Va. Historical Society to host WWI exhibition

February 11, 2018 at 12:00a.m.

RICHMOND, VA.

The Virginia Historical Society will host one of the biggest centennial commemorations of World War I, featuring items such as President Woodrow Wilson’s hat and cane, magician Harry Houdini’s handcuffs and a recreated movie house showing popular films from the time.

“WW1 America,” the largest traveling exhibition about the Great War, is set to open Saturday. Richmond is the only scheduled venue on the East Coast for the 6,000-square-foot exhibition. It will run through July 29.

A second exhibition opening the same day – “The Commonwealth and the Great War” – will highlight the role of Virginia and Virginians in the war, including major universities such as Virginia Tech and Virginia Military Institute. That exhibit will run through Nov. 18.