A new Visitor Center is coming to Downtown Richmond thanks to partnership between Richmond Region Tourism and The Valentine.
Later this year, The Valentine will open a Richmond Region Tourism Visitor Center in its lobby at 1015 E Clay St. to provide museum guests and travelers with recommendations for sightseeing and things –to do across the region.
Richmond Region Tourism’s free Visitor Centers are staffed with specialists who are available to share helpful content that promotes locally owned businesses and their unique offerings.
New Visitor Center Slated for September Opening
The upcoming Visitor Center started from a conversation between the organizations’ two top leaders who saw an opportunity to provide interested museum guests with more information about the region.
“We’re grateful for our collaboration with The Valentine to help make this new Visitor Center a reality,” said Richmond Region Tourism president and CEO Jack Berry. “The Valentine is an incredible cultural institution that gives visitors an opportunity to learn about Richmond’s rich history. Our talented travel counselors will help guests continue that exploration by sharing everything our region has to offer.”
The Valentine welcomed more than 25,000 guests last year. Almost half of the museum’s visitors were from outside the Richmond Region.
The Valentine’s central location downtown and proximity to I-95/I-64 make it a convenient stop for people traveling to and through Richmond, according to the project’s leaders.
“We’re committed to bringing more people to Downtown Richmond and being the perfect jumping off point for visitors to discover everything this region has to offer – starting with the wealth of museums and important historic sites right here in Downtown,” said Berry.
The region attracts close to 18 million visitors annually, contributing more than $3.5 billion to the local economy and creating over 27,000 jobs.
Richmond Region Tourism operates two other Visitor Centers, one at the historic Robinson House at the Virginia Museum Fine Arts and another at the Richmond International Airport.
The upcoming Visitor Center is expected to open in September.
For more information, visit www.visitrichmondva.com.
Richmond Region Tourism includes the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and New Kent as well as the city of Richmond, the city of Colonial Heights and town of Ashland. The organization’s primary funding comes from a portion of the transient lodging tax that hotel guests pay. RRT also is partially funded by the Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority (GRCCA) and from local partners and sponsors.
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.
