Richmond tours, offered Wednesday morning and afternoon, give you an opportunity to increase your understanding of the key role Virginia played in the history of our nation and in the history of your family. Buses will take participants to the American Civil War Museum and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. All the other tours require participants to walk from the convention center.
Each tour and special event must meet a minimum number of registrations by the early-bird deadline or the event will be canceled and your payment for the event refunded.
Tours are non-refundable and will be held rain or shine. Please bring appropriate weather gear (jackets, hats, umbrellas, sunscreen) as needed.
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MUSEUM | 9:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | Price: $55 SOLD OUT; WAIT LIST
The American Civil War Museum tells the story of the war through the experiences of diverse Americans. In two guided tours available to all participants, you can immerse yourself on a human level in the chaos and complexity of these years and their aftermath. A quarter-mile optional walk along the James River is also available to delve more deeply into the story of Richmond women and children who worked on Brown’s Island to produce ammunition and other military supplies. The price includes bus transportation and museum admission.
WALKING TOUR OF JACKSON WARD | 9:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Price: $25
A short walk to historic Jackson Ward will be led by an eighth-generation Virginian and fourth-generation Jackson Ward resident, Gary L. Flowers. This one-mile tour includes stops at twenty historic educational, economic, religious, and social institutions that inspired the recognition of “Black Wall Street” and the “Harlem of the South.”
VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND CULTURE | 1:00 P.m.–4:15 p.m. | Price: $55 SOLD OUT; WAIT LIST
Tours at the newly renovated and expanded Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC), formerly known as the Virginia Historical Society, cover the two permanent exhibits: The Story of Virginia, a linear history that lets you focus on the time periods when your ancestors lived in Virginia, and Our Commonwealth, an in-depth, multi-sensory journey which focuses on the culture of the state. The VMHC collections include a wide range of objects—among them are genealogical materials, maps, glass plate negatives, and photographs which will be of particular interest to family historians. The price includes bus transportation and museum admission.
BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER | 1:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m. | Price: $20 SOLD OUT; WAIT LIST
Just a short walk from the convention center, a guided tour of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Richmond will highlight untold or forgotten inspirational stories which demonstrate the lives and contributions of generations of African Americans.
VIRGINIA STATE CAPITOL TOUR | 9:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. or 1:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m. | Price: $20
Located several blocks from the convention center, a walking tour of the Virginia State Capitol will be offered in both the morning and the afternoon. The Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, was first occupied in 1788. It is the second oldest working statehouse in America. In addition to seeing the underground Capitol Extension and Rotunda, Jefferson Room, Old House Chamber, and Old Senate Chamber, the tour will visit the present-day legislative chambers located in the 1906 wings. Participants can visit the monuments located on the grounds of the Capitol after the tour if they wish.
HONORING BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES
NGS and our partners the Virginia Genealogical Society and the Afro-American Historial and Genealogical Society encourage attendees to patronize Black-owned restaurants in nearby Jackson Ward to experience southern comfort and soul food at its best including Southern Kitchen and Mama J’s Kitchen.
Questions? Contact the NGS Registrar at registrar@ngsgenealogy.org