List of museums in Virginia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of cool museums you can visit in Virginia! Museums are special places where people collect, take care of, and show off amazing objects. These objects can be about history, art, science, or even everyday life from long ago. They help us learn about the past, understand the world around us, and spark our imagination. Get ready to explore some awesome places!

Awesome Museums to Explore
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Awesome Museums to Explore

Science and Discovery Museums

Amazement Square (Lynchburg): This museum is packed with hands-on exhibits where you can explore science, art, and technology in fun ways. It's a great place to get curious!
Children's Museum of Richmond (Richmond): Discover and play with interactive exhibits designed to spark creativity and learning.
Children's Museum of Virginia (Portsmouth): Dive into a world of imagination with hands-on exhibits that make learning about science, history, and art exciting.
Children's Science Center Lab (Fairfax): This is Northern Virginia's first interactive museum where kids and families can explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through fun, hands-on activities.
Danville Science Center (Danville): Get hands-on with science displays and learn about natural history.
Explore More Discovery Museum (Harrisonburg): A fantastic place for kids to learn and play through interactive exhibits.
Science Museum of Virginia (Richmond): Explore amazing science exhibits and learn about how the world works.
Science Museum of Western Virginia (Roanoke): Another great spot for hands-on science fun and discovery.
Virginia Air and Space Center (Hampton): Blast off into space exploration! See real NASA spacecraft and Air Force planes.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center (Virginia Beach): Discover incredible marine life and learn about ocean science. It's like an underwater adventure!
Virginia Discovery Museum (Charlottesville): This museum offers exhibits on arts, sciences, history, and nature, perfect for curious minds.
Virginia Living Museum (Newport News): Explore Virginia's natural history and ecosystems. See live mammals, fish, reptiles, and birds up close.

History and Culture Museums

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum (Williamsburg): See amazing folk art and furniture, showing off unique American artistic traditions. It's part of Colonial Williamsburg.
Alexandria Archaeology Museum (Alexandria): Learn about the city's archaeological history and how archaeologists uncover clues from the past.
Alexandria Black History Museum (Alexandria): Explore the rich history of African Americans in Alexandria.
American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar (Richmond): Located at Tredegar Iron Works, this museum tells the story of the Civil War from different viewpoints: Union, Confederate, and African American.
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown (Yorktown): Learn about America's journey from colonies to a nation. You can even see a re-created Continental Army camp and a Revolution-era farm!
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (Appomattox): Visit the actual village where the Civil War ended. See original and rebuilt 19th-century buildings.
Arlington Historical Museum (Arlington): Discover the local history of Arlington.
Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia (Richmond): Learn about the history and culture of African Americans in Virginia.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum (Bristol): Explore the history of the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which recorded some of the earliest country music in America.
Booker T. Washington National Monument (Hardy): Visit the plantation where Booker T. Washington, a famous leader, was born into slavery.
Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg): Step back in time to a colonial American city! Explore historic buildings, meet costumed interpreters, and experience life from long ago.
Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia (Staunton): This outdoor museum features five historic, reconstructed working farms from different cultures and time periods, showing how early settlers lived.
Hampton History Museum (Hampton): Learn about the history of Hampton, Virginia.
Historic Jamestown (Jamestown): Explore the original site of the first permanent English settlement in North America. See artifacts and learn about early colonial life.
James Madison Museum (Orange): Discover the life of President James Madison and his wife, Dolley Madison, and learn about farming and transportation in their time.
Jamestown Settlement (Jamestown): Experience early colonial life with re-creations of a Powhatan village, English ships, and a colonial fort.
Josephine School Community Museum (Berryville): Learn about the history of Clarke County's African-American community.
Lynchburg Museum (Lynchburg): Explore the history of Lynchburg, located in the old courthouse.
MacArthur Memorial (Norfolk): Visit the tomb and museum dedicated to the life of General Douglas MacArthur, a famous military leader.
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site (Richmond): Learn about Maggie L. Walker, the first woman to be president of a bank in the U.S., and her work for civil rights.
Manassas Museum (Manassas): Discover the local history of Manassas.
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (Winchester): This museum features a historic house, art collection, decorative arts, and beautiful gardens.
National Museum of the Civil War Soldier (Petersburg): Part of Pamplin Historical Park, this museum tells the stories of the three million soldiers who fought in the American Civil War.
National Inventors Hall of Fame (Alexandria): Learn about amazing American inventions and the people who created them.
Poe Museum (Richmond): Explore the life and works of the famous author Edgar Allan Poe, focusing on his time in Richmond.
Robert Russa Moton Museum (Farmville): This museum tells important stories about civil rights and segregation.
Southwest Virginia Museum (Big Stone Gap): Discover the history, culture, and industries of Southwest Virginia.
The Valentine (Richmond): Learn about Richmond's history, culture, and government. See sculptures and explore the historic 1812 John Wickham House.
Virginia Historical Society (Richmond): Explore Virginia's rich history through exhibits and collections.
Virginia Holocaust Museum (Richmond): Learn about the Holocaust, a very important and somber part of world history.
Virginia Museum of the Civil War (New Market): Located in New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, this museum covers Virginia's role in the Civil War.
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum (Staunton): Visit the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson and learn about his life.

