The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (c. 1936)

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (2017)

Site Name: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Date of Construction: 1936

Reason for Construction: The museum was built to serve as the forerunner of Virginia art museums. There was also a need for somewhere to display the growing amount of art donated to the state government for the public.

Site History: In 1932 Judge Payne proposed a $100,000 grant to build a museum for the growing public art collection, to which he had contributed 50 works. Virginia Governor John Garland Pollard stood up to the challenge by winning private donations and promoting state funds to cover the museums running costs. The Virginia General Assembly approved the project on March 27, 1934. The Federal government also provided funds for the museum's construction. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was finally completed on January 16, 1936. The museum quickly received many donated works from private collections which created a need for several expansions later on.

Area History: The area where the VMFA was built has historically been an important intermediary area in Richmond. The museum is built on Boulevard Avenue, which connects Broad Street, Monument Avenue, and Cary Street. The area is largely residential with most building being built just after the Civil war due to the massive destruction in Richmond. With the construction of the Richmond’s first strip shopping center on cary street on the opposite side of the museum from Monument and Broad, traffic in the area increased dramatically. The Robinson House, which was built in 1860, still survives on the museum's campus.

What about the site has changed? The VMFA has undergone many expansion since its original construction. The museum’s first expansion took place in 1954 to accommodate the growing number of art donations. The flow of donations continued prompting the construction of the South Wing and North Wing, built in 1970 and 1976 respectively. In 1985 the West WIng was built, expanding the museum further away from the street. In 2003 a plan for a $150-million expansion was unveiled. This expansion was completed in 2010 and expanded the museum by more than 43%. The new expansion also featured a very modern design in contrast to the old portions of the museum which had a traditional style.

What about the surrounding area has changed? Boulevard Avenue remained a relatively minor street until local development occurred during the turn of the century. The expansion of the VMFA and Monument Avenue nearby have greatly raised local land values, making it one of the most desirable places in Richmond to live. The surrounding buildings have been re-purposed but there have been few new constructions since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The style of many of the houses in the are reflective of the Colonial Revival architectural style which was popular up until the 1950s.

Reflection: I found this project interesting because I got to learn about the development of what is today a major landmark in my neighborhood. I’ve always enjoyed going to the museum with friends and family but never thought about the history of the site. I never knew how old the southern portion of the VMFA was until I began my research. I also learned a lot about the changes to surrounding areas over time. I ran into the issue that very little information exists about the VMFA besides what comes from their official website.

Author: Alex Hutchinson

Sources:

"History of the Museum." About VMFA. Accessed February 16, 2017. https://vmfa.museum/about/museum-history/.

"National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form." Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/127-0398_BoulevardHD_1986_Nomination_final.pdf.

Seetheglobe.com. "See The Globe." Richmond, Virginia - A City of Monuments - From The Official Tourism Offices - News and Articles. November 11, 2011. Accessed March 19, 2017. http://www.seetheglobe.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1048.

Slipek, Edwin. "The new VMFA will be nothing like your grandmother's art museum." Style Weekly. Accessed February 16, 2017. http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/open-indulgence/Content?oid=1382068.