Dissent! Liberty & Loyalty in Early Richmond

Presented by The Valentine at The Valentine

We tend to forget that not everyone wanted “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” nor have the goals of the Declaration of Independence ever been fully achieved. Between the 1770s and the 1830s, the Richmond region was center stage for the battles over if and how Virginians would live up to these stated ideals. Tories, including John Wickham, free Black residents, enslaved workers, and those with new wealth adjusted their loyalties and sought their own form of liberty. Dissent! Liberty & Loyalty in Early Richmond explores the first 60 years of American independence and reveals how the Richmond region was center stage for the battles over if and how Virginians would live up to these stated ideals.

Gemini Threads for AI Portraits
Graphic designer Emily Park (emilypark studio) and Curator Christina Vida used Google’s Gemini to create 21 portraits of 30 Virginians living in the Richmond region in the 1770s through to the 1830s. Park created some images in a single Gemini thread, hoping for visual stylistic consistency. Vida created or edited others in individual threads, hoping diversity of features and clothing. These threads are linked below so you can read how each image came into being.

Podcast
Each section of the exhibit has an associated AI-generated podcast episode about the content in that case. The Valentine supplied Notebook LM with vetted websites and articles that the AI platform then summarized into podcast form.

Admission & Contact Details

Adults | $12 Seniors (55 and over), groups of 10 or more | $10 Valentine Members, children under 18, students with ID, military personnel | Free SNAP recipients with EBT card (up to 4 individuals)* | Free

Attendance Type: In-Person

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More Information

Dates & Times

Thu, April 16, 2026

→ 9h

Fri, April 17, 2026

→ 7h

Sat, April 18, 2026

→ 7h

Sun, April 19, 2026

→ 7h

Tue, April 21, 2026

→ 7h

* Check with the presenting organization or venue to confirm times and durations.

Location

The Valentine
1015 E Clay St
Richmond , VA 23219
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Parking

Museum admission includes two hours of parking in the Valentine’s lot at 407 North 10th Street.

Parking is available in the MCV Visitor Parking Deck at 1213 E. Clay Street. Please visit our front desk to validate your parking before leaving the Valentine. Street parking is also available. For more information, see the Parking Lot Rules and Regulations section of our Museum and Visitor Policies.

The Valentine is located two blocks east of the Downtown Transfer Station, which services numerous GRTC Bus Routes. If taking the GRTC Pulse, disembark at the Government Center station at Broad & 9th Street for easy access to the Valentine.

If you would benefit from wheelchair accessible parking or have any questions about visiting and accessibility, please call our front desk at (804) 649-0711 ext. 301 and we will be happy to assist you.

Accessibility

Venue Accessibility
  • Accessible Parking There is one accessible parking space close to the accessible entrance in the parking lot behind the building. Once parked, you are required to hand your keys to a valet person because cars may be required to be moved in order for you to access your vehicle later, and the access aisle sometimes has cars parked in it, but these can be moved by the parking lot attendant as well upon request.
  • Accessible Restrooms The Valentine’s campus, including the historic Wickham House, all bathrooms and the Valentine garden are fully accessible by wheelchair.
  • Changing Stations Public restrooms are equipped with changing tables.
  • Elevator There is an elevator to the lower level of the main space where the restrooms are located, with limited signage, but it does have braille and tactile lettering next to each of the buttons in the elevator car.
  • Service Animal The location is service animal friendly, but not pet friendly, except in the garden.
  • Wheelchair Access The Valentine’s campus, including the historic Wickham House, all bathrooms and the Valentine garden are fully accessible by wheelchair. The museum’s 10th street entrance has a wheelchair accessible ramp. If you would benefit from wheelchair accessible parking or have any questions about visiting and accessibility, please call our front desk at (804) 649-0711 ext. 301 and we will be happy to assist you. The museum also has two standard wheelchairs available to borrow for visitor convenience.

The Valentine is committed to making our galleries and facilities accessible to everyone. Have questions or feedback? We would love to hear from you! Email info@thevalentine.org or call (804) 649-0711 ext. 301.

Upcoming Events from The Valentine

View all 12 upcoming events from this organization