The best museums in Richmond in December 2023

These are the top 20 best museums in Richmond, United States, ranked by their rating and popularity in 2023. Click a museum for more information about the museum, including visitor information, exhibitions and reviews.

For a complete overview of museums in Richmond, their exhibitions and discount cards & passes, see our overview page with all museums in Richmond.

Looking for the best museums in Richmond? These are the best ones:

  1. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts1

    Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

    Richmond, VA
    Admission to the VMFA is free, making it accessible to all visitors. However, there may be a charge for special exhibitions. This allows everyone to enjoy the diverse collections and exhibitions that the museum has to offer.
  2. The Valentine2

    The Valentine

    Richmond, VA
    The Valentine is a museum located in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded by Mann S. Valentine II in 1898, making it the first museum in Richmond. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Richmond.
  3. Science Museum of Virginia3

    Science Museum of Virginia

    Richmond, VA
    The Science Museum of Virginia, situated in Richmond, is a significant institution that was established in 1970. It operates as an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, making it an integral part of the state's commitment to promoting scientific knowledge and understanding.
  4. Poe Museum4

    Poe Museum

    Richmond, VA
    The Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia, is a literature museum dedicated to the American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It commemorates the many years Poe lived in Richmond, maintains his memory, and is dedicated to the reception and exploration of his life and work. The museum is located in the historic center of Richmond, not far from Poe's residences and his first workplace, the Southern Literary Messenger.
  5. Chimborazo Medical Museum5

    Chimborazo Medical Museum

    Richmond, VA
    Chimborazo Hospital, now Chimborazo Park, was a significant medical facility during the Civil War. Located in Richmond, Virginia, it was established to cater to the medical needs of the Confederate Army. The hospital was operational from 1862 to 1865 and treated over 76,000 injured Confederate soldiers during this period.
  6. American Civil War Center At Tredegar6

    American Civil War Center At Tredegar

    Richmond, VA
    The Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia , was the biggest ironworks in the Confederacy during the American Civil War , and a significant factor in the decision to make Richmond its capital. Tredegar supplied about half the artillery used by the Confederate States Army , as well as the iron pla
  7. Agecroft Hall7

    Agecroft Hall

    Richmond, VA
    Agecroft Hall is a historic Tudor manor house and estate situated at 4305 Sulgrave Road on the banks of the James River. It is nestled in the Windsor Farms neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, United States. This manor house, with its rich history and architectural beauty, offers a unique glimpse into the past.
  8. John Marshall House8

    John Marshall House

    Richmond, VA
    The John Marshall House, located at 818 East Marshall Street in Richmond, Virginia, is a historic house museum and a National Historic Landmark. This house was the residence of John Marshall, a Founding Father and the Chief Justice of the United States, who was appointed to the court in 1801 by President John Adams. The house was built in 1790 and is a significant part of American history.
  9. Wilton House9

    Wilton House

    Richmond, VA
    The Wilton House Museum is a historic house located in Richmond, Virginia. It was constructed around 1753 by William Randolph III, a member of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Colonial Virginia. The house was originally the manor house on a 2,000-acre tobacco plantation known as 'World's End'. The house is built in the Georgian style of architecture, which was the prevailing style during the Colonial era in New England and the Southern colonies.
  10. Branch Museum of Architecture and Design10

    Branch Museum of Architecture and Design

    Richmond, VA
    The Branch House, located in Richmond, Virginia, was designed in 1916 by the renowned firm of John Russell Pope. It was originally built as a private residence for financier John Kerr Branch and his wife, Beulah Gould Branch. This historical building offers a glimpse into the architectural style of the early 20th century and the lifestyle of the wealthy Branch family.
  11. Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia11

    Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

    Richmond, VA
    A museum commemorating the history of the Blacks and African Americans, with many interesting exhibits.
  12. American Civil War Museum12

    American Civil War Museum

    Richmond, VA
    The American Civil War Museum is a comprehensive historical site with three distinct complexes. These include the Museum and the White House of the Confederacy, the American Civil War Center at the historic Tredegar in Richmond, and the Confederacy Museum-Appomattox. Each of these locations offers a unique perspective on the Civil War, providing visitors with a broad understanding of the conflict and its impact on the nation.
  13. Virginia Museum of History and Culture13

    Virginia Museum of History and Culture

    Richmond, VA
    The Virginia Museum of History and Culture offers exhibitions and programming suitable for visitors of all ages. The museum boasts more than 25,000 square feet of exhibition gallery space and has the largest display of Virginia artifacts on permanent view. This makes it the only museum with all of Virginia's history under one roof, covering all centuries, regions, and topics.
  14. Virginia Holocaust Museum14

    Virginia Holocaust Museum

    Richmond, VA
    The Virginia Holocaust Museum, located in Richmond, Virginia, is a public history museum that is dedicated to portraying the Holocaust through the personal stories of its victims. This museum provides a unique perspective on the Holocaust, focusing on the individual experiences of those who suffered during this tragic period in history.
  15. Maggie Walker National Historic Site15

    Maggie Walker National Historic Site

    Richmond, VA
    The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is a recognized United States National Historic Landmark. It is situated at 110½ E. Leigh Street in the Jackson Ward neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. This site is a significant part of the country's history and is a point of interest for those who appreciate historical landmarks.
  16. The Richmond Railroad Museum16

    The Richmond Railroad Museum

    Richmond, VA
    The Richmond Railroad Museum is located at the site of the historic Hull Street Station. This station was a significant railroad station in the city of Richmond, Virginia. It was constructed by the Southern Railway as a replacement for the Mill Street Station. The history of the station adds a layer of historical significance to the museum, making it a site of interest for those keen on understanding the evolution of rail transport in the region.
  17. 17

    Beth Ahabah Museum and Archive

    Richmond, VA
    Beth Ahabah is a significant historical site in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1789 by Spanish and Portuguese Jews, it stands as one of the oldest synagogues in the United States. This Reform synagogue has a rich history that reflects the diverse origins of the Jewish community in Richmond.
  18. 18

    Maymont Farm

    Richmond, VA
  19. 19

    The Valentine First Freedom Center

    Richmond, VA
    The First Freedom Center, located in Richmond, Virginia, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to commemorating and educating about the freedom of religion and conscience as proclaimed in Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This center is situated in the Shockoe Slip district of downtown Richmond, on the very site where Jefferson's statute was enacted into law by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786. The statute, championed through the Virginia General Assembly by James Madison, was the first law of absolute religious freedom enacted in the young nation and served as a template for the religion clauses of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
  20. 20

    Children's Museum of Richmond

    Richmond, VA
    The Children's Museum of Richmond began in 1977 as the Richmond Children's Museum in the Navy Hill School building in downtown Richmond, Virginia . In 2000, the museum moved to its current location on Broad Street in Richmond. In 2010 The Children's Museum of Richmond became the first in the country

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