Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Virginia Museum of History & Culture
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A history museum and research library, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture has been connecting people to America's past through the unparalleled story of Virginia for more than 180 years. T Visit today to view our award winning exhibitions that are entertaining and educational for visitors of all ages. We are the only museum with all of Virginia's history under one roof — all centuries, all regions, and all topics are covered. Although designated the Official State Historical Society, we are a privately funded non-profit organization that relies on contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations to sustain its operations. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is located at 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond, Virginia 23220 in Richmond's Museum District. Currently Closed for Construction: Regular hours resume July 1. Galleries and museum shop open every day: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Library open Monday to Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- FirstTimetoItaly252 contributionssurprisingly good!Comprehensive, well-balanced, and modern introductory movie, well worth 15 minutes. The Julia Child exhibit was chock full of interesting moments and insights. Each wing has a special focus; enjoyed the "regions of VA" enhanced by large-scale photographs and sound effects and also the more traditional chronological history. Great for adults, good for teens, and there is a section for kids but we breezed by it. Thankfully, it doesn't dwell heavily on Civil War (although it cannot be ignored) and the museum emphasizes that "the lost cause" is part of history, but does not reflect actual history.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 26, 2024
- TravelinMsFredericksburg, Virginia45 contributionsThe Real Virginia, Warts and AllWe really enjoyed this museum, which made history interesting and was about more than just history. The special exhibit on Julia Child was a treat, and we enjoyed the exhibit about the thousands of schools built for Black children (who had been excluded from White schools) as well. Not being from Virginia, we learned a lot about the state and its unique history--some of it good and some of it bad. It's a museum for all ages, with interactive exhibits for kids, and I'd highly recommend visiting.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten July 1, 2024
- Linda D6 contributionsA Virginia GemWe thought this museum was extremely interesting. The building itself is classic and beautiful and the exhibits seem to have been updated fairly recently. We spent several hours in the "Our Commonwealth" exhibit. This is a section about the 5 regions of Virginia - the geography, history, culture, foods and people of each region. It was very well done and we learned a lot. There is also an exhibit of landscape paintings of Virginia. They are beautiful paintings and represent historical and current Virginia and areas from the coast to the mountains. The dining area was different than I expected. It was fairly small with limited offerings, and the food was delicious. The other areas of the museum looked very interesting, but we did not have enough time to view them thoroughly. This is a wonderful institution and well worth visiting.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten October 2, 2024
- Howie829 contributionsVault Tour is a HighlightSeveral times a month, one can book the vault tour which allows members to see some of the curated highlights of the collection in a small group setting. The leaders of the tour were excellent, and the items in the vault were wide-ranging and wonderful to see. If you're not a member but visiting Richmond, you might think the cost of membership excludes you from the event, but you'd be supporting a fine museum with a strong mission. If you're a local, lend a hand to your neighbors who are doing the job to save history and make it accessible to everyone.Visited November 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten November 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
276 reviews
Excellent
189
Very good
68
Average
15
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Kevin M
7 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
We want here to see the apollo exhibit. It was very well done and very informative. The rest of the museum was also well done. The different rooms showing the history of the various regions of Virginia was nicely organized and even kept our 2 year old granddaughter interested. We will definitely be back
Written December 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jehenson81
Washington DC, DC25,938 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
This museum was delightful. They have free parking and a suggested entrance fee (I paid the full $10). The exhibits are like a snapshot of the overall US History but more detailed. I really liked all the artifacts they had including some from the founding fathers. The weapons exhibit was also very cool as was the silver room. The one room that really caught my attention was the restored murals from the oldest part of the museum. The one of Lee and his generals was my favorite as they all looked just like their photos.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WC-Travelers-75
West Chester, PA2,185 contributions
Oct 2019
We ended up visiting here as a rainy day activity and it exceeded our expectations. We spent 2 hours here before being ushered out at 5 pm.(The guards were trailing us as it got close to 5 to make sure we were headed out).
The Story of Virginia exhibit in Rooms 7 and 8 was excellent and we took our time here. The Memorial Military Murals are not to be missed. Founding Frenemies exhibit was in final preparation for October 19 opening so we were allowed to wander through by the workmen, which led to Landscapes of Diversity.
The Determined: The 400 year Struggle for Black Equality was excellent to the extent we were able to spend some time there...but we did not finish since close to closing.
Parking is free and we were able to park our 23 ft RV in 2 spaces since not crowded
BTW, we did pay the full requested donation on the way out - great value.
The Story of Virginia exhibit in Rooms 7 and 8 was excellent and we took our time here. The Memorial Military Murals are not to be missed. Founding Frenemies exhibit was in final preparation for October 19 opening so we were allowed to wander through by the workmen, which led to Landscapes of Diversity.
The Determined: The 400 year Struggle for Black Equality was excellent to the extent we were able to spend some time there...but we did not finish since close to closing.
Parking is free and we were able to park our 23 ft RV in 2 spaces since not crowded
BTW, we did pay the full requested donation on the way out - great value.
Written April 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ActiveLife4Me
Richmond, VA14 contributions
Dec 2020 • Friends
This is a fabulous museum! I learn something new each time I visit. It has helped me gain a better understanding of Virginia’s past and all of the people who have lived here and the cultures they represent. The museum is privately funded and on the cutting edge of technology. This was the first museum in the area to post exhibits for adults online during the pandemic. The Banner lectures connect people with authors of new books with fascinating true stories. (These are better than fiction, because you can’t make this stuff up.) The gift shop offers an interesting assortment of books and gifts for all ages. Researchers find a treasure trove at this museum.
