RICHMOND, Va. — A very special piece of Richmond's history will soon be on display at the Valentine.
The "Gun Hole," a late-20th-century sidewalk impression of a gun on South Addison Street, went viral in 2024. Richmonders turned the gun hole into a makeshift shrine, leaving things like coins, flowers, and hot sauce packets. After multiple failed attempts to remove it, the City eventually replaced the entire sidewalk. Later this month, the partially-broken segment of the Gun Hole and a photo will be on display in the museum's exhibition reflecting the city's culture and community, "This is Richmond, Virginia."
“The ‘Gun Hole’ captures how Richmonders reinterpret public spaces and create a sense of community—even out of something as ordinary as an imprint in the sidewalk,” said Christina Vida, Curator of General Collections at the Valentine, in a statement. “By putting this on view, we are embracing Richmond’s quirkiness while also preserving an object that speaks to the city’s grittier past.”
Other new additions to the exhibition include:
- Shells collected from the James River (2020s) and a 3D-printed James River spinymussel shell, highlighting Indigenous connections to local waterways and ongoing environmental restoration efforts, courtesy of the James River Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
- A Diamond Duck mascot costume (ca. 2000) from the Richmond Braves baseball team.
- A Confetti pattern plate (2025) by Natalie Kohlhepp’s Honey Honey Ceramics, representing Richmond’s contemporary makers.
- A hat and mold (ca. 1980) from Ignatius Hats, sharing Richmond’s legacy of artisan craftsmanship.
- An end table (mid-20th century) crafted by Richmond furniture maker Sam Forrest, known for blending form and function in his studio furniture designs.
- NASCAR-themed sneakers (2023) designed by VCU student Jayden Mitchell for Richmond Raceway President Lori Waran.
- A self-portrait (ca. 1907) by Richmond artist Nora Houston, recently donated by the Nora Houston Foundation.
- A 1970 fashion illustration by Sandra R. Kemp, the first African American graduate of VCU’s fashion design program.
The new additions will be on display by Tuesday, Oct. 21. To learn more about the Valentine or buy tickets visit thevalentine.org.
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