Long-term exhibitions
 Virginians at Work
This long-term exhibition tells the story of how Virginians have made a living and why jobs have changed over time. Focusing on people rather than on abstract principles, the exhibition follows four broad categories: "A Colonial Economy (1600–1780)"; "A Commercial Economy (1780–1865)"; "An Industrial Economy (1865–1945)"; and "A Service Economy (1945–2006)." These titles refer to the most dynamic elements of the economy for each period. Learn more
What's related:
• Press release
 The Story of Virginia, an American Experience
This multi-gallery exhibition covers 16,000 years of Virginia history from prehistoric times to the present. It features a dugout canoe, a Conestoga wagon, a street car, and the largest collection of Virginia artifacts on long-term display.
What's related:
• Online exhibition | Exhibition catalog
 The Virginia Manufactory of Arms Collection
From 1802 to 1821, the state of Virginia did not rely on the federal government to arm its militia but manufactured its own weapons. This new exhibition presents a comprehensive collection of the products of the Virginia Manufactory of Arms, a state-of-the-art water-powered facility that stood in Richmond. On display are flintlock muskets, rifles, pistols, and swords, including examples of the weapons that were used by the militia defending Virginia during the British campaigns on Chesapeake Bay in 1813–14. This collection is important not only as a chapter in the history of armament, but also as evidence of an episode in the evolution of state and national interests in the early American republic.
What's related:
• Press release
 Solving History's Mysteries: The History Discovery Lab
Organized by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Solving History's Mysteries introduces visitors to the principles and techniques of archaeology. This interactive exhibit offers a broad variety of hands-on activities and focuses on the process of discovery, how we learn, and the important role historic architecture and archaeology play in defining our communities and culture.
What's related:
• Virginia Department of Historic Resources | Gallery walk
 Silver in Virginia
Colonial Virginians acquired much of their important silver from London. After the Revolution, population growth,
a rising tide of prosperity, and the genteel aspirations of an expanding middle class greatly expanded the market for
silver. By 1820 there may have been hundreds of silversmiths in Virginia, some working nearly alone, others as
part of large establishments employing many journeymen and apprentices. After 1820, silversmiths dealt in finished
goods manufactured in large eastern cities, and after 1850 many silversmith shops came to be called jewelry stores.
This exhibition, organized by location, includes not only silver produced in major urban centers such as Alexandria,
Norfolk, and Richmond, but also works crafted in small towns like Dumfries, Fincastle, and Waynesboro. Also
included are some images of Virginia silversmiths themselves and place settings using silver, ceramics, and linens
from the Society's collections.
 Warwick to Windsor Farms: Building Virginia House
At Virginia House
The design and building of Virginia House, home of Alexander and Virginia Weddell, is the subject of this exhibit
featuring vintage photos and architectural plans. The stones and much of the glass that became Virginia House in Windsor Farms
were once part of a sixteenth century manor house in Warwickshire, England, home to the Order of the Holy Sepulcher. The Weddells,
with their architect Henry Grant Morse, created a composite design for their house including a
center wing that recalled elements from the original manor house, a wing that replicated the Washington family's Sulgrave Manor, and a tower wing
that reproduced the gatehouse at Wormleighton, home of the Spencer and Churchill families. When the house was completed
in 1929, the Weddells deeded it to the Virginia Historical Society, retaining lifetime tenancy for themselves.
What's related:
• Virginia House
 Four Seasons of the Confederacy: Murals by Charles Hoffbauer
French mural artist Charles Hoffbauer was commissioned by the Confederate
Memorial Association in 1914 to paint a series of Civil War murals for the
newly constructed Battle Abbey. With the outbreak of World War I, he
interrupted his labors and returned to France, leaving his project half
completed. He came back after the war only to obliterate his earlier work,
explaining that his front-line experiences had radically changed his view of
war. The murals were unveiled in January 1921. Today, his work stands
untouched. The murals follow the changing seasons and include the Spring
Mural, the Summer Mural, the Autumn Mural, and the Winter Mural.
What's related:
• View the murals
• Restoring the Hoffbauer Murals
Making the Confederate Murals
French artist Charles Hoffbauer, who later worked for Walt Disney Studios
in animation, left hundreds of pastel, watercolor, oil, and pencil
sketches on paper and canvas, as well as photographs and clay models,
he used to create his famous murals, The Four Seasons of the Confederacy. What's related:
• View the murals
• Restoring the Hoffbauer Murals
 The War Horse
On September 17, 1997, the Virginia Historical Society unveiled
The War Horse, a memorial to the Civil War horse, designed by Tessa Pullan of
Rutland, England, and given to the historical society by Paul Mellon of
Upperville, VA. Mounted on a six-foot base, the statue stands in front
of the historical society's building on the Boulevard in Richmond.
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