What an interesting and enjoyable Sunday in Richmond, VA!

Decided to drive into Richmond and see some things we had not seen on our  previous trip, starting with the Virginia Museum of Art.  Wow!!  What a gem!  One of the best I have seen, and I am so glad I convinced Clem to go.

 Varied permanent exhibits covering periods in art, including furnishings from Art Deco and Art Nouveau, a concise but very neat exhibit of the different areas of Native Americans, and on and on!

 And the grounds were beautiful, with Chihuly glass in the stream and beautiful gardens, all contained in a square comprised of various historical buildings including a Confederate Chapel and a a home for destitute Confederate widows, and once home to  a hospital and housing for confederate soldiers.

I debated a special exhibit of Yves St. Laurent, and was glad I left Clem to sit in the lobby while I went myself!  It was very good, and I would have kicked myself had I missed it!

Next stop was the Virginia State Capital Building.  On advice from others, we took the docent tour, and it was very interesting.  Our  docent, a retired elementary school teacher,  sure knew her history, and was very interested in politics, so it bogged down sometimes, but was very informative.  Designed by Thomas Jefferson, the first of its kind in the New World, with stately columns like the Roman or Greek.  Interesting to note, that of all the things Jefferson accomplished, he wanted his tomb stone to read just a few, including founding the University of Virginia, and designing that  building.  The US Capital building and many others are patterned after his work, which , by the way, was self taught!  

                              
                                  A beautiful statue greets visitors to the complex.

The center part is the original building, the sides added later.  

 Then and now....

Thomas Jefferson, designer of the Capital Building.  

George Washington, who Jefferson idolized. 

Home to a nice grilled pork chop dinner in the cooler air....nothing like grilled anything to eat al fresco!

A very interesting "camper" little house we spotted walking around the park! Clem said too small even for camping!