The museum is taking advantage of the challenges brought by the pandemic to remodel, so it’s closed now. I’ll be excited to visit it again when it re-opens.
The museum is taking advantage of the challenges brought by the pandemic to remodel, so it’s closed now. I’ll be excited to visit it again when it re-opens.
Written December 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FLtrotter
St. Augustine, FL356 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
Its a fine museum but unless we missed a floor or two, we felt there was some lacking. Maybe instead of ‘Virginia’ as the theme it could of been ‘Southeast’ or ‘Mid-Atlantic’ region and then there could’ve been more exhibits. I just feel there’s more history and actual items of history to display then what we saw at this museum.
Written October 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comment. We agree, and we are happy to announce that we are in the midst of a large scale renovation which will double the gallery space, add a new cafe, reimagine the library and add event space. We hope you will return to visit once this project is complete in Spring 2022.
Written April 30, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shelmurr
Va45 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We’ve lived in Richmond since 1985. This was our first visit. It is exhaustive and quite the entertainment for an afternoon or even a day, with a break for lunch. Lots of standing. We’re seniors... The story of 400 years of the African-American experience in Virginia is very impressive. Highly recommended.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cordyroy
Mobile, AL2,325 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
We didn't enjoy our visit. I think a significant portion was closed but entry was not reduced. We thought the exhibits we did see were dull. And why was there no history of the Native American population prior to the English arrival? Surely that is Virginian history too. As is, it's not worth the time or money.
Written October 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comment. We agree, and we are happy to announce that we are in the midst of a large scale renovation which will double the gallery space, add a new cafe, reimagine the library and add event space. We hope you will return to visit once this project is complete in Spring 2022.
Written April 30, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
knowsnyc
887 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
I had high hopes.
The cafe was limited and the offerings were not appealing. So we ate at the free museum next door.
The layout was confusing.
The blockbuster, see what I did, was a show about Legos. Now this did bring in kids and their parents, which is a good thing. This was geared to the fact that Lego is opening a factory in Virginia. I am sure that, too, is a good thing but seemed a tad commercial for a museum.
The only exhibit I found almost worth the price of admission was the one on the Rosenwald schools….almost 5,000 of them were funded by the Sears CEO to educate Black students during Jim Crow. I had known about the schools, but had not known the late Rep. John Lewis was an alumnus. Plus I listened to the recorded remarks of other alumni. That belonged in this museum, I thought.
The cafe was limited and the offerings were not appealing. So we ate at the free museum next door.
The layout was confusing.
The blockbuster, see what I did, was a show about Legos. Now this did bring in kids and their parents, which is a good thing. This was geared to the fact that Lego is opening a factory in Virginia. I am sure that, too, is a good thing but seemed a tad commercial for a museum.
The only exhibit I found almost worth the price of admission was the one on the Rosenwald schools….almost 5,000 of them were funded by the Sears CEO to educate Black students during Jim Crow. I had known about the schools, but had not known the late Rep. John Lewis was an alumnus. Plus I listened to the recorded remarks of other alumni. That belonged in this museum, I thought.
Written December 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diver Dan
Washington DC, DC309 contributions
Aug 2020
If you want to understand how consequential Virginia was to the US. Arguably the most important State, you owe this a visit. Problem is, although next to the Fine Arts Museum, no way to take them both in at the same time or even day. Spread them out, but this is maybe why you went to Richmond as a visitor. Very educational and worthwhile.
Written August 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Domenic
Richmond, VA109 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
We spent a couple hours here the other day. Because if covid it is set up as a one way walk through and masks are required. I really enjoyed reading about the earliest days of the history of Virginia. The fiat settlers in Jamestown to the conflicts with the many Indian tribes in the area. Even so far as the sailing routes of Columbus and the other explorers of the new world.
The artifacts used to describe the way of life and the conflicts were very interesting. Some of the later history concerned with Our country’s founding fathers from Virginia was very good.
Towards the later part of the tour you see a lot of excellent Civil War history from weaponry to medicine. I think I would have enjoyed a little more literature in why Virginia joined the other states in seceding from Union.
We then see a cool room showcasing Naomi of the companies and technology developed in Richmond and Virginia. Not much about the rest of the state (Roanoke my former residence).
A cool room detaining woman suffrage and the women’s movement along with the LGBT movement.
It was a really good couple of hours but I need to go back as I didn’t give the last few rooms as much time as I needed.
The artifacts used to describe the way of life and the conflicts were very interesting. Some of the later history concerned with Our country’s founding fathers from Virginia was very good.
Towards the later part of the tour you see a lot of excellent Civil War history from weaponry to medicine. I think I would have enjoyed a little more literature in why Virginia joined the other states in seceding from Union.
We then see a cool room showcasing Naomi of the companies and technology developed in Richmond and Virginia. Not much about the rest of the state (Roanoke my former residence).
A cool room detaining woman suffrage and the women’s movement along with the LGBT movement.
It was a really good couple of hours but I need to go back as I didn’t give the last few rooms as much time as I needed.
Written August 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes they have historical clothes but not all in one place. A lot of displays are a timeline across dozens or hundreds of years and they feature difficult real people - and their uniforms or clothes.
Written September 6, 2019
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