Art Museums

Athenaeum (Alexandria): Home to the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association, this museum hosts various art exhibitions.
Charles Taylor Arts Center (Hampton): A visual arts center that presents many changing art exhibitions each year.
Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk): This museum has huge collections of European and American paintings, sculptures, glass, and art from many different cultures.
Fralin Museum of Art (Charlottesville): Part of the University of Virginia, its collection includes African art, American Indian art, and European and American paintings.
Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (Farmville): This museum, part of Longwood University, features art by Virginia and American artists, folk art, and art from around the world.
Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College (Lynchburg): Part of Randolph College, this museum focuses on American art from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Muscarelle Museum of Art (Williamsburg): Part of The College of William & Mary, this museum showcases a variety of art.
Peninsula Fine Arts Center (Newport News): A great place to see different art exhibitions.
Piedmont Arts (Martinsville): This center features exhibitions by international, national, and regional artists in its seven galleries.
Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center (Portsmouth): Located in the Portsmouth Courthouse, this center offers various art exhibitions.
Taubman Museum of Art (Roanoke): This museum focuses on American art, especially from Western Virginia and the Appalachian region.
Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria): Explore three floors of open studios and galleries where you can see artists at work and view their creations.
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (Virginia Beach): This museum focuses on art from the 20th century, with changing exhibitions of American and international artists.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond): This museum has an enormous collection of 33,000 works of art from almost every major world culture. It's a must-see for art lovers!
William King Museum of Art (Abingdon): See fine world art, contemporary regional art, and cultural heritage exhibits.
Workhouse Arts Center (Lorton): A cool place with visual and performing arts studios, exhibition spaces, and art education programs.

Military and Transportation Museums

A.A.F. Tank Museum (Danville): See an international collection of tanks and cavalry artifacts.
Air Power Park (Hampton): An outdoor park with aircraft and rockets, plus a museum with aircraft models and artifacts.
C&O Railway Heritage Center (Clifton Forge): Learn about the history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway with equipment and artifacts.
Cold War Museum (Warrenton): Explore the history and artifacts from the Cold War era.
Fairfax Station Railroad Museum (Fairfax Station): Learn about the Civil War, railroading, and local history.
Fort Monroe Casemate Museum (Hampton): Discover the history of this 19th-century fort. You can even tour its exterior and grounds.
Fort Ward Museum (Alexandria): Visit a preserved Union Army fort and its museum.
Mariners' Museum (Newport News): Explore maritime history with incredible exhibits about ships, the sea, and human connection to the ocean.
Military Aviation Museum (Virginia Beach): See restored warbirds (military aircraft) from around the world.
National Museum of the Civil War Soldier (Petersburg): Learn about the lives of soldiers during the American Civil War.
National Museum of the Marine Corps (Triangle): Discover the history of the U.S. Marine Corps.
National Museum of the United States Army (Fort Belvoir): Explore the history of the U.S. Army.
Nauticus (Norfolk): A maritime science museum, also home to the famous battleship USS Wisconsin!
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum (Portsmouth): Learn about the history of the naval shipyard and see the Lightship Portsmouth.
Richmond Railroad Museum (Richmond): See railroad artifacts, a model railroad, and historic train cars.
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly): Part of the National Air and Space Museum, this huge museum has amazing aircraft and spacecraft, including the Space Shuttle Discovery.
U.S. Army Transportation Museum (Newport News): Learn about the history of military transportation.
Virginia Aviation Museum (Richmond): Explore the history of flight in Virginia.
Virginia Museum of Transportation (Roanoke): A fantastic museum with trains, planes, and automobiles!
Virginia War Museum (Newport News): Discover American military history from 1775 to today.
VMI Museum (Lexington): Learn about the history of Virginia Military Institute.

