A kugel ball is a perfectly spherical stone that is set into a matching, perfectly concave cup…read more Water is then forced in from the bottom of the cup and that creates an evenly distribyted, incredibly thin layer of water. The ball, no matter how heavy, can then be moved on the liquid surface as though it weighs nothing at all. When I stopped by at 7:30 AM, the ball wasn't moving. A few strong pushes (it DOES way 27 tons) and it was on its way, spinning in a circle on top of the water. Very, very cool. The Grand Kugel is the largest construction of its kind in the world. It sits in a place of honor in front of the Science Museum of Virginia. If you're visiting the museum, step out and stop (or start) the Grand Kugel's spinning. [Review 11787 overall, 1569 of 2019.]

Very cool! Able to touch and spin with some effort! Don't miss! It is right outside of the museum-…read morecant miss it. Just be sure to wash your hands afterwards!

This pretty red sculpture dominates the plaza in front of the Bank of America tower in downtown…read moreRichmond. Made with aluminum and painted a bright red, it's hard to miss at 18 feet high, 22 feet deep and 23 feet wide. It was installed in 1973. The artist is James Rosati and he's known for similar designs in North America. http://jamesrosati.org/artwork/monumental/monumental.htm If you're in downtown Richmond, stop by and take a look. There's an unrelated fountain in the neighboring plaza. [Review 11957 overall, 1739 of 2019.]

Starting in the 1800s, the area near what is now Richmond's Rothesay neighborhood was occupied by a…read morelarge number of granite quarries. As they closed and were allowed to fill with water, they became popular recreation spots. Back in 1931, a Richmond man named Jimmie Scott purchased four forested acres in Rothesay including the Philadelphia Quarry. Local legend holds that the quarry provided the stone used to build Philadelphia's expansive New Public Building, now known as City Hall, thereby earning its name. The next year, Scott opened The Philadelphia Quarry Club, a private swimming hole. The $50 yearly membership fee was out of reach for most Richmonders, especially at the height of the Depression. At first, the club leadership struggled to even build a permanent bath house. But despite financial difficulties, occasional algae blooms, toe-nibbling fish, and battles against the local nonpoisonous snake population, the exclusive and secretive club has survived to this day and now has more than 400 members. ‍‍

Owned by J. G. Pemberton, Saguaro Hill is a little piece of Arizona right here in Richmond!~…read more Anyone who has driven by this place has probably wondered what it is... apparently the back story is that after retiring a local Richmond citizen has actually set out to recreate a desert locale with his property. Having only seen it from the street I can't comment on the inside, but it's worth driving visitors by to gawk... there are a million kinds of cactii visible from the street and it looks like a theme park of sorts... I read up on it at the link below... This is definitely one of the quirkier aspects of Richmond, worth a drive by and maybe a tour if you can get one... http://books.google.com/books?id=-Uc5yO1eLe0C&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=saguaro+hill+pemberton&source=bl&ots=lOZk9N_9iB&sig=03moZ025xBeKjIUUX_IP7hzsfz4&hl=en&ei=TgoVTNauK8P7lwezxumPDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=saguaro%20hill%20pemberton&f=false

This is a neat distraction that catches your eye while driving down the road. It looks like a…read moreranch that is in a desert...cacti and everything! Fun to see.

Who knew that Richmond had so much culture? This city has a lot of mural in its downtown area and…read morethey are all so good. You can literally jump from one mural to the next. I wish I could do a page for each and everyone, but that would be a full time job. You will find concentrations of them in an area by the canal and near the downtown restaurants. I wish I could pick a favorite or two, but they are also so good. I recommend spending a half day to a day on a public art tour. The downtown area is rich with art and I believe that you will throughly enjoy it.

