The Historic Richmond Region offers a wealth of history, adventure, heritage, shopping and more. Following is a sampling of story opportunities...

400 Years of History The Historic Richmond Region has been inviting visitors since 1607. Today you can be transported to five centuries of history at world-class museums and historic sites. Revisit the 1600s at Henricus Historical Park. Relive 1775 when Patrick Henry called his countrymen to arms delivering his �give me liberty or give me death� speech at St. John�s Church. Learn how Richmond was affected by the Civil War at the National Battlefield Park Civil War Visitors Center. Envision Maggie Walker�s entrepreneurship as the first female bank president at the Maggie Walker National Historic Site. Experience Richmond�s history at a glance at the Valentine Richmond History Center. With the approaching of 2007 and the 400th anniversary of the landing at Jamestown, now is the perfect time to visit the Richmond Region. From the Thomas Jefferson designed Capitol to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, the Richmond Region is home to the sites that tell the story of Virginia and the nation.

A River Wild�Outdoor Adventure Home to the nation�s only class IV rapids in an urban setting, the Richmond Region offers excellent outdoor adventure. Richmond�s best natural resource, the James River, provides white water rafting with a group, kayaking on your own, fishing or canoeing. Staying dry you can rock climb with a river view, take a leisurely walk on the flood wall or cycle on Belle Isle. You may choose to spend time strolling along our historic Canal Walk designed by George Washington and refurbished in 1999 to take you through historical moments in Richmond's history. Bird watchers will love Richmond, the only capital city with bald eagle�s nest in the city limits,with the best view from the river. For a more tranquil experience try bird watching at Henricus Historical Park and Dutch Gap Conservatory

Harlem of the South: Richmond�s African American Heritage Jackson Ward became known as the �Harlem of the South� in the1920s and �30s as a thriving center of African American culture, business and politics. Home to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center, Maggie Walker National Historic Site, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, the neighborhood offers visitors a nexus of African American culture. Also in Richmond, the Manchester Slave Trail interactive tour provides a look at Richmond�s connection to slavery. Farther a field, Meadow Farm was the home to two slaves who informed their master about a plot by slaves to overtake the Capitol and convince Governor James Monroe to support more political, social and economic equality between members of society. The event became known as Gabriel�s Rebellion.

Shopping If your excitement comes from shopping excursions, then the Richmond Region is the place to be. Whether you�re a first-class bargain hunter or a high-end boutique goer, the Region has something in store for you. This September will mark the opening of two new major malls�Stony Point Fashion Park and Short Pump Town Center. With anchor stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Norstrodom�s and dozens of other stores new to the area, this fall the Richmond Region will be a shopper�s paradise. Longtime favorites of Richmonders are the historic and eclectic Carytown, home to nine blocks of boutiques, antiques and quirky finds, The Avenues of Libbie and Grove, offering delightful shops of couturier designs and fabulous gifts, and Shockoe Slip anchored by La Difference, a contemporary furniture store in a rehabilitated warehouse.

Museum Medley Richmond has more museums per capita than any other city in the United States. Sample several not-to-be-missed spots around the corner from each other and get a taste of art, history and science. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presents a panoramic look at thousands of years of creative achievements, including the largest public collection of Faberge eggs outside Russia. The Virginia Historical Society presents �The Story of Virginia,� which portrays Virginia�s rich past from prehistoric times to the present. The Science Museum of Virginia�s exhibits include Bioscape and an IMAX� domed theater and planetarium.

Historic Homes and Gardens Architecture and landscape are two of the Richmond Region�s fortes. Diverse architecture and commitment to its preservation have ensured that the Richmond Region does not look like �Anywhere USA.� Sample Richmond�s finest at Agecroft Hall and Virginia House, both brought over from England to rescue them from destruction in the 1920s. Wilton House presents life on an 18th-century plantation home. Maymont�s opulent mansion remains in its Victorian splendor. A walking tour down Monument Avenue, the nation�s only boulevard named a National Historic Landmark, provides Richmond�s architectural splendor at its best.

With grand architecture come glorious gardens. Gardens designed by Charles Gillette at Agecroft, the Executive Mansion and dozens of homes grace the Region. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden blooms year-round with beauty. Stroll through the new Conservatory, a sunken garden, exotic Asian garden and more. The grounds of Maymont, a 100-acre oasis within the city, provide a Italian garden, a Japanese garden wildlife exhibits and more.

Theaters Historic theaters help give Richmond its historic charm and cultural vitality. From downtown to Carytown, you�ll find these gems rooted to the locals� heartstrings. The Byrd Theatre, Richmond�s Landmark Movie Palace, anchoring the Carytown shopping district, has been showing movies since 1928. The Byrd�s Mighty Wurlitzer Organ is one of only two played in the United States on a regular schedule. The Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, originally the Richmond Loew's movie palace, reopened as a performing arts center in 1983. One of the best-known and most striking buildings in Richmond, the Richmond Landmark Theater also ranks among the city�s most popular stages for theatrical and musical performances. The Hippodrome Theater is located in Jackson Ward, Richmond�s cultural nexus for African Americans in the 1920s and �30s. In its heyday, Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole performed here. The theater is currently undergoing a more than $3 million renovation to recreate a 1930s-style theater with regularly scheduled R&B performances. National Theater, opened in 1923, has the largest orchestra pit in Virginia. In 1986, Historic Richmond Foundation rescued the building from demolition and renovations are ongoing.

Family Fun The Children�s Museum of Richmond offers activities for children of all ages. Try on eagle's wings, wiggle through a digestive tract, tinker in the Inventor's laboratory or create your own art. Next door, the Science Museum�s newest addition, the multi-ton granite Klugel sculptures of the Earth and the moon, draw kids who can move them with a slight touch. Thrill seekers and kids of all ages love Paramount�s Kings Dominion. With a new thrill ride added every year, a visit to PKD is always a pleaser. Animal lovers will enjoy Maymont�s Children�s Farm, where children can feed and pet animals, as well as its Nature and Visitor Center where the river otters are always a hit. Reptiles and amphibians can also be encountered at Three Lakes Nature Center and Aquarium, a family friendly way to learn about the Region�s aquatic life.

Civil War If Civil War is an interest, don�t miss the National Battlefield Park Service Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works. The Rangers can direct you to surrounding battlefields as well as familiarize you with the impact the war had on Richmond. One of Richmond's many Civil War attractions is the Museum of the Confederacy, which houses the most comprehensive collection of confederate artifacts in the world.

Adjacent to the Museum is the White House of the Confederacy, fully restored to its Victorian splendor. Chimborazo Medical Museum, run by the National Park Service and located in historic Church Hill, focuses on the medical aspect of the Civil War.

Dining From traditional Southern fare to cuisine from around the world, the Richmond Region offers fine food to tantalize any palate. The Region�s historic downtown districts and convenient, creative suburban dining options offer something for everyone. With hundreds of choices from champagne brunches to diners and cafes, you could spend a week just sampling the food.

Urban Revitalization Historic neighborhoods with intriguing architecture exist around every corner in Richmond. The revitalized city core presents a unique marriage of small-town hospitality and big city action. Adding to downtown�s critical mass are the thriving upscale lofts and apartments such as the River Lofts at Tobacco Row. Arts and culture are making a downtown resurgence. Leading the pack is First Fridays On/Off Broad, a popular way to experience art in galleries on Broad Street for free. By 2006 the face of Broad Street will have a new look with the opening of the Virginia Performing Arts Complex.

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Media Contact: Janene Charbeneau +1 804-783-7411 jcharb@richmondva.org