These days, most of us are trying to hold on to our not-so-disposable income and that makes finding fun things to do on the weekend a real challenge. Take a tip from the six million tourists who visit our region each year: most of Richmond’s historic attractions and museums are free. Grab your sneakers and check out a few of our favorites:
Saturday: Discover Downtown
Start at the Richmond National Battlefield Park Civil War Visitor Center at Historic Tredegar (it takes longer to say than to get there). Park free at the Belle Isle lot next door and check out the National Park Service Visitor Center in the Pattern Building. The free 30-minute tour, led by one of the park rangers, takes you through the grounds and over to Brown’s Island, giving you a brief history of the role the ammunitions factory played in the war. After the tour, take a picnic lunch over to Belle Isle and find a relaxing spot overlooking the river.
Spend the hottest part of the day in air conditioning, exploring the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson. You can take the free one-hour guided tour or DIY and see the legislative chambers, historic paintings, statuary, and rare exhibits in the recently renovated landmark.
Take a stroll through Historic Jackson Ward to explore African American history at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. Walker was the first woman in the U.S. to charter and serve as the president of a bank, and a prominent leader in Richmond’s post-Civil War African American community. While you’re in the neighborhood, visit the statue of vaudeville star Bill "Bojangles" Robinson at Adams and West Leigh streets. According to local legend, Bojangles was "discovered" while working as a server at the elegant Jefferson Hotel: He spilled soup on a high-powered entertainment executive and then danced his way to the kitchen to get a towel.
The Jefferson Hotel is a historical treasure in its own right, with Louis Comfort Tiffany windows and an Edward Valentine life-sized statue of its namesake in the Palm Court lobby, a staircase locals believe inspired the famous Rhett-Scarlett scene in the movie "Gone with the Wind" and a mini-museum of "who’s who" guests like Elvis Presley in the lower lobby.
Sunday: Church Hill after Church
It’s not the "Rocky Horror Picture Show," but St. John’s Church does present an entertaining and interactive reenactment of Patrick Henry’s famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech at the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. The show is free on Sundays at 2 p.m., but arrive early as ticket distribution begins at 1 p.m. and they go quickly.
After the performance, walk a few blocks east to Chimborazo Park and explore the Chimborazo Medical Museum. Located on the site of the Civil War’s Chimborazo Hospital, where more than 75,000 soldiers were treated, the museum features a short history film and displays of the medical equipment used to treat the Confederate wounded.
All Weekend: Pet-Friendly History Walks
Grab your furry friend and head to Hollywood Cemetery. With some of the most stunning river views in the city, as well as the graves of two presidents and many notable Richmonders, such as Lewis Ginter, you’ll find some fascinating local lore here. A must-see for dog lovers is the grave of a little girl guarded by a big cast-iron canine.
Fans of both history and architecture should take Fido for a stroll on Monument Avenue, the only street in America that is designated as a National Historic Landmark. In addition to the statues of Confederate leaders and our local tennis legend, Arthur Ashe, the avenue is a living museum of architectural styles from Colonial and Georgian to Beaux Arts and Italianate.
Take the pooch for a waterfront jaunt on Canal Walk, which runs more than a mile along the James River and Kanawha Canal, with medallions, monuments, and exhibits that detail four centuries of Richmond’s history.
EntertainmentEntertainment
Free Weekends: Hometown History
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Credit: Ginger Warder
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Credit: Ginger Warder
By:
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Richmond.com
Published: July 29, 2010
Published: July 29, 2010
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