Gloucester

Abingdon Episcopal Church
4645 G. Washington Mem. Hwy.
Gloucester 693-3035

A rare cruciform (Latin Cross) colonial church which was completed in 1755 and underwent major restoration in 1986.

C.B. Rowe & Son General Store Museum
8850 Guinea Rd.
Bena

The museum is housed in a circa 1880 building that served in 1920 as a general store. It became a community gathering place and was the Bena post office from 1947-1977.

Programs are held on most 4th Fridays of the month at 6 p.m. that focus on authors, archaeology, and local history of Guinea.

Check calendar on Facebook-Guinea Heritage Association or website Buck’s Store Museum – Guinea Heritage Association.

“Buck’s Store Museum” is operated by the Guinea Heritage Association and open most Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when Buck’s Famous BBQ is served.

Gloucester Museum of History
6539 Main St.
Gloucester 693-1234

Located on Main Street in a tavern built in 1770, the Gloucester Museum of History is home to archival documents, photographs and large antique agricultural tools, all helping to tell the history of Gloucester County that includes Virginia Indians, the American Revolution and the Civil War.

A permanent exhibit, Commerce meets Community: Gloucester’s Country Stores, is on display. 

Other exhibits include The Battle of the Hook, Celebration of African American History in Gloucester, The Old Country Store, The Good Old Days, The Hotel Botetourt, Gremer Doll Houses, Free School House, James D. Gardner, Fairfield, Civil War, Antique Survey Equipment and The Art of Carving.

Open 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed holidays. Free admission.

Historic Court Circle
6509 Main St.
Gloucester

A grouping of early government buildings (Colonial Courthouse, Debtors’ Prison, Clerk’s Offices, and Jail) dating from 1766 to 1896 located in the heart of Gloucester’s historic district. A self-guided tour brochure is available at the Visitor Center.

Pocahontas Museum
7335 Lewis Ave.
Gloucester 815-0988

The museum has information, artifacts and pictures relating to Native American Pocahontas, Captain John Smith and the Powhatan Indians. On display is a rock traditionally known as the one on which Capt. John Smith’s head was placed when Pocahontas saved his life at Werowocomoco (Wicomico) in Gloucester County.

The museum is open by appointment.

Rosewell
5113 Old Rosewell Ln.
Gloucester 693-2585

Begun in 1725, Rosewell was home to the Page family for more than 100 years. The ruins sit on the bank of the York River.

In 1916, a  fire swept the mansion, leaving a magnificent shell which is testament to 18th century craftsmanship.

Remaining are the four chimneys, the east wall with its compass head window and carved keystone, the wine cellar and enough of the walls to sense the proportion and scale of the original structure. The last family to own Rosewell donated the ruins to the Gloucester Historical Society in 1979. The Rosewell Foundation has taken on the mission of preserving and presenting the historic ruin.

Visitor center and gift shop.

Walter Reed Birthplace
4021 Hickory Fork Rd.
Gloucester 693-6688

This small, two-room and loft house was built prior to 1850. It was briefly home to the family of Dr. Walter Reed. Reed was a famous U.S. Army physician and hero of the Spanish-American War and was born here on September 13, 1851. He discovered yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes.

Open by appointment.

Ware Episcopal Church
7825 John Clayton Mem. Hwy.
Gloucester 693-3821

This early 17th century brick structure served as encampments for federal and confederate soldiers. It is surrounded by a colonial brick wall and graveyard. The current building is dated 1718.

Warner Hall Graveyard
4750 Warner Hall Rd.
Gloucester 648-1889

Located at the Inn at Warner Hall, the Warner-Lewis family graveyard, maintained by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, offers a remarkable collection of 17th and 18th century tombstones. Open year-round 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Historic Yorktown

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
200 Water St.
Yorktown 888-593-4682

The museum is located near the battlefield where allied American and French forces won the battle of the American Revolution in 1781. 

The story of America’s evolution from colonial status to a nation is told through galleries featuring period artifacts, immersive environments, interactive exhibits and films, including “The Siege of Yorktown,” with a 180-degree surround screen and special effects.

