Battersea Foundation

08/31/2026

🎨🖼️CALL FOR ART: Petersburg as Muse 🖼️📸

✨An October 2026 exhibition at the Petersburg Visitor Center✨

Artists are invited to submit original artwork for "Petersburg as Muse", a community exhibition celebrating Petersburg, Virginia, to be presented in October 2026 at the Petersburg Visitor Center, located in the historic Southside Depot at 37 River Street. The exhibition seeks artwork in any medium that reflects, interprets, or responds to Petersburg’s people, places, history, architecture, landscapes, culture, neighborhoods, creative spirit, and evolving story.

Exhibition Theme:

Submitted work should be meaningfully connected to Petersburg, Virginia. Artists may explore the city through personal memory, local landmarks, historic events, everyday life, community traditions, natural and urban landscapes, contemporary change, or imaginative interpretations inspired by Petersburg. Work may be representational, abstract, documentary, conceptual, or experimental, provided that the connection to Petersburg is clear in the artist statement.

Find out more here: https://calendar.richmondcultureworks.org/opportunities/call-for-entries-petersburg-as-muse/

08/27/2026

Last week, we were delighted to welcome the Garden Club of Virginia and Ms. Rachel Phipps back to Battersea as Rachel presented her findings on Battersea’s rich natural landscape and history.

Earlier this year, Battersea was selected as the site of the Garden Club of Virginia’s 2026 Historic Landscape Fellowship, and we have been eagerly following Rachel’s research as she explores the landscape, history, and stories that make Battersea a national treasure.

To learn more about the Fellowship and Rachel’s work, visit the homepage or Blog on our website at www.batterseafound.org.

08/24/2026

Join us on September 26th for our next installment of The Articles of Conversation, A Closer Look at Orangeries! We are delighted to co-host this lecture with Sergei Troubetzkoy, Historic Petersburg Foundation, Inc., and Petersburg Garden Club.

This free lecture will cover the history and rise of American Orangeries such as the one at Battersea. Advance reservations are required due to limited seating.

Please note: This event will be held in the Multipurpose Room of the Petersburg Public Library | 201 W Washington St, Petersburg, VA 23803 | September 26th, 2-4PM

To learn more about what an orangery is and to reserve your free ticket, please visit: https://www.batterseafound.org/calendar/orangery

08/11/2026

Stucco work has officially begun!

Our next phase in the restoration process has been applying stucco to the back side of the house and continuing to preserve Battersea’s historic craftsmanship.

08/04/2026

No weekend plans? No problem!

Not only is our Monthly Open House this Saturday August 8th, but this coming Sunday is also our Geneaology Workshop. Both events are free to the public and great ways to learn more about Battersea's history. Check out our website at www.batterseafound.org to learn more.

Open House: August 8th | 1-4PM
Geneaology Workshop: August 9th | 2-4PM | Free, but reservation required

We hope to see you this weekend at one of these events (or both!)

07/30/2026

Lights, Camera... Action at Battersea! 🎬 Last month, we hosted a crew from Caring Field Films and Healing Voice Pictures to shoot their sci-fi short film, The Caretaker, screenplay by Karen Lanning and directed by Ramona Taylor. Ramona Leigh Taylor Karen Lanning

Thank you for choosing Battersea as the backdrop for your project and letting us take a sneak pic at your movie magic. We can't wait to see it!

Photography by Julianne Tripp Hillian | JTH PHOTOGRAPHY and drone shots by Ryan Gary | The Sunroom

07/21/2026

We've got a last minute addition to our Calendar of Events! 🌳 Join us on August 9th from 2-4pm for a free Geneaology Workshop!

Inspired by his research on the Banister family, Battersea Historian, Davis Simmons will share the "how to's" and resources on how to do basic family geneaology in a short presentation, followed by questions from the audience.

This is a free event and open to all. Only 30 spots will be held for participants and advance registration is required. You can reserve your free ticket by visiting www.batterseafound.org/calendar/familytree

07/08/2026

Our July Open House is right around the corner, this Saturday July 11 from 1-4pm!

As always, our Open Houses are FREE to the public. We encourage you to come by for a tour, explore the house and grounds, and learn more about our upcoming programs and projects.

P.S... we have AC to help you beat the heat! We hope to see you there!

07/06/2026

🎙️ Tune into our most recent radio feature! Special thanks to K-LOVE Radio for hosting Battersea on their Closer Look program!

Our Historical Researcher, Davis Simmons had the chance to go on-air and share more about John Banister and Petersburg's Revolutionary roots and Battersea's educational mission.

Listen here:

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

06/19/2026

Reminder: Our June Open House is THIS Saturday! Come join us from 1-3:30 pm, see the villa, and catch up with everything we’ve been busy with!

Schedule Change!

This month's Open House will be held on June 20th from 1pm to 3:30pm. Please note: There will be NO Open House this Saturday June 13th.

We've been working on some exciting projects and can't wait to share some updates in person! Come stop by and spend part of your afternoon in the villa. We hope to see you there!

1289 Upper Appomattox Street, Petersburg VA, 23803.