The story of America is the story of the struggle to expand human freedom.
BOTTOM Main Street Station
A national organization, rooted in a place that shapes the nation.
In 2026, we opened our permanent exhibit, Expanding Freedom, in Richmond’s historic Main Street Station located in Shockoe Bottom, once an epicenter of America’s domestic slave trade.
Explore Expanding Freedom ↗Learn. Reflect. Act.
Through our exhibit and educational initiatives, we deepen understanding of our nation’s ongoing struggle to expand human freedom — and invite people to put that understanding to work.
Encounter the evidence, people, systems and choices that shaped American racial slavery and its enduring impact.
A space for inquiry, dialogue, and the difficult questions history asks of our shared civic life.
Use what we learn to strengthen civic participation, expand opportunity and help create a better future.
History is not behind us.
History becomes useful when people can experience it, question it, connect it to the present and use it to make better choices.
Move through the history.
Visitors enter a 12,000+ square-foot educational facility to learn about the origins and growth of American racial slavery and Richmond’s pivotal role in the domestic slave trade, reflect on its enduring impact, and consider how to put history to work to improve civic life.
Continue the learning journey.
The Institute’s Lab and The Institute’s Lab and interactive digital library employ multimedia tools and interdisciplinary content to deepen the educational experience. The Lab creates space to reflect and exchange ideas in person; Our Library makes research, stories, visuals and educational resources accessible from anywhere.
Build the skills to shape what comes next.
We engage participants — especially young people — through innovative civic, financial and cultural educational programs that build essential skills and empower the next generation to problem-solve and actively shape our democracy for a better future.
WHAT VISITORS CARRY FORWARD
I am a high school student, and I learned so many things walking through the exhibit that have never been brought up in my entire time of being in school. I think we need to stop filtering out the harsh truths of things. After all, people who don’t learn from history are certain to repeat it.
VISITOR REFLECTION · HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
We need to keep sharing stories and history. When people remain in the dark about the darkness that stains America's past, we’ve remained ignorant of what we can do to create change and reflect on how we go into the future.
VISITOR REFLECTION
The goal is not simply to know more history. It is to leave better equipped to understand the present, participate in civic life and imagine what is possible next.
PUTTING HISTORY TO WORK
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