At Ceremonial Groundbreaking, Shockoe Institute Invites Nation to “Learn, Reflect, and Act”

April 3, 2025  - Press Release

Richmond Mayor, elected officials, ARtGlass, other partners gather to celebrate Institute’s momentum, mission, future focus 

Today, the Shockoe Institute held a ceremonial groundbreaking in historic Main Street Station, a few short steps from where the Institute is currently being built. The event took place on the 160th anniversary of Richmond’s Emancipation Day, when Union troops took control of the city in 1865 and enslaved Richmonders were freed.  

The Shockoe Institute is a national organization headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, dedicated to revealing the enduring impact of racial slavery on our shared American experience. 

 The event featured remarks from Shockoe Institute President & CEO Marland Buckner and Richmond Mayor Dr. Danny Avula, as well as a musical performance by Leyla McCalla, the Institute’s Founding Artistic Director and an internationally known singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Following the formal event, guests took turns signing a ceremonial steel beam. 

 Partners in attendance included ARtGlass, Devon Henry of Team Henry Enterprises, LLC, Local Projects, Baskervill, and local elected officials. The Shockoe Institute has also partnered with Bloomberg Connects to launch a new, digital guide on their free arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropes, which will make the Shockoe Institute accessible for both onsite and offsite visitors. 

 Mayor Avula shared his excitement for the project when he addressed those in attendance. In a statement, Mayor Avula said: 

 “Today’s groundbreaking for the Shockoe Institute is a deeply meaningful step for our City and I am personally moved to have been present to witness it,” said Richmond Mayor Dr. Danny Avula. “Resilient, forward-thinking cities must have the courage to honestly tell their stories, even when that legacy is complex and painful because of the stain of human bondage and slavery. The continuing progress of the Shockoe Institute, a privately funded initiative, demonstrates that Richmond can move into the future while it reckons with the past in a way that honors community expectations. I want to thank the Shockoe Institute for its important work and the Mellon Foundation for providing an $11 million grant to support this effort.” 

 The City of Richmond recently announced the selection of Team Henry Enterprises, LLC, as the contractor to build the Shockoe Institute. Founder Devon Henry, an expert in historic revitalizations with an impressive and diverse national portfolio, was also in attendance.  

 “This is more than a construction project — this is sacred ground,” said Devon Henry, CEO of Team Henry Enterprises. “We’re honored to help bring the Shockoe Institute to life, not just as builders, but as stewards of history. This space will stand as a testament to the strength, resilience, and contributions of the African American community — and we’re proud to play a role in shaping a place where truth, remembrance, and progress meet.” 

 The Shockoe Institute has also partnered with ARtGlass and Snap Inc. to launch a groundbreaking wearable augmented reality (AR) tour, exploring Richmond’s pivotal role in America’s trade in enslaved people. The immersive touring experience is the first in the world to combine Spectacles, Snap’s standalone, see-through AR glasses, with ARtGlass’ powerful storytelling technology. 

 “Through this collaboration, Spectacles invite visitors to explore this chapter of history firsthand through the eyes of those who lived it,” said Karolina Matras, Spectacles Partnership Manager at Snap Inc. “Our augmented reality technology is an immersive medium to deepen our connection to history and ultimately bring people closer together.” 

“We are honored to help bring this painful but essential history to new audiences,” said ARtGlass Executive Vice President Lexi Cleveland. “We see this collaboration and combination of technologies as the next step in transforming cultural tourism.” 

Local Projects, a multi-disciplinary design studio, in collaboration with local architecture firm Baskervill, are working to bring the over 12,000 square-foot educational space to life through innovative design, providing visitors a space for reckoning and understanding. 

 “As a design team, we’re always excited to partner with teams who are optimistic about the future, but realistic about the work and courage it will take to do things differently,” said L’Rai Arthur-Mensah, Executive Account Director with Local Projects. “The Shockoe Institute is deeply rooted in the authenticity and legacy of a historic place. It’s also a bold vision for what cultural spaces can be — a place to spark conversations, explore differences in perspective, and inspire folks to see what is possible by driving towards real solutions to societal challenges that affect all of us.”  

