Premiere | April 9, 2026

Main Street Station | Richmond, Virginia

You’re invited to join Shockoe Institute for the unveiling of Expanding Freedom at Main Street Station in Richmond, Virginia. This page will be updated with the latest schedule details, arrival guidance, and event updates.

April 9 programming is by invitation only and requires advance registration.

April 9, 2026 | Event Agenda

  
    
8:00 AM
Doors open & check-in
Franklin Street breezeway (either side of Main Street Station)
Security screening and check-in required for all participants. Light refreshments provided.
9:20 AM
Doors close
Late arrivals will not be permitted to enter until after the program’s conclusion.
9:30 AM
Unveiling ceremony
Introduction and official unveiling of Expanding Freedom.
10:30 AM
Exhibit tours Timed entry
Curated tours with Shockoe Institute team members. You will receive your tour time at check-in.
11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Food trucks
Lunch available on-site throughout the afternoon.
11:00 AM–11:45 AM
Panel: Inside Expanding Freedom—Designing a New Kind of Civic Space
Location: Downstairs stage

            Moderator: Todd Waldo, COO, Shockoe Institute

            Panelists: Fred Hopkins, Associate and Technical Director, Baskervill; L’Rai Arthur-Mensah, Executive Account Director, Local Projects
          
12:00 PM–12:30 PM
Community conversation: Telling the Story of Expanding Freedom
Location: Upstairs

            Gregg Kimball, Senior Consulting Historian, Shockoe Institute

            Megan Shockley, Consulting Historian, Shockoe Institute

            Amanda White, Director of Content and Strategy, Local Projects

            Megan Morris, Content Developer, Local Projects
          
12:45 PM–1:30 PM
Panel: History at Work—The Making of Twenty-First Century Richmond
Location: Downstairs stage

            Moderator: Marland Buckner, President & CEO, Shockoe Institute

            Panelists: Dr. Julian Hayter, Historian & Author; Dr. Thad Williamson, Professor of Leadership Studies and PPEL, University of Richmond; Dr. Amy L. Howard, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement, University of Richmond
          
1:45 PM–2:15 PM
Community conversation: Telling the Story of Expanding Freedom
Location: Upstairs

            Gregg Kimball, Senior Consulting Historian, Shockoe Institute

            Megan Shockley, Consulting Historian, Shockoe Institute

            Amanda White, Director of Content and Strategy, Local Projects

            Megan Morris, Content Developer, Local Projects
          



  

Planning Your Visit

Event Entrance

Please enter the event by accessing the Breezeway off of Franklin Street on either side of the building. This is the only entrance to the event.

Required Check In & Security

All guests are required to check in and pass through security screening before entering the event.

Parking (see map below)

There are three well-lit automated parking lots at the station, in two locations. Parking is free for the first hour, $1 an hour after that, and $6 max per day, depending on the lot. There is also plenty of street parking available around the station.

Parking apps are used to pay for parking: Passport Parking, ParkMobile, and PayByPhone. Apps can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.