Richmond Museums

(Richmond, Virginia - VA, USA)

The city of Richmond has rich offerings when it comes to museums and you will find plenty of places where you can trace the fascinating history that shrouds the city and its surrounds.

Particularly interesting are the extensive Civil War artifacts that you can see at the Museum of the Confederacy and the Richmond Civil War Visitor Center.

Other notable cultural offerings here in Richmond include the Black History Museum, where you can learn about the civil rights movement, and the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, which offers a detailed insight into the life of this famous author. Edgar Allan Poe famously wrote many poems and short stories, as well as the successful novel 'The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket'.

Science Museum of Virginia

Address: 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, 23220, USA
Tel: +1 804 864 1400
Housing an enormous collection of interactive displays and scientific items, the Science Museum of Virginia is called home by the Ethyl IMAX Dome and Planetarium, as well as the themed zones named Space Gallery, Crystal World, Electriworks and Bioscape. Various temporary exhibits provide further interest to visitors, being changed and rotated on a regular basis.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 09:30 to 17:00, Sunday 11:30 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for seniors and children between four and 12 years old, children three years old and under are free

Virginia House

Address: 4301 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 353 4251
Virginia House, owned and maintained by the Virginia Historical Society, dates back to the 12th century, when it actually stood in England. Purchased in 1925 after it was announced that this historic building was due to be demolished, Virginia House was then shipped to Richmond and painstakingly rebuilt, brick by brick.
Open hours: Friday and Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 12:30 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Black History Museum

Address: 3 East Clay Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 780 9093
With a history of being the center of black society in the South, Richmond played a historical role in the civil rights movement and is proud of its rich black culture. Visitors to the Black History Museum can learn more about the city's role in the development and transformation of the local black community, whilst also enjoying the extensive gallery of artifacts.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 11:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Edgar Allan Poe Museum

Address: 1914 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 645 5523
Based within the oldest house in the city, simply named the Old Stone House and dating back more than 250 years, this museum traces the life of acclaimed American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809 to 1849) and the history of Richmond during the days he lived here. Highlights include an assortment of Poe-related memorabilia, as well as an old model of the city measuring some 18 feet / 5.5 meters in length. A pleasant courtyard area comes with a garden inspired by the writer's poem entitled 'To One in Paradise'.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Monday and Sunday - 11:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Maggie L. Walker House

Address: 110 East Leigh Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 771 2017
This attraction is dedicated to Maggie L. Walker, who was the first woman in the US to found and run a bank, despite being a physically disabled black woman. Maggie was born in Richmond and her working life is traced at this museum, with visitors being able to learn about how the Consolidated Bank and Trust became the bank it is today.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Richmond National Battlefield Civil War Visitor Center

Address: 490 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 771 2145
Located along Canal Walk, the National Battlefield Civil War Visitor Center explores the Confederate period and Civil War history through a slide show, three floors of exhibits and the personal accounts of numerous past soldiers. Housed in the renovated Tredegar Iron Works, the museum is only a stone's throw away from the river.
Richmond museum open:
Admission: free

Museum of the Confederacy

Address: 1201 East Clay Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 649 1861
Tracing the Civil War, the Museum of the Confederacy educates visitors through displays of memorabilia, weaponry and uniforms, among other artifacts. Highlights include J.E.B. Stuart's plumed hat, the pen Robert East Lee used to sign the surrender, and the actual medical instruments used to amputate the left arm of renowned Confederate general Thomas Jonathan 'Stonewall' Jackson.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Valentine Richmond History Center

Address: 1015 East Clay Street, Richmond, Virginia VA, USA
Tel: +1 804 649 0711
Chronicling the history of working-class and black Americans, this small museum forms part of the adjacent Wickham House and is sited in a neo-Classical monolith. The Valentine Richmond History Center boasts a noteworthy collection of antique furniture and pre-Civil War clothing, among other niceties, and makes for an interesting visit.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge