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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, , the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Virginia on as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#30. Virginia Museum of the Civil War

- Rating: 4.4/5 (239 reviews)
- City: New Market Shenandoah County
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#29. Camera Heritage Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (177 reviews)
- City: Staunton
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#28. USS Monitor Center

- Rating: 4.9/5 (109 reviews)
- City: Newport News
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#27. Explore More Discovery Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (127 reviews)
- City: Harrisonburg
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#26. Dinosaur Land

- Rating: 3.9/5 (200 reviews)
- City: White Post
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#25. Carlyle House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (330 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#24. Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (301 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#23. St. Luke's Historic Church & Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (496 reviews)
- City: Smithfield
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#22. O. Winston Link Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (305 reviews)
- City: Roanoke
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#21. The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio

- Rating: 4.7/5 (123 reviews)
- City: Norfolk
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#20. Virginia Air & Space Science Center

- Rating: 4.1/5 (561 reviews)
- City: Hampton
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#19. NRA National Firearms Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (399 reviews)
- City: Fairfax
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#18. The Car and Carriage Caravan Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (828 reviews)
- City: Luray
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#17. Cooter's in Luray

- Rating: 4.5/5 (203 reviews)
- City: Luray
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#16. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (319 reviews)
- City: Bristol
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#15. Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (763 reviews)
- City: Staunton
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#14. Tall Ship Providence

- Rating: 4.8/5 (282 reviews)
- City: Alexandria
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#13. Virginia Holocaust Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (419 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#12. Walton's Mountain Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (265 reviews)
- City: Schuyler
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#11. Bedford Boys Tribute Center

- Rating: 5.0/5 (530 reviews)
- City: Bedford
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#10. Virginia Museum of Transportation

- Rating: 4.5/5 (726 reviews)
- City: Roanoke
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#9. Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest

- Rating: 4.5/5 (410 reviews)
- City: Lynchburg
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#8. Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters

- Rating: 4.8/5 (358 reviews)
- City: Winchester
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#7. Edgar Allan Poe Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (567 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#6. The Mariners' Museum and Park

- Rating: 4.8/5 (976 reviews)
- City: Newport News
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#5. National Museum of the Marine Corps

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,185 reviews)
- City: Triangle Prince William County
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#4. Nauticus

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,129 reviews)
- City: Norfolk
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#3. White House Of The Confederacy

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,292 reviews)
- City: Richmond
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#2. George Washington's Mount Vernon

- Rating: 4.6/5 (4,905 reviews)
- City: Mount Vernon Fairfax County
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#1. Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,564 reviews)
- City: Chantilly Fairfax County
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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