Outside, witness artillery demonstrations, a re-created Continental Army encampment and Revolution-era farm. $18 admission.

Watermen’s Museum
309 Water St.
Yorktown 757-887-2641

A private non-profit museum located on the York River. It was founded in 1981 as a part of the 200th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Yorktown. In the Revolutionary war local watermen aided the French fleet, acting as captains for the ships traveling the waterways.

The Museum’s mission is to show how Chesapeake Bay watermen played a role in shaping the nation.

York County Historical Museum two locations
York Hall
301 Main St.
Yorktown 757-890-4122

Museum on Main
306 Main St.
Yorktown 757-890-4122

View artifacts from Yorktown’s past including Native American tools, colonial Yorktown, Revolutionary and Civil War, and 20th Century exhibits from the USS Yorktown, the Naval Weapons Station and more.

Yorktown Battlefield
1000 Colonial Parkway
Yorktown 757-898-2410

The Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center includes an orientation film, exhibits, and bookstore. Ranger-led tours of the battlefield and historic town leave from the visitor center daily.

King George

Dahlgren Heritage Museum
3549 James Madison Parkway
King George 540-663-3680

The Dahlgren Heritage Museum tells the story of how a remote testing range, carved out of Potomac River marshland, earned a reputation as an intellectual center for the Navy. The Navy established the Dahlgren base in 1918 and named it for Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, the “Father of American Naval Ordnance.” Dahlgren encompasses a broad range of research and development, training, and military operations critical to the nation’s defense.

King George County Historical Museum & Research Center
9483 E Kings Hwy.
King George 540-775-9477

Open Thur. and Sat., noon–4 p.m.

King and Queen

King & Queen Courthouse Tavern Museum
146 Courthouse Landing Rd.
King and Queen Courthouse 785-9558

The museum complex, created by the King and Queen County Historical Society, is located within the King and Queen Courthouse Green Historic District that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes the 1802 Tavern Museum, which houses three floors of exhibits and a library. Also, on site is the Archives Building, home to 4,000 artifacts, and exhibits on a colonial ship uncovered at historic Newington on the Mattaponi River, marine fossils, and prehistoric tools and weapons. Additional exhibits include the 1870 Eastern View Schoolhouse and the Carriage House, which displays an antique carriage and the interior façade of the old Stevensville post office. 

Open Fri. and Sat. 12:30–4:30 p.m., Sun. 1–5 p.m. Closed Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and mid-December through March. Free admission, donations welcomed.

Lancaster

Historic Christ Church and Carter Reception Center and Museum
420 Christ Church Rd.
Weems 438-6855

The church was built in 1735 by Robert “King” Carter. The museum features artifacts, documents, displays and exhibits of colonial Virginia.

Kid-friendly with interactive exhibits.

The museum offers a research library and gift shop. Research library open year round by appointment. Contact 438-2451.

Kilmarnock Museum
76 N. Main St.
Kilmarnock 296-0930

Established in 1993 and located in one of the oldest residences in town, the museum features displays and exhibits celebrating Kilmarnock’s past and present.

Rotating exhibits are featured plus displays of local artifacts and a timeline of events throughout area history.

On display are photographs and memorabilia of the construction of the Robert O. Norris Jr. bridge. A display depicting the Northern Neck’s “Believe it or Not” is about incidents and things relating to the area that are unbelievable. The museum also  features exhibits which celebrate Kilmarnock’s namesake city in Scotland and an exhibit celebrating the Holly Ball.

Open Thurs.–Sat. Free.

Lancaster Virginia Historical Society
8346 Mary Ball Rd.
Lancaster 462-7280

Located in the Historic District, the museum is comprised of three historic buildings and library. More than 350 years of area history is on exhibit in the 1797 clerk’s office, 1821 jail, and 1830 Lancaster House.  The museum also offers living history presentations.

