VA250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and US Independence in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Henrico County’s VA250 committee is part of these larger state and national efforts to recognize the people and events of the American colonies fight for independence and its founding through an ongoing series of programs, events, and projects.
While state and federal efforts may peak in 2026, Henrico County will continue offering a variety of ways to learn about the people and events of the past as well as to engage in dialogue on what liberty, freedom, and how the legacy of events 250 years ago shape the present and what our citizens hope to see for the future.
VA250 Mobile Museum Experience
The VA250 Mobile Museum Experience will be at Dorey Park on Fri, June 20 from 9am-5pm.
A hands-on, interactive, and immersive museum on wheels, the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience is housed in a quad-expandable tractor trailer that is traveling throughout Virginia and beyond. The mobile museum brings key stories of Virginia’s rich history to schools, museums, local events, fairs, and more, highlighting every region of the state. Information: [email protected]
Traveling Exhibits
Give Me Liberty
Explores the unique and essential Virginia people, events, and sites that helped bring liberty and democracy to a nation. Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this will highlight the complex, diverse, and inspiring Virginia history which is, in fact, America’s story. Give Me Liberty will provide context for the coming of the Revolution in Virginia and brings visitors into the core of the action from 1774 through 1776, highlighting how the American Revolution was a war, and more than a war.
- Eastern Henrico Rec Center (May 19 – 26)
- Rec & Parks Main Office (May 27 – Jun 2)
- Belmont Rec Center (Jun 2 – 9)
- Meadow Farm Museum (Jun 9 – 16)
- Dorey Rec Center (Jun 16 – 23)
- Deep Run Rec Center (Jun 23 – 30)
Founding Frenemies
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway production HAMILTON propelled our nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury into a legendary status not held since his untimely death in 1804. Miranda’s narrative—based on the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Ron Chernow—tells the story of a man who overcame all odds to shape, inspire, and scandalize the newborn America. From Hamilton’s decades of military and political service with George Washington to his feuds with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Virginians were among his most influential allies and his worst enemies. Hamilton’s relationships with these Virginians helped shape the character of the United States, its founding institutions, and patterns of civil discourse still felt today.
- Eastern Henrico Rec Center (Jul 21 – 28)
- Rec & Parks Main Office (Jul 28 – Aug 4)
- Belmont Rec Center (Aug 4 – 11)
- Meadow Farm Museum (Aug 11 – 18)
- Dorey Rec Center (Aug 18 – 25)
- Deep Run Rec Center (Aug 25 – Sept 1)
Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865
This exhibit has been postponed to the fall of 2025. Details to follow!
Programs
Washington Takes Command
Thur, Jun 26, 7-8:30pm. Belmont Rec Center.
Ages 10+. Two hundred and fifty years ago, in June 1775, George Washington took command of the newly formed Continental Army. What made him qualified? His experiences during the French and Indian War prepared him for leadership in the Revolution. Historian Bert Dunkerly will explore Washington’s challenges and lessons learned and how he applied them as the nation’s first military commander. Information: [email protected]
Finding Your Revolutionary War Ancestors
Thur, Jul 10, 10-11:30am. Belmont Rec Center.
All ages. Do you think you have ancestors who fought in or supported the American Revolutionary War? Learn how to successfully research and document the lineage and service of your ancestors. Information: [email protected]
Hamiltruth or Hamilfiction
Sat, Jul 26, 2-3pm. Eastern Henrico Rec Center.
Sat, Aug 2, 2-3pm. Recreation and Parks Admin.
Sat, Aug 30, 2-3pm. Deep Run Rec Center.
All ages. Do you know your Hamiltruths from your Hamilfictions? Find out in our new trivia game where we will test your knowledge of the hit musical versus the real life of Alexander Hamilton. Be sure to check out the traveling exhibit, Founding Frenemies: Hamilton and the Virginians while you’re here. Information:
[email protected]
Family Sleuths: Revolutionary Spies
Sat, Aug 16, 10-11am. Three Lakes Park.
Ages 8-12. Do you have what it takes to be a spy? Solve secret messages, follow clues, and try to traverse the property without getting lost or captured! Information: [email protected]
Gabriel and a Man Named Nat: The Fight for Freedom
Sun, Aug 31, 2-3pm. Meadow Farm.
Ages 16+. Discover the lives of two men that changed Virginia history. Learn about their complex lives and how they both met the challenge of being enslaved in a country that said: “all men are created equal.” Information: [email protected]
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