Historic Homes and Plantations

Adam Thoroughgood House (Virginia Beach): A 17th-century house with charming English cottage style and lovely gardens.
Agecroft Hall (Richmond): A beautiful 17th-century Tudor manor house.
Anne Spencer House (Lynchburg): The home of Anne Spencer, a famous poet from the Harlem Renaissance.
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (Arlington): Honors Robert E. Lee and includes his 19th-century house and enslaved quarters.
Bacon's Castle (Surry): A historic 17th-century house, also known as "Allen's Brick House."
Bassett Hall (Williamsburg): Another historic house that is part of Colonial Williamsburg.
Belle Grove Plantation (Middletown): A beautiful historic plantation house.
Berkeley Plantation (Charles City): A historic plantation with a rich past.
Carlyle House (Alexandria): A historic house with a fascinating story.
Cherry Hill Farmhouse (Falls Church): An 1845 Greek-revival house with authentic 18th- and 19th-century furniture.
Chatham Manor (Fredericksburg): Part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Ferry Farm (Fredericksburg): The boyhood home of George Washington!
Francis Land House (Virginia Beach): An early 19th-century plantation house.
Gadsby's Tavern Museum (Alexandria): Step into a historic 18th-century tavern.
Gunston Hall (Mason Neck): The 18th-century mansion home of George Mason, one of America's Founding Fathers.
Highland (Charlottesville): The early 19th-century estate of President James Monroe.
Hunter House Victorian Museum (Norfolk): Explore a late Victorian period house with original furnishings.
John Marshall House (Richmond): The home of John Marshall, a very important Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Kenmore Plantation (Fredericksburg): The late 18th-century home of George Washington's sister.
Lee Hall Mansion (Newport News): A mid-19th-century house used as headquarters by Confederate generals during the Civil War.
Monticello (Charlottesville): The famous estate of Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President.
Montpelier (Orange): The estate of James Madison, the fourth U.S. President.
Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon): The beloved estate of George Washington, the first U.S. President.
Oatlands Plantation (Leesburg): A beautiful 19th-century mansion and gardens.
Point of Honor (Lynchburg): An early 19th-century house with exhibits about Lynchburg's history.
Poplar Forest (Forest): Thomas Jefferson's private plantation retreat house.
Prestwould (Clarksville): A historic house with a fascinating past.
Rising Sun Tavern (Fredericksburg): Another late 18th-century period tavern.
Scotchtown (Ashland): The historic home of Patrick Henry, a famous American orator.
Sherwood Forest Plantation (Charles City): The home of President John Tyler.
Shirley Plantation (Charles City): One of Virginia's oldest active plantations.
Smithfield Plantation (Blacksburg): A late 18th-century plantation with period furniture and archaeological finds.
Stratford Hall Plantation (Stratford): The home of four generations of the Lee family of Virginia, and birthplace of Robert E. Lee.
Sully Historic Site (Chantilly): An early 19th-century Lee family house with original outbuildings and gardens.
Tuckahoe Plantation (Manakin): The boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson.
Virginia's Executive Mansion (Richmond): The home of Virginia governors since 1813.
Virginia House (Richmond): A 1920s English Tudor house operated by the Virginia Historical Society.
Weston Manor (Hopewell): An 18th-century plantation house.
White House and Museum of the Confederacy (Richmond): Learn about the Confederate government during the Civil War.
Woodlawn Plantation (Alexandria): A historic plantation house.