George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Harry F. Byrd and others by visiting their statues on the Capitol grounds. Ask about the possibility of an interior State Capitol visit in 2007. GRADE 4-6 - History SOLs: VS.4, VS.5, VS.6, VS.9, USI.6; TIME: 2 hours
The Nation's Beginning During this 3-hour guided bus tour students explore what a fall line is and why it was important to Richmond's development. Richmond's role in the formation of the country will be discussed, including the contributions of such notable Virginians as Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. Includes visits to St. John's Church, the State Capitol, the James River and canal sites. GRADE 4-6 - History SOLs: VS.4, VS.5, VS.6, USI.6; TIME: 3 hours
Richmond’s African American Heritage During this 3-hour guided riding tour, students identify the important role African- Americans have played in our city and state history, from the days of 1900 to the present. The political and social contributions of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Maggie Walker, L. Douglas Wilder, and Arthur Ashe are discussed. Includes a visit to the Maggie Walker Historic Site. A visit to the Black History Museum can be substituted or added for an additional fee, upon request. GRADES 4-12 - History SOLs: VS.9; TIME: 3 hours
Richmond and the Civil War During this 4-hour guided bus tour, students examine Richmond’s role in the Civil War and major events that took place here. The tour includes visits to Capitol Square, Tredegar US Park Service and a program at either the Museum of the Confederacy or the Virginia Historical Society. The program further elaborates on the effects of war on Union and Confederate soldiers, women and slaves. An interior visit to the state Capitol can be added in 2007. GRADES 4-12 - History SOLs: VS. 7, USI.9; TIME: 4 hours
Colonial Richmond In this 4-hour guided bus tour, students gain knowledge of life in Colonial Richmond and discover some of the causes and results of the American Revolution. The tour includes a program at Wilton House that demonstrates colonial life in the Mid-Atlantic colonies from the perspectives of large landowners, farmers, women, and slaves. The tour discusses key events and individuals in the American Revolution with a visit to the State Capitol in 2007. GRADE 5 - History SOLs: VS.4, VS.5, USI. 5, USI.6; TIME: 4 hours
Richmond’s Canals This 2-hour walking tour focuses on the development of Richmond’s canals in the early 19th century, demonstrating water features important to the early history of Virginia, territorial expansion, industries and the growth of the city. Upon request, the program can include a ride on a Richmond Canal Cruises canal boat for an additional fee. GRADE 5 - 6- History SOLs: VS.2, VS.6, USI.7, USI.8, USII.2, USII.3; TIME: 2 hours
Dawn of the 20th Century In this 3-hour guided riding tour students discover the social, economic, and technological changes in Richmond in the early 20th century. The program chronicles the Reconstruction era to the early 20th century with emphasis on industrial growth, immigration patterns and women’s rights. Choose an interior visit to either the Maggie Walker Historic Site or the Bolling-Haxall House. GRADE 6-History SOLs: VS.1, VS.8, VS.9, USII.3, USII.5 TIME: 3 hours
Keeping It All In Check: Economics and Civics on the Road This 4-hour riding tour examines the structure and powers of local, state, and national governments. This program reviews the judicial systems established by the Constitution of the United States and historic individuals within those systems. Includes visits to the House of Delegates and John Marshall House. GRADE 7-History SOLs: CE.6, CE.7, CE.8 TIME: 4 hours
Custom Designed Student Bus Tours Design your own guided tour! The Richmond History Center can arrange a special Historic Richmond Tour to meet your school group's interests. Sites might include historic cemeteries, Civil War battlefields or visits to any of Richmond's museums or historic sites, from St. John's Church where Patrick Henry demanded "give me liberty or give me death" in 1775 to the 1893 Victorian estate of James and Sallie May Dooley. Our staff will schedule not only your Historic Richmond Tour Guide, but also each stop for the day (even lunch!). Fees vary depending on the length of the tour and the sites visited.

Reservations and Pricing To make reservations: Call 804-649-0711, ext. 319 Tours must be scheduled in advance. Four weeks notice is preferred. A $25.00 per guide deposit is required within two weeks of receipt of a letter of confirmation, with final payment due two weeks before the tour date. Arrangements for invoicing must be made in advance. There is a 20-student minimum for each tour. Smaller groups are welcome but will be charged the 20-student minimum rate. One adult or teacher chaperone is required for every 10 students at no charge. Cancellation of a tour must be made by telephone call at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled tour date. Student and teacher/chaperone numbers must be updated 24 hours prior to the scheduled tour. Fees due will be based on the number reported to the History Center. For all Historic Richmond School Tours the following pricing structure will be in effect. Regardless of the tour, the cost per student will be based on the following formula –$2 per hour per student plus cost of site admissions if applicable, with a two-hour minimum charge. Please take into consideration that even though a tour is listed as a two or three hour tour, if the length of the tour is extended to include lunch time, for example that additional time will be included in the above formula. * For adults accompanying students, one adult is required for every 10 students and will participate at no cost. For each additional adult the cost will be $2 per hour per adult plus cost of site admissions if applicable.
Historic Richmond Tours Call our Tour Information Line at 804-649-0711, option 4 for a listing of monthly events. Contact Linda Krinsky, Director of Tours, for more information and complete tour offerings at 804-649-0711, ext. 319 or e-mail at tours@richmondhistorycenter.com.

1015 East Clay St. ı Richmond, VA 23219 ı 804 649.0711 ı info@richmondhistorycenter.com ı Site Map