How will Richmond history inspire you?

The RMA was formed in 1954 by a group of forward looking residents intent on preserving local history and began as a history room in the basement of the City of Richmond’s Carnegie Library finished in 1910. The building became a branch library in 1949 after World War II dramatically changed the demography of Richmond and then a children’s library in the 1960s. In the late 1970s, the Carnegie Library underwent an extensive renovation in order to convert the building into a space that was suitable for a local museum. The City of Richmond retains ownership of the Carnegie Library and allows the RMA to operate a museum here.

The mission of the Richmond Museum Association (RMA) is to promote and encourage the study and research of Richmond’s history (including the greater Richmond area) and to disseminate knowledge of that history; to collect, preserve and display historical materials and artifacts of significance to Richmond, and to mark, preserve, and maintain places of historical interest.

The RMA carries out this mission by operating two venues dedicated to local history in the City of Richmond. The Richmond Museum of History is housed in the City’s historic Carnegie Library and is located at 400 Nevin Avenue next to the Nevin Avenue Community Center. The RMA also owns the SS Red Oak Victory, a WWII era Victory ship berthed at the Port of Richmond. Both sites are open several days a week and provide educational programming related to local history.

In an effort to become a more effective organization, the membership of the RMA approved updated bylaws on December 6, 2015.