Top 50 Museums in Virginia - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

Virginia's museums lean hard into colonial and Revolutionary War history — Colonial Williamsburg remains the largest living history museum in the world, and it sits a short drive from both Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement, and Yorktown, where the war effectively ended. Richmond counters with a strong, free-admission fine arts museum and a deep bench of Civil War-era sites.

Virginia Museums Map

The Virginia Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Richmond, Williamsburg, and other destinations throughout Virginia.

Below is an expanded list of Virginia's museums, heavy on colonial and Revolutionary-era sites in the Williamsburg-Jamestown-Yorktown triangle, with Richmond's museum district rounding things out.

List of Museums in Virginia

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsRichmondArtFreeWorld-class art collectionshttps://vmfa.museum
Science Museum of VirginiaRichmondSciencePaidInteractive science exhibitshttps://smv.org
Virginia Museum of History & CultureRichmondHistoryPaidVirginia historyhttps://virginiahistory.org
Virginia Holocaust MuseumRichmondHistoryFreeHolocaust educationhttps://vaholocaust.org
The ValentineRichmondHistoryPaidRichmond historyhttps://thevalentine.org
American Civil War MuseumRichmondHistoryPaidCivil War historyhttps://acwm.org
Maymont Mansion MuseumRichmondHistoric HouseFreeVictorian estatehttps://maymont.org
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of VirginiaRichmondHistoryPaidAfrican American historyhttps://blackhistorymuseum.org
Edgar Allan Poe MuseumRichmondLiteraryPaidPoe collectionshttps://poemuseum.org
Agecroft Hall & GardensRichmondHistoric HousePaidTudor manor househttps://agecrofthall.org
Children's Museum of RichmondRichmondChildrenPaidInteractive learninghttps://www.childrensmuseumofrichmond.org
Virginia State Capitol Visitor CenterRichmondHistoryFreeState government historyhttps://virginiacapitol.gov
Chrysler Museum of ArtNorfolkArtFreeEuropean & American arthttps://chrysler.org
Nauticus & Battleship WisconsinNorfolkMaritimePaidNaval historyhttps://nauticus.org
Hunter House Victorian MuseumNorfolkHistoric HousePaidVictorian architecturehttps://norfolkhistoricalsociety.org
Hermitage Museum & GardensNorfolkArtPaidArt & gardenshttps://thehermitagemuseum.org
Virginia Zoo Education CenterNorfolkNatural HistoryPaidWildlife educationhttps://virginiazoo.org
Military Aviation MuseumVirginia BeachAviationPaidHistoric aircrafthttps://militaryaviationmuseum.org
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science CenterVirginia BeachMarine SciencePaidMarine lifehttps://virginiaaquarium.com
Virginia Museum of Contemporary ArtVirginia BeachContemporary ArtPaidModern art exhibitionshttps://virginiamoca.org
Cape Henry Lighthouse MuseumVirginia BeachMaritimePaidLighthouse historyhttps://preservationvirginia.org
Mariners' Museum and ParkNewport NewsMaritimeFreeMaritime historyhttps://marinersmuseum.org
Virginia Living MuseumNewport NewsNatural HistoryPaidNative wildlifehttps://thevlm.org
Newsome House MuseumNewport NewsHistoryFreeAfrican American historyhttps://nngov.com
The Mariners' Lake Exhibit CenterNewport NewsMaritimeFreeMaritime heritagehttps://marinersmuseum.org
Virginia Air & Space Science CenterHamptonSciencePaidNASA & space explorationhttps://vasc.org
Hampton History MuseumHamptonHistoryFreeLocal historyhttps://hampton.gov
Casemate Museum at Fort MonroeHamptonMilitaryFreeCivil War historyhttps://fortmonroe.org
DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts MuseumWilliamsburgDecorative ArtsPaidColonial American furniturehttps://colonialwilliamsburg.org
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art MuseumWilliamsburgFolk ArtPaidAmerican folk arthttps://colonialwilliamsburg.org
Muscarelle Museum of ArtWilliamsburgArtPaidUniversity art collectionshttps://muscarelle.wm.edu
Jamestown Settlement MuseumWilliamsburgHistoryPaidColonial Virginiahttps://jyfmuseums.org
American Revolution Museum at YorktownYorktownHistoryPaidAmerican Revolutionhttps://jyfmuseums.org
York County Historical MuseumYorktownHistoryFreeRegional heritagehttps://visityorktown.org
Virginia War MuseumNewport NewsMilitaryPaidU.S. military historyhttps://nngov.com
Virginia Museum of Natural HistoryMartinsvilleNatural HistoryPaidDinosaurs & fossilshttps://vmnh.net
Taubman Museum of ArtRoanokeArtFreeModern & regional arthttps://taubmanmuseum.org
Virginia Museum of TransportationRoanokeTransportationPaidRailroad historyhttps://vmt.org
O. Winston Link MuseumRoanokePhotographyPaidRailroad photographyhttps://roanokehistory.org
Frontier Culture MuseumStauntonLiving HistoryPaidColonial lifehttps://frontiermuseum.org
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & MuseumStauntonPresidentialPaid28th U.S. Presidenthttps://woodrowwilson.org
Museum of the Shenandoah ValleyWinchesterArt & HistoryPaidRegional history & gardenshttps://themsv.org
Shenandoah Valley Discovery MuseumWinchesterChildrenPaidHands-on learninghttps://discoverymuseum.net
P. Buckley Moss Gallery & MuseumWaynesboroArtFreeAmerican artist collectionshttps://mossmuseum.org
Fralin Museum of ArtCharlottesvilleArtFreeUniversity art museumhttps://uvafralinartmuseum.virginia.edu
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art CollectionCharlottesvilleArtFreeAustralian Aboriginal arthttps://kluge-ruhe.org
Highland (James Monroe Museum)CharlottesvilleHistoric HousePaidPresidential historyhttps://highland.org
George C. Marshall MuseumLexingtonMilitaryPaidGeneral Marshall historyhttps://marshallfoundation.org
Stonewall Jackson HouseLexingtonHistoric HousePaidCivil War historyhttps://historiclexington.org
Virginia Quilt MuseumHarrisonburgTextilePaidQuilt collectionshttps://vaquiltmuseum.org