The Genealogy and History Library provides more than 7000 reference materials including local court records, census data, business information, vital records, county histories, church records, and family files. The card catalogue is available online. Open Wednesdays and Fridays 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Genealogy & Resource Library available by appointment or typically weekdays 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

$3 per person for admission to the museum building and grounds.

Morattico Waterfront Museum
6584 Morattico Rd.
Morattico

Housed in a 1901 General Store building, the museum offers exhibits of an old fashioned country store, the history of the work life, gear and aqua-culture of local watermen of the village. Also on display are Native American artifacts, photos, oral histories and documents relating to village history.

Permanent exhibits include the General Store Room, the Early Morattico Families Room, Early Kitchen Items, the Native American Room, General Morattico History, the Crab and Oyster Rooms, the Farming and Fishing Room, and the Old Houses of Morattico Room. Golf cart or walking tour maps of Morattico.

Open Sat. noon–4 p.m. and Sun. 1–3 p.m., May through October.

Northern Neck Sports Wall of Fame
60 South Main St.
Kilmarnock 435-1211

The Northern Neck Sports Wall of Fame features plaques with bios and photos of individuals that have excelled in sports or sport professions from the Northern Neck of Virginia. Free.

St. Mary’s Whitechapel
5940 White Chapel Rd.
Lancaster 462-5908

Records identify the builder of the church as James Jones, the grandfather of President James Monroe, who built the church in 1669. North and south wings were added in 1741 to accommodate a growing congregation, resulting in a cruciform or “cross plan” shape. Early items still in possession are the Ten Commandments and 1669 Chalice.

The grounds include a labyrinth and a historic graveyard.

Steamboat Era Museum
156 King Carter Dr.
Irvington 438-6888

The museum offers a visual history of the steamboats’ importance to area commerce, culture, social connections and life in small towns along area rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Dioramas, oral histories, models, artifacts, paintings, photos and audio and interactive components.

The pilothouse from the steamer Potomac is the largest section of a Chesapeake Bay steamboat in existence. In 2019, following a long restoration, it was installed in the museum. View a video about the restoration process and installation, while sitting in one of the crew quarters. Visit the museum shop.

Open April through Nov. Group tours by appointment. Admission: Adults $6.00; youth 12-17 $3.00; active military & children under 12 free; group rate 10+ $5.00.

Mathews

Fort Nonsense
VA-14/John Clayton Memorial Hwy. at the intersection of VA-3.

Built in 1861 and known as “Fort Nonsense”, this fort was also identified as “Smart’s Mill/North End Mill Fortification.” The site contains a park area with trails leading through the trees and over the earthen remains of the old Fort. 

Gwynn’s Island Museum
1775 Old Ferry Rd.
Gwynn 725-5022

This museum features a replica of the 22,000 year old “Cinmar Blade” discovery - the oldest man-made stone tool found in America. The actual blade is in the Smithsonian. This two-edged butcher knife and part of a mastodon tusk were dredged from 240 foot deep waters of the Atlantic by Mathews County waterman Thurston Shawn in 1970.   

On display are the stories of John Warren Cooke voting to keep Virginia schools open during turbulent times; early-day churches; Gilbert Klingel, steel boat builder, naturalist author and underwater explorer; the tableau of the legend of Col. Hugh Gwynn and Pocahontas; extensive history of Captain John Smith; history of African Americans living on Gwynn’s Island; a large collection of Native American artifacts; a diorama showing General Andrew Lewis driving Lord Dunmore from Gwynn’s Island in 1776.

Research library and gift shop. Open April through October, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1–5 p.m. Admission is free. Donations welcome. 

Mathews Museum
200 Main St.
Mathews

Mathews Maritime Museum
482 Main St.
Mathews 725-4444

The museum features memorabilia, artifacts, documents, photos, models. Mathews has had its share of local watermen, menhaden fishermen, merchant mariners, US Navy sailors, fish packing houses, boat repair facilities, and marinas. The museum honors the past and works to educate the future about maritime history.

The museum is staffed by volunteers. If the “open” flag is flying, you’re invited inside.

