Confederate White House in Richmond, Virginia

The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia is dedicated to preserving the objects and history of the Confederacy. The collection includes civilian and military Civil War artifacts of the Confederate States of America, as well as what they call "the post-war 'Lost Cause' era."

History of the museum.
The museum has had a rather rocky history. It began with The Ladies Hollywood Memorial Association which was founded in Richmond in 1866 to care for the graves in the Hollywood Cemetery. The museum project began in 1892 when the City of Richmond was planning to demolish the former Confederate White House, which had been the home of President Jefferson Davis and his family from 1861 to 1865. The building was being used as a school, and Richmond planned to build a new school on the grounds. However, the LHMA group, composed of daughters, sisters, and wives of Confederate veterans, which was renamed the Confederate Memorial Literary Society, gained title to the building in 1894, with plans for a Museum of the Confederacy.

An appeal for donations to save momentos.
The new museum group sent out an appeal for donations in January 1892, and their efforts were successful in saving and protecting many relics and artifacts. The language of their appeal revealed the sentimental and commemorative ideas with which the Museum was founded:

"The clothes, the arms, the money, the belongings of the Confederate soldier, and the women whose loyal enthusiasm kept him in the field, are properly objects of historical interest. The glory, the hardships, the heroism of the war were a noble heritage for our children. To keep green such memories and to commemorate such virtues, it is our purpose to gather together and preserve in the Executive Mansion of the Confederacy the sacred relics of those glorious days. We appeal to our sisters throughout the South to help us secure these invaluable mementos before it's too late."

The Museum separated from the house.
Thanks to their efforts, since the opening of the museum in 1896 and over the years only a few pieces of artwork and furniture have had to be purchased. For many years the museum was overcrowded, and the volunteers, while well intentioned, were not adequately prepared to care for and preserve their collection. In 1960 the museum moved the military collection and library out of the White House and began the process of restoring the building as the residence of Jefferson Davis.

Furnished and reconditioned house reopened.
The museum building was completed in 1976, and the Davis mansion was closed for a ten year restoration project. A new professional museum staff, consultants, and specialists, researched, worked to repair and recondition all the furnishings and family possessions, and the finished Confederate White House and Davis home reopened in 1988.

The Museum and the Davis home are well worth a visit, and the tour guides are informed and generous with their stories of the people who lived in and visited this historic home.