 “The Shockoe Institute will transform history into a living, breathing conversation, allowing for a past that’s not solely remembered but actively engaged,” said Burt Pinnock, FAIA, NOMA, the principal and chairman of the board at Baskervill. “Baskervill is profoundly grateful to all who share in this vision, and we look ahead with hope and determination to the impact it will have for generations to come.”  

“Today’s groundbreaking emphasized a centerpiece of the Shockoe Institute’s work: the story of America is the story of the struggle to expand human freedom,” said Shockoe Institute President & CEO Marland Buckner. “From our event today to our upcoming stops across the Commonwealth, to the very day we open our doors, visitors will learn that ours is a place of learning, reflection, and action; relentlessly interdisciplinary and unapologetically evidence-based; generous in our approach, bold in our execution, and dedicated to understanding how our past informs our present, so that we can work together to create a better future. That’s why the Shockoe Institute exists, it’s what sets our mission apart, and it’s what drives our tireless efforts.” 

The Shockoe Institute will take a version of their interactive lab on the road, with stops planned in Alexandria and Charlottesville in the early summer and fall of 2025.  

About The Shockoe Institute  

The Shockoe Institute is a national organization headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, dedicated to revealing the enduring impact of racial slavery on our shared American experience. The Institute has undertaken a transformative project to develop an over 12,000 square foot exhibition and educational facility, located in Shockoe Bottom at Richmond’s historic Main Street Station. The Institute is an independent, nonprofit entity that will serve as a place of learning, reflection, and action by examining the evolution of racial slavery in the Commonwealth, Richmond’s pivotal role in America’s internal trade in enslaved people, and the national ramifications of this history. Through data-informed, evidence-based examination of America’s legacy of enslavement, the Shockoe Institute seeks to play a constructive role in creating solutions to help create a better future. Learn more at shockoeinstitute.org. 

About Snap Inc. 
Snap Inc. is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. Visit snap.com. 
 
About ARtGlass 
ARtGlass, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and Milan, Italy, is the first company to scale wearable AR experiences in cultural tourism. Through its TourBuilder platform and managed services, museums, archaeological sites and beyond can create immersive, compelling location-based digital experiences for smartglasses, tablets, or smartphones. Millions of visitors worldwide have engaged with ARtGlass experiences at iconic historic and cultural sites. Visit artglassgroup.com. 

About Bloomberg 
Bloomberg Connects is a free digital guide to hundreds of cultural organizations around the world that makes it easy to access and engage with arts and culture from mobile devices, anytime, anywhere. Participating organizations include botanical gardens, historic houses, outdoor sculpture parks, and world-class museums. Bloomberg Connects features expert commentary, engaging audio content, accessibility features, interactive maps, and is available in over 40 languages through Google Translate. 
 
About Team Henry Enterprises, LLC 
Team Henry Enterprises, LLC is a full-service general contracting and construction management firm known for delivering high-quality infrastructure and vertical construction projects across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. As a leading expert in cultural construction projects and landscape development, Team Henry brings a deep understanding of historically significant spaces, heritage sites, and community-centered work. With a commitment to integrity, safety, and innovation, Team Henry partners with government, commercial, and private sector clients to build projects that honor the past and shape the future. Learn more at www.teamhenryent.com. 

About Local Projects 
Local Projects is a woman-led, multi-disciplinary design studio best known for technologically advanced work that drives emotional engagement. Founded 20 years ago, our NYC-based studio consists of a team of experienced design, creative technology, project management, and operations professionals. Utilizing our unique capabilities and creative process, we produce best-in-class, groundbreaking projects around the world.   
 
About Baskervill 
Founded in Richmond, Virginia, in 1897, Baskervill is one of the nation’s oldest continually operating architectural firms with a growing global footprint. Baskervill offers creative architectural, interior design and MEP engineering solutions to a varied client base, from hotels and resorts to civic and higher education institutions, healthcare organizations, corporate workplaces, mixed-use developments and more. Employing their proven Ask. Listen. Create. methodology, Baskervill works collaboratively with clients to design spaces that empower ideas and connect people. Learn more at baskervill.com.   

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