Thomas James Store
239 Main St.
Mathews 725-4229

The 1815 Thomas James Store is an excellent and rare example of an early rural, commercial building. It is a one-story vernacular A-frame wood structure located behind the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center on Main Street and has been conserved by Mathews County Historical Society. It retains most of its original fabric.

Tours are self-guided with interpretive signage and touch-screen information.

Open, weather permitting, when the visitor center is open.

Tompkins Cottage
43 Brickbat Rd.
Mathews 725-3487

The cottage houses a museum and headquarters of the Mathews County Historical Society.

One of the oldest wooden structures in Mathews Court House, it was owned by Christopher Tompkins, a prominent local planter, merchant, sea captain and ship owner/builder.

The museum houses a permanent exhibit of Mathews history including information on Capt. Sally Tompkins, CSA, the first woman to be commissioned an officer in the Confederate army. She privately sponsored a hospital in Richmond to treat wounded Civil War soldiers. Admission is free.

Middlesex

Christ Church Parish
56 Christchurch Ln.
Saluda 758-2006

Christ Church was created as a Church of England parish in 1666, seven years after the first settlement in the area.  It was the “mother church” of the county in the colonial era. The first church building, made of wood, was built around 1667 and replaced by a brick church in 1712-1714.

The church was abandoned following the Revolutionary War, but revived in the 1840s. It has been an active parish of the Episcopal Church since that time.

The church also features an historic cemetery where many of the founders of Middlesex are buried as well as other notables including Lt. Gen “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated Marine in Marine Corps history. The cemetery is open for visitors during daylight hours. 

Deltaville Maritime Museum and Holly Point Nature Park
287 Jackson Creek Rd.
Deltaville 776-7200

Currently on display are the exhibits: “What is a Deadrise?”, “Boat Builders Shop”, “Restoration of the F.D. Crockett”, “John Smith on the Chesapeake”, “Family Boatbuilding Week”, Fishing Bay Yacht Club as well as an  oyster boat exhibit, drawings by Ray Rodgers and a lighthouse exhibit.

An extensive collection of ship models is also on display. Visiting exhibition: “Hawkins Antique Outboard Collection”.

See the nationally historic registered F.D. Crockett, a 64’ log-bottom Buyboat, on the Museum’s Pierwalk, along with the Explorer, a 31’ museum-built reproduction of the shallop John Smith used in 1608 to explore and map the Chesapeake Bay.

Also on the grounds, the Holly Point Nature Park is open daily, dawn to dusk. It includes tables, sculpture garden, kayak landing, children’s garden and walking trails.

The museum is a Bay Gateway and on the “John Smith Trail”. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sundays noon–4 p.m.

Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society
777 Gen. Puller Hwy.
Saluda 758-3663

The Middlesex County and Historical Society has an extensive collection of over three thousand objects.

It showcases the personal lives of the people that lived here, both on the water and on land. Through the years many residents lived lives in the spotlight: a Kentucky derby winner, an esteemed Marine Corps general, several purple heart awardees, Black Panther member, Civil Rights activists, Presidential Medal of Freedom and Honor awardees, House of Burgesses members and Virginia State Secretaries and Governors.

Also on display are wedding gowns, service uniforms, diplomas, photographs, furniture, fossils, toys, christening gowns, quilts, journals and ledgers. Fossils, minerals, bones and Native American artifacts are also showcased.

Genealogy assistance available.

Located in the Saluda Historic District, it is one block from the 1852 courthouse complex. The clerk’s office there is also interpreted and open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Courthouse and its grounds have plaques and signage discussing historical stories, including Irene Morgan, whose case concerning Civil Rights and segregated transportation set the groundwork for Rosa Parks.

Open Wednesdays and Fridays 1–5 p.m and Sundays 1–3 p.m. Visit the website or email info@middlesexmuseum.com to schedule an off hour appointment.