Murals EVERYWHERE! We had one right across from our AirBnB building. I love public art, even if…read moreit's not my taste- I am always happy to see as much of it out there hopefully sparking interest, conversations and inspiring others to create. Murals throughout cities are some of my favorite ways to explore a city, they tell so much about locals, what they love, who they are, where they come from and what direction they want to go. Artist: James Bullough, 620 N Lombardy St- the mural of the floating lady is captivating. Artist: Lelo, 1711 East Main St (has lots around town)- great unique style that has you seeing more than one thing in the vibrant colors! Here's one site that gave me artist info on the ones I saw: https://richmondmuralproject.squarespace.com/murals-1

This is located off of the Richmond Canal. It is home to two of the most awesome sculptures that I…read morehave ever seen, Freedom and The Headsman. There is also the The Mill Sculpture there too. There is metered street parking available within a reasonable walking distance and it is open from sunrise to sunset. This park has a ton of green space which makes it more than suitable for special events, concerts and festivals. Some events held here include Earth Day Festival, Friday Cheers concert series, and the Richmond Folk Festival. There was a rock festival going on while I was there that charged admission. The island is named after Elijah Brown, the lands first settler, who acquired the land in 1826. A later owner named Neilson tried to rename the island as Neilson's Island, but it did not last. This park offers 6 acres of pretty much wide open space and is well maintained. It is really not a destination spot though, outside of special events. It is still a nice place to visit if you are in the area and the sculptures are must sees.

Been here plenty of times for concerts and I love it. Parking sucks but it is what it is in a city…read more Finally took a walk around the actual trails and it's absolutely beautiful. Def somewhere to go for beautiful sights and plenty of things to see

Another Richmond landmark church. This one is famous for its Tiffany windows, so if you are a…read morestained glass or Tiffany fan, this is the place to see. As Paul M noted in his review, this church is also famous as being the place where Jefferson Davis learned the he had lost the Civil War from Robert E. Lee. The church is also famous for being built by legendary Greek Revival Architect Thomas S Stewart and was completed in 1845. . A massive entrance portico of eight columns with ornate Corinthian capitals dominates the exterior of the building. An octagonal dome replaced the original 225 foot-high spire, long since removed due to fear of its instability. This church is an excellent example of Greek Revival church architecture.

I go down to Richmond about once or twice a month for work, and when I have some time I come in…read morehere for some reflection. I admire the history, the windows, the tombs and the monuments inside the Church. I like the flags, the silence, the solitude. I love the smell. But most of all I come here to marvel at the fact that this Church is where President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis got the message from Robert E. Lee that the South had lost the Civil War. On Sunday April 2nd 1865, whilst attending this Church, Jefferson Davis got a message from Lee stating that he was withdrawing from Petersburg - that the 10 month siege was over - and thus he could no longer defend Richmond. General Grant and the Union army were on their way. Davis evacuated the Confederate Government from the city and then Lee surrendered at Appomattox exactly one week later. Can you imagine this? You can sit in the same pew that Davis sat in when he was given that message. 10 months earlier Lee had been thwarting Grant, Sherman was getting stuck in Tennessee and Lincoln's re-election looked impossible. For a few horrible months it actually looked as if the South would win. But then Atlanta falls, Lincoln is re-elected, Lee gives in at Petersburg and the nation's long nightmare has ended. And in this Church, in a pew near the front, is where they finally realized that it was over.

I must say, the Dupont James River Plant is pretty much the bomb when it comes to local eats. I've…read morelived in the ol' River City for almost my whole life. I've done it all, from barbecue on Texas Beach to bourgeois eats downtown at many of our finest restaurants. It's all fine and dandy, but I'll be the first to tell you, nothing can beat a fine batch of 98% sulfuric acid. The folks at Veolia are true masters of the craft, and this is the best contact process acid money can buy, with none of that nasty lead taste that comes with cheap tower acid. Literally, you can feel the atmosphere as soon as you walk past the fences and warning signs, slowly eating away at your skin. That's not even to mention the heavy industrial noise which provides a soothing background to the culinary delights within. As for the flavor? I think the legendary Dr. R. S. Shallenberger put it best. "Persons who have drawn concentrated sulfuric acid into a pipet with oral suction, and obtained the acid on the tongue through poor technique, report that it tastes sweet before the onset of corrosive action." What are you waiting for? This is a beverage that will truly melt your tongue...