Special Exhibit - Then & Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s

History is often marked in milestones. Join the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society in taking a look back at what the City of Charlottesville was like 50 years ago, in the 1970s.

Located in the Vault Virginia Gallery, this exhibition features 10 portraits by local artist and activist Frances Brand. These portraits are part of Brand’s “Gallery of Firsts,” a collection she created of over 150 paintings of local pioneers. The portraits on display - celebrating local figures like Charles Barbour, Eugene Williams, and Nancy O’Brien - represent an important vision for the future of the City of Charlottesville that many others held in the 1970s.

Supported by historic photographs, newspaper articles, and additional images, this exhibition explores how civic leadership, social activism, and community engagement shaped the decade.

Entrance to Vault Virginia is located on 3rd Street. Take the elevator or stairs up one level to Level 1 where the gallery is located. The exhibition will be open Mondays-Fridays, 9am-5pm.