Location Reports Central and Coastal Virginia
Visitor's Center at Historic Tredegar serves as the official launching point for visitors to the Richmond Region in their journey to learn more about the Civil War, its causes, its legacies and how it still impacts the nation today.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is now recognized as one of the nation's top 10 comprehensive art museums after adding more than 165,000-square feet of exhibit and meeting space. Its collection includes a wide array of world-class works of art.
Once a thriving Vaudeville and movie the- ater in historic Jackson Ward from 1941 through the late 1960s, The Hippodrome Theater has recently reopened after a complete renovation. The renovated space, which was the stage for greats like Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole, fea- tures a theater that will host jazz and R&B musicians, dining area, VIP club, and special event and banquet space.
New hotels in the Richmond Region include the aloft Richmond West and The Westin Richmond. The Westin offers approximately 7,000-square feet of new ballroom space. New to the Short Pump area are The Hilton Conference Center and Spa, Hotel Sierra Richmond West and Wingate by Wyndham Richmond Short Pump.
A Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn and Holiday Inn have opened near Richmond International Airport, and the Courtyard by Marriott has been renovated. New in Chesterfield County is the Residence Inn Richmond Chester. The Holiday Inn- South Bells Road and the Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center both recently completed renovations.
Contributing to downtown Richmond's development is the Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown, located opposite the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Across the street, the Richmond Marriott Hotel has undergone an exten- sive renovation.
The Virginia War Memorial's new Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center added 17,300 square feet to the memo-
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rial that honors more than 11,600 Virginians who sacrificed their lives in World War II and subsequent conflicts. The addition includes a theater to display the memorial's "Virginians at War" film series, a remodeled outdoor amphithe- ater, meeting space, a research library and an auditorium.
PLACES TO MEET
Henricus Historical Park offers a natural woodland setting for meetings. Located about 20 minutes from downtown Richmond, Henricus has outdoor and indoor facilities for up to 250 people.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is an extraordinary venue for meetings and events, offering security, full-service catering and on-site parking. It is home to historic buildings and striking new archi- tecture on campus, as well as a remark- able permanent collection of more than 20,000 works of art.
The Hippodrome Theater first opened in 1914 as a vaudeville and movie theater in Jackson Ward, while the Taylor Mansion next door, circa 1895, was home to the founder of an African-American-owned bank. In 2010, the two buildings were converted into a new, live music and entertainment venue with a restaurant and retail and residential space.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden offers beautiful facilities for corporate and pri- vate events. Its fully equipped auditorium is ideal for conferences, seminars and meetings along with space for breakout sessions.
One of Richmond's most recognizable landmarks, Main Street Station began its life as the city's official train station in 1901. This station, a one-of-a-kind venue listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is available for events.
Maymont is a grand 100-acre Victorian estate offering indoor and outdoor facili- ties near the Maymont Mansion Museum and its Italian and Japanese Gardens. Meeting rooms and terraces overlooking the manicured property are also available in the Robins Nature and Visitor Center.
The restored Virginia State Capitol carries on themes originally presented by Thomas Jefferson, but features new working space that includes many ameni- ties, including meeting rooms, an exhibit gallery, gift shop and cafe.
Set in a restored train station listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Science Museum of Virginia offers a stim- ulating environment with indoor and out- door space and a five-story, domed IMAX™ theater.
THINGS TO DO
From 2011-2015, the Richmond Region will commemorate the 150th anniver- saries of the American Civil War and Emancipation, exploring the causes and historical impact of the events of the early 1860s. Richmond's Slave Trail, which stretches from the docks at Manchester to the former slave marketplace in Shockoe Bottom, has new interpretive signs.
OnToRichmond.com has details about special commemorative events around the region.
The newly-expanded Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which recently reopened to rave reviews, is now among the top ten comprehensive art museums in the coun- try featuring world-renowned exhibitions, two restaurants and a sculpture garden.
Founded in 1831, the Virginia Historical Society is a major research and teaching center for Virginia history. The society recently established a searchable data- base, "Unknown No Longer: A Database of Virginia Slave Names,” of about 1,400 slaves and 180 owners - available at
vahistorical.org.
Richmond has a thriving performing arts scene. The 179,000-square foot Richmond CenterStage Performing Arts Complex welcomes talent from around the corner and around the world. CenterStage includes three performance venues - Carpenter Theatre, Gottwald Playhouse and Rhythm Hall - and a visu- al arts gallery, Showcase Gallery. Shows that demand a larger venue can be found at another CenterStage venue and one of Richmond's finest iconic theaters, the
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