Museum in the Street: Virtual Museum Tour of Urbanna

Take a walking tour to discover Urbanna’s rich history. The tour utilizes YouTube videos to enhance your experience, narrated by Larry Chowning, town historian. There are currently 18 historical markers around town. Simply scan the QR code with your phone to begin viewing the video for that marker. Please pick up a brochure at the town office, the local library, or the Town of Urbanna Museum.

The virtual walking tour is free.

Urbanna Museum and Visitor’s Center
140 Virginia St.
Urbanna 758-8181

The restored James Mill Scottish Factor Store or “Old Tobacco Warehouse” also houses the Urbanna Town Visitor Center. For years, it was thought to have been used to store hogsheads of tobacco. In 1958, The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities sponsored a study of the building. Historian Wesley Newton Laing’s research revealed that the structure was not a warehouse but, rather, a Scottish Colonial merchant factor store, where tobacco could be traded for finished goods from Europe.

The museum also features an 18th century John Mitchell Map a primary map source used during the Treaty of Paris for defining the boundaries of the newly independent United States. This map has been identified by the Library of Congress to be one of the most significant maps in US history. John Mitchell once lived in Urbanna.

Northumberland

Northern Neck Farm Museum
12705 Northumberland Hwy.
Burgess 761-5952

The late Luther Welch donated the property and much of the equipment to create a museum on the history of farming in the Northern Neck. The big red barn houses a photographic exhibit of farms, a Native American exhibit, and farm equipment such as antique tractors, hand tools, planters, seed hullers and butter churns. Other exhibits include a children’s area and an exhibit on Northern Neck rural electrification. The gift shop features many items including a first edition collectible tractor and toys.

Northumberland County Historical Society
86 Back St.
Heathsville  580-8581

Located next to the old jail in Heathsville, the Northumberland County Historical Society has museum displays, assists visitors with family genealogical research and sponsors public lectures. Current exhibits include medical supplies and books of doctors in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. It features locals Dr. R.E. Booker, Jr., Dr. Joseph Basye, and Dr. James S. Gilliam.

Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
504 Main St.
Reedville 453-6529

The museum offers visitors a glimpse of the rich heritage of the watermen of Virginia’s Northern Neck and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to the main museum gallery housing its permanent and changing exhibits, the museum features a pilothouse, the Pendleton Building with its boat and model workshops and railroad exhibit, the historic William Walker House, and a replica of John Smith’s barge during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. Galleries include interactive areas for kids.

In the water, the museum showcases the Claud W. Somers, a 42-foot skipjack built in 1911, which offers tours twice monthly, and the Elva C., a 55-foot traditional workboat built in 1922, which offers tours to members.

Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern
73 Monument Place
Heathsville 580-3377

The last surviving 1700s structure of its kind on the Northern Neck is the restored Tavern and community square. It includes a gift shop, foundation office, blacksmith shop, woodworkers shop, spinning and weaving studio and Carriage House. The Transportation Museum Building houses a permanent exhibit of the Chicacoan Oak.

Richmond

Farnham Church
231 N. Farnham Church Rd.
Farnham

This one-story, cruciform shaped brick Colonial era church was erected in 1737. The church still has silver given by Queen Anne in the early 1700s. During the Skirmish at Farnham Church in the War of 1812, bullet holes were left in the walls. The church was used by Union soldiers as a stable in the Civil War.

Menokin
4037 Menokin Rd.
Warsaw 333-1776

A National Historic Landmark, Menokin built c. 1769, was the home of the Declaration of Independence signer Francis Lightfoot Lee.

A partial ruin, the house provides a unique opportunity to see “behind the walls” of an 18th century mansion through the Glass House Project.

The Visitors Center provides a walking tour on the history of the property and the architectural conservation work in progress.

  Hike trails to Cat Point Creek or rent a kayak to explore the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Richmond County Museum and Visitors Center
5874 East Richmond Rd.
Warsaw 333-3607

The museum, which tells the story of Richmond County from prehistoric times to the present, is located in the county’s old jail, built in 1872. It includes three galleries, exhibit rooms and a gift shop. The jail’s hanging chamber is also on the second floor.

