I really regret not spending more time here. If we had realized how awesome this place would be, we…read morewould have spent more time in virginia. love that the parking is free and it is right next to the childrens museum so you can do multiple things in one day. but really, you could spend all day here and love it! we got to see a sloth! I don't know who was more excited, me or my kids. so much to do that was so fun! Definitely recommend

There was something for everyone at our trip to the Science Museum of Virginia!…read more My preschooler loved the large scale pterodactyl flying in the air and the lego replica of the museum while my nine-year old loved all of the interactive exhibits and fun facts that went with it. Because the Virginia Science Museum is a reciprocal member of the Children's Science Museum in Fairfax we got free admission. It is also right next door to the Children's Museum of Richmond so you truly could spend a whole day in the area just exploring, learning, and having fun.

If you're into history and/or call Virginia home, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture is worth…read morea visit. Open every day from 10am-5pm, tickets are between $8 and $12 with children five and under free. Located next to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture is inside a historic building erected to commemorate the Confederacy. Now it's a museum honoring all Virginians, regardless of background. Here's why you should visit: 1) Entrance: There's a large parking lot near the main entrance. Walk inside and you'll see a well-designed cafe that serves local coffee and food, a bookstore with books and products from Virginia, restrooms, and the ticket area. Staff are helpful and the entire space is kept clean. 2) Exhibits: Start with the 15-minute film about the history of Virginia starting 16,000 years ago to today. It's worth the time. Then explore the exhibit halls where you can find art, artifacts like letters George Washington wrote, and more. One exhibit walks through history of Virginia from 16,000 to present day. Another honors all five regions of Virginia. Another talks about the original murals in the building and another showcases art of Virginia. Little rooms are filled with more exhibits displaying some of the 9,000,000 objects in their collection. There's even an area for kids to play in a little market, try on colonial clothes, and more. Interactive exhibits are part of every room. 3) Experience: It's not an overwhelming museum, but you can easily spend a few hours seeing most items and reading most displays. I learned a lot!

Not sure what I was expected, but I was sorely disappointed with this museum. The fee is $12 and I…read morefeel I spent about 12 minutes in there, so one dollar for every moment spent? Idk, I didn't feel that price tag was worth it. The history and culture wasn't presented in a way I thought captured my attention, nor made me want to retain said information or learn more. Save your $$$ and go to the VMFA which is right there, amazing, and free.

I visited Maymont on a recent trip to Richmond and was surprised at the size of the estate,…read moreespecially considering that the gardens and outdoor areas function as a free public park. The grounds are beautiful with plenty of areas to relax and picnic. There were lots of people out enjoying the good weather but it never felt crowded. It's a little confusing trying to figure out what things require a ticket/paid admission. On the map they provide, there's no indication that a ticket is needed for the mansion, but one is in fact required. However you have to buy a ticket at the Stone Barn by the entrance. You can try buying on the website but I didn't have great signal. Instead I backtracked to the Stone Barn to get a ticket but the prices were higher than what I was told at the Mansion and they appeared to be limited to timed entry and all the time slots were sold out. Long story short, I didn't see the inside of the mansion, but still spent a good couple hours exploring the outdoor areas. Which was all free so I count that as a win.

Gorgeous home to tour! We really enjoyed our visit and all of the people working were super helpful…read moreanswering any questions we had.

We had a great summit at the Valentine. The set up was perfect and the staff were very attentive to…read moreour needs the meeting area was clean and well ventilated. After the event we were able to move about the museum that at some interesting items relevant to Richmond modern and older history. Great little museum to visit.

The Valentine, aka The Wickham House is located in downtown Richmond, and a stone's throw from the…read moreJ. Marshall House. It was a special tour that brought me to the Wickham House. Don't be confused by the name, The Valentine. This 19th-century home was purchased in 1898 by Mann Valentine Jr. who added a museum to the property and renamed it The Valentine. My visit was part of a dual tour with the John Marshall House (treason trial of A. Burr). The tour started promptly at the appointed time, and we began our tour of the home. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the Wickham house, the family and the history of that time. Her tour was much more than a simple recitation. She brought the home to life through her descriptions, easily fielded questions and encouraged discussions. We all gained a clear picture of life at that time as well as the role that John Wickham played in history. The house is kept in beautiful condition with many examples of how the family lived, from clothing to imagined food out on the table. I was truly impressed by the beauty of the home. After the tour we were able to meander through the museum that is a part of the property. It is an interesting stroll through Richmond's history from the early 1800's to the present. I would definitely suggest a visit here if you are a history fanatic. Check out your options for parking before you get here (I parked in one of the local garages and spent about $15).

