PAST EXHIBITIONS

The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collection of the Library of Virginia
(September 4, 1997—September 19, 1998)

This inaugural exhibition at the Library of Virginia's new headquarters on East Broad Street featured a small sampling of the vast collections at the Library. Since its founding in 1823, the Library of Virginia has been dedicated to the collection and preservation of the records of our commonwealth. The Library's collections span nearly 400 years of history and include a diversity of materials unmatched by any other institution in the United States. The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collections of the Library of Virginia, a companion book complete with a history of the Library and illustrating more examples from the collections, is available from the Virginia Shop.

Queen and Commonwealth
(Online Exhibition)

On October 16, 1957, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Virginia during the commonwealth's 350th anniversary celebration of the founding of Jamestown. Then, as now, the Queen's visit prompted intense interest from the state's people and the media. To mark the 2007 royal visit, the Library of Virginia presented photographs, audio, newspaper accounts, and state records from the 1957 events.

Virginia Constitutions
(Online Exhibition)

The state constitution intimately affects all aspects of our daily lives. While students learn about the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all the amendments, many people do not realize that the laws passed in their state are informed and shaped by a state constitution.

Virginia created its first state constitution in 1776. Since then, Virginia has fully revised its constitution six times, with additional adjustments along the way. Those changes are inspired by perceived social and political needs, and can result in economic opportunity to some and disadvantage to others; changes in the kind of public education our children receive, if any; and determining who may vote and who may not. A state constitution shapes our present and future, yet many are unaware of its existence.

We invite you to learn more about Virginia’s Constitutions by exploring the historical context of each document, discovering them in our digital collections, and exploring their meaning and influence on our lives.

Columbia Pike: Through the Lens of Community
(Online Exhibition)

Exhibition Gallery & Lobby | August 31, 2021 - January 8, 2022

Columbia Pike: Through the Lens of Community

Columbia Pike: Through the Lens of Community, a unique exhibition of photographs at the Library of Virginia, celebrates the extraordinary cultural diversity found within a single community in Northern Virginia. Columbia Pike Documentary Project photographers, whose personal connections to the community allowed them to capture the strength, pride, resilience, elegance, and beauty of so many overlapping cultures, created the works on view. More than 70 of the thousands of photographs transferred to the Library of Virginia's collections this spring will be highlighted in Columbia Pike: Through the Lens of Community. The exhibition will also include information about the neighborhood, the residents, and the photographers themselves. As the nation seems more divided than ever, this collection shows how one community is making diversity work.

For more information on Columbia Pike, visit its web page.

John Mitchell Jr. and the Richmond Planet, a Newspaper "Born in the Wake of Freedom"
(Online Exhibition)

John Mitchell Jr., founder of Richmond's first Black newspaper, the Richmond Planet, was a man of enormous stature and complexity. The Library of Virginia's web exhibition John Mitchell Jr. and the Richmond Planet, a Newspaper "Born in the Wake of Freedom" provides a context in which to understand Mitchell's life and work. It sheds light on his many contributions to the social and political life of Virginia's African American community while offering a glimpse into the world of newspaper publishing as America entered the twentieth century.

True Sons of Freedom
(Online Exhibition)

Exhibition Gallery & Lobby January 16, 2018 - November 9, 2018

True Sons of Freedom, a photographic exhibition at the Library of Virginia, explores the stories of Virginia's African American soldiers who served during World War I. More than just mementos for families and sweethearts, these portraits challenge the crude and demoralizing cultural products of an era that often reduced African Americans to stereotypes and denied them full participation as citizens of the United States. Reflecting the pride and determination of African American World War I servicemen, the images were submitted with the soldiers' responses to military service questionnaires created by the Virginia War History Commission as part of an effort to capture the scope of Virginians' participation in the Great War. The original photographs, reproduced in the gallery at nearly life-size dimensions, place visitors at eye level in front of the soldiers. The monumental scale allows viewers the opportunity to examine rich details not seen in the original photo postcards

For more information about the traveling version of this exhibition, please contact Barbara C. Batson, exhibitions coordinator, at barbara.batson@lva.virginia.gov. To view the current itinerary for this exhibit, please click here.

Homefront to Frontline: Virginia's WWII Story
(Online Exhibition)

"Homefront to Frontline: Virginia's WWII Story," a lobby display, online exhibition and a collection of online resources commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II, brings to life the experiences of those who served in the military as well as those who supported the war effort at home.

Your Humble Petitioner: Legislative Petitions Gave Voice to Virginians
(Online Exhibition)

On view February 7, 2022-November 19, 2022

Imagine having to explain to the House of Delegates why you want to divorce your spouse, or change your name, or take other actions that affect your life. Virginians had to do just that for nearly a century. Their stories can be found in the Library's Legislative Petitions Collection.

During the years between the American Revolution and the Civil War, Virginians submitted petitions to the General Assembly to bring local or personal issues to the attention of their legislators. The Library's collection of nearly 25,000 petitions reveals how Virginians communicated their concerns on a wide range of topics. To obtain legal permission to operate a ferry, maintain a tavern, or carry out many other activities, residents of the commonwealth were required to introduce a petition into the House of Delegates to begin the process of acceptance or rejection. The right to petition was not restricted by class, race, or sex. Your Humble Petitioner highlights petitions that involved deeply personal issues such as divorce and requests by emancipated Black people to remain in the commonwealth, offering a glimpse into the realities of 18th- and 19th-century life.

The right of citizens to petition their government is an ancient one, dating back indirectly to the Great Charter (Magna Carta) from 1215 and in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Even today, citizens of Virginia exercise their right to petition their government.

Titanic in Black and White
(Online Exhibition)

With its worldwide newspaper coverage in April 1912, the sinking of the liner Titanic was one of the first truly international news events. Titanic in Black and White, an online exhibition from the Library of Virginia, explores the disaster and its cultural impact through newspaper coverage. A list of the Titanic crew and passengers is provided.

Running for Office
(Online Exhibition)

American political ephemera is older than America itself. Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" set the tone for using plain language for persuasion to a political side. Flyers, pamphlets, posters, buttons, television ads, and more use the same plain persuasive language today. "Running for Office" highlights 20th century political ephemera found at the Library of Virginia.