Three featured exhibits include 350 years of African American history in the Old Rappahannock and Richmond Counties; the importance of Richmond County’s country stores; and the history of the Rappahannock Tribe.

Westmoreland

A.T. Johnson Museum
18849 Kings Hwy.
Montross 493-7070

The museum preserves the history and legacy of education for African American students in the Northern Neck, especially in Westmoreland County.

The museum is a depository for collections, artifacts, memorabilia, documents and other items related to education.

Built in 1937 in the Colonial Revival style, A. T. Johnson High School was the first public education facility serving African American students in Westmoreland. The school was named for Armstead Tasker Johnson, a Black educator and community leader instrumental in its construction.

Open Sat., 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun., 2–4 p.m. and other times by appointment.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument
1732 Popes Creek Rd.
Colonial Beach 224-1732

George Washington is among Westmoreland’s most famous native sons. Commander of the Continental Army, Revolutionary War hero and first President of the United States, he professed to be first and foremost a farmer.

The visitor center and grounds are open to the public 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free.

James Monroe Birthplace Museum and Visitor Center
4460 James Monroe Hwy.
Colonial Beach 214-9145

Tour a replica of the Monroe family farmhouse. A picnic area is on the grounds and a canoe launch is at a dock on Monroe Creek.

Open from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Admission is free.

Kinsale Museum
449 Kinsale Rd.
Kinsale 472-3001

The museum is dedicated to the preservation, collection, exhibition and interpretation of local history. It’s in a late 19th century barroom, which was used as a meat market in the 1920s; the renovated old ice cream parlor next door houses a gallery, library and meeting space. The 1909 Bank of Kinsale building stands just off the green beside the Kinsale Motor Corp. building (1919).

Open Fri. and Sat. from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Museum at Colonial Beach
128 Hawthorne St.
Colonial Beach 224-3379

It is housed in the former Hoffman Gas Building (c. 1893).

The museum depicts Colonial Beach heritage through various artifacts. Emphasis is on the period from 1890 through 1958 when the town was a busy river tourism attraction that drew huge summer crowds.  Open Sat. and Sun., 1–4 p.m., April through mid-December.

Stratford Hall
484 Great House Rd.
Stratford 493-8038

The home of the Lee family of Virginia, Stratford Hall, a National Historic Landmark near Montross, was built in 1738 with the labor of enslaved Africans and African-Americans, and indentured servants, and stands today as a model of the Georgian style of architecture. The expansive grounds feature the 18th-century Great House and historic buildings, colonial revival gardens, nature trails, Potomac River beachfront, and lodging. Learn about the people who once lived there and of their contributions to America. Self-guided audio tours. View exhibits Stratford at the Crossroads:  Atlantic Cultures and the Creation of America features 18th-century maps of West Africa and the Atlantic world, portraits of Lee women,
cameos of enslaved African women, Lee family clothing, 18th-century furnishings, mourning jewelry, Native American material culture, archaeological artifacts, West African objects, architectural treasures.

Great House & Historic Area: Wed. through Sun., 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Westmoreland County Museum and Library
43 Court Square
Montross 493-8440

Believed to be the oldest museum in the Northern Neck, this museum was chartered in 1939 and dedicated in 1941. It was established to give a permanent home to the life-sized portrait of William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham (1768), painted by Charles Willson Peale and to provide a location for artistic, recreational, and educational facilities.

Permanent exhibits include portraits of Westmoreland County’s historical figures, fossils and Native American artifacts. The museum hosts several receptions and lectures each year and houses a history and genealogy research library.

Admission is free. It also serves as the Visitor Center for Westmoreland County.

Yeocomico Church
1233 Old Yeocomico Rd.
Kinsale 472-2593

The colonial brick church was built in 1706 and conducts worship service each Sunday at 11 a.m. It is notable among Virginia colonial churches for the roof lines created by a gentler slope and then a steeper slope in the gable. The wicket dovor is unique. To schedule a visit and tour call Cople Parish office.