I came to Richmond for the week for a work trip and had some free time so I wanted to check out…read moresome Civil War stuff. Richmond is an amazing city with a rich and vibrant history, so you should make your way here! I was too late to go inside but the exterior oozed history. I could picture the South's generals huddled inside trying to plan their next move. It's a bit weird to see this relic in the heart of the medic district but fitting for such A city.

I had no idea this was here until my friend indicated he wanted to come here, so quite a neat find!…read more While you will need the patience of a saint to get the parking down (park in the big hospital lot and get parking validation inside the museum), everything else about this visit was excellent. We had a great tour and a very personalized one since only three guests (including my friend and I) were on the tour. The white house of the confederacy is full of history and our guide provided a ton of background on Jefferson Davis and his family, which was particularly cool since I had recently gone with my parents to the historical naval base where he was held prisoner for several years after the end of the civil war. The furnishings were very beautiful and nicely maintained, amazing how often these estates of antiquity had to sell their things to make ends meet and then organizations have to chase them down later to bring everything back together. Still, very cool to be in the rooms where so much history was made. It's so unusual for such an important part of history to be surrounded by hospital buildings, though that is the nature of Richmond: a whole lot of stories in a relatively compact region. Lucky to have been able to learn a bit more about it here! Overall: 4.5 stars ----- Pros: - Excellent tour guide who clearly had made a study of the many features of the house and its former occupants. - White house and its furniture were in beautiful shape, clearly the organization is doing a great job keeping everything maintained. - Price for the tour wasn't too bad considering you get a personalized tour for it. Cons: - The parking situation here is a pain but doable if you plan ahead.

another awesome childrens museum - a lot of fun was had by all. loved the water area my kids were…read moreso happy to cool off. we were extra excited for the carousel. my 2 year old was initially terrified and didnt want to get on, but ended up loving it. we also loved the pain area where they kids painted glass and then helped it get washed off

This museum is part of Bank of America Museum On Us. You can enter for free at the first weekend of…read morethe month if you are a cardholder. Many make believe stations like hospital, news station, car shop etc. Also water play and an indoor carousel (separated tix, only 4 times per hour, disinfect afterwards). Definitely a great place for family and kids to explore. Easily to spend half of a day there. Parking is free (?) at their garage.

Great staff and friendly cats! This place has more to see than I originally thought! Great place to…read moreget photos which I'll include a few. They had a fun and interesting selection of souvenirs too. I feel like history nuts would like this place on top of those Poe fans. There's some rich history here with old timey furniture and other unique items. Deff worth a visit.

I've been to the Poe museum in Philadelphia (which is a National Park) this one felt like it had…read moremore character and the whole atmosphere was wonderful!! The cats roaming the grounds made everything better! I visited alone and enjoyed being able to sit and soak up the peaceful atmosphere.

I love this museum! The building itself is an architectural beauty which opened in 2018 with…read morenationwide recognitio.. Bright, open space with multiple floors to explore. The museum features contemporary art....very unique and thought provoking works. It is a noncollecting contemporary art museum, so note, the exhibits change multiple times a year It is relatively small, so depending on time to take to enjoy each piece, you could see the whole place in 1-2 hrs. There is a small Cafe and gift shop. Restrooms on multiple floors, with an elevator and stairs. Small rooftop garden too! Free admission. Some events require registration

I always enjoy a visit to ICA. I typically go during an event so I can also interact with other…read morelocal artists. There are 3 main floors, including an auditorium for speakers/viewings and a balcony. It's free, so worth a visit if you like contemporary art, or like to get lost in public local spaces (like me).