Virginia Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateVirginia
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 400 museums
Largest Art MuseumVirginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
Most Visited MuseumColonial Williamsburg Museums, Williamsburg
Largest Science MuseumScience Museum of Virginia, Richmond
Most Popular Children's MuseumChildren's Museum of Richmond, Richmond
Largest Natural History MuseumVirginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville
Official State History MuseumVirginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond
Most Popular Modern Art MuseumVirginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach
Popular Free MuseumsVirginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Holocaust Museum, Chrysler Museum of Art, Fralin Museum of Art
Largest Museum CampusColonial Williamsburg Museums, Williamsburg
Major Museum CitiesRichmond, Williamsburg, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Roanoke, Charlottesville
Popular Museum CategoriesArt, History, Science, Maritime, Military, Aviation, Natural History, Children's Museums
Historic Landmark MuseumJamestown Settlement Museum, Williamsburg
Best Time to VisitSpring and fall offer pleasant weather and ideal sightseeing conditions.
Top Family MuseumsScience Museum of Virginia, Virginia Living Museum, Virginia Air & Space Science Center, Children's Museum of Richmond
Presidential MuseumsWoodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum and Highland (James Monroe Museum)
Specialty MuseumsMilitary Aviation Museum, Mariners' Museum, American Civil War Museum, Edgar Allan Poe Museum
Annual Museum VisitorsVirginia museums welcome millions of visitors every year.
Top Museum RegionsRichmond Region, Historic Triangle, Hampton Roads, Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia, Blue Ridge Highlands
US Museums by State

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