‘We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth’

What does “We the people” mean to you? What does it mean in Virginia? The Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond explores that question by celebrating the stories of those who make the Commonwealth their home.

The preamble to the American Constitution proclaims: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The year 2026 marks the nation’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Exhibitions and events throughout the nation have been tailored to illuminate the founding and the 250 years between. One of the ways the Virginia Museum of History & Culture is marking the semiquincentennial is with the exhibition “We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth.”

The exhibition highlights those who have come to Virginia from around the world, across centuries, to make Virginia what it is. It presents more than 100 stories of people from 68 countries who immigrated for a better life – seeking refuge, freedom, and opportunity – and how they have made our commonwealth a better place. It speaks to their resilience in the face of hardships and opposition, their celebration of both their roots and their new home, and of the U.S. citizens who supported their journeys and resettlement.

“We the People” presents a thematic view of the immigrants to Virginia rather than a chronological view. “While recognizing that each person’s story is unique, there are these common shared experiences between immigrants regardless of when they came here or from where they came,” says Julie Kemper, curator of exhibits at the VMHC. Historic artifacts, images, and multimedia stations provide a cohesive look at the process of moving to a new country, the varied challenges, and the rich contributions.

“Community engagement was a huge part of this project, going across the state, talking to different people, having them involved in every step of the process, especially the development of content early on,” notes Noah Tinsley, assistant curator. “Some of the people we talked to had been through difficult things, but what I took from a lot of those conversations was a genuine hope and a genuine excitement of having these stories told.”

Some of the people and their contributions might be familiar to Virginians.

There’s an exhibit on William Thalhimers – the German immigrant founder of the longstanding, beloved department store and the Russian immigrant, Samuel Brown, who worked there as a tailor until he retired at 98 years old.

An exhibit on the Blue Ridge Tunnel, now reopened to foot traffic, tells of the engineering master and French immigrant Claudius Crozet who designed the nearly mile-long tunnel and the Irish immigrants who built it in the 1850s.

The final exhibit mimics a restaurant setting, highlighting the cuisine that immigrants have shared with their new communities. It includes a tribute to a much-loved Richmonder, Greek immigrant Stella Dikos, and her namesake restaurant. The space also invites visitor input.

This exhibition doesn’t dive into the experiences of Native Americans, since they didn’t immigrate here, or the African Americans, who arrived involuntarily as slaves. What it does do is provide a respectful and edifying look at the many facets of the variety of people who have come from faraway to make new homes in Virginia.

“We the People: The World in Our Commonwealth”
Through Sept. 7, 2026
Virginia Museum of History & Culture
428 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond

FEATURE IMAGE, TOP: “We The People” title screen with couple on video display. Courtesy of VMHC.