Great Apollo exhibit. Good Virginia history exhibits for everyone to enjoy. Friendly staff and... read more
Great Apollo exhibit. Good Virginia history exhibits for everyone to enjoy. Friendly staff and... read more
We want here to see the apollo exhibit. It was very well done and very informative. The rest of... read more
Great museum - lots to learn - something for everyone. Plan to spend at least an hour and a half - it's very detailed and extensive.
A very,. very good presentation of the state's history and you'll have a well-spent 2 hours or so even if you could care less about Virginia's history. There's no admission charge, free parking, plenty of information about the exhibits and a nice shop.
The exhibits are very interesting but the lectures are where this museum shines. Take in all you can. Free admission. Nice gift shop for books.
History lover/student and this place is perfect for spending hours exploring the history of one of the greatest states in the country. There exhibits are well designed and very informative.
My favorite aspect is the library, where their courteous and highly competent staff are eager to assist. Many old books and manuscripts that bring history to life.
This museum is better than what you might expect from an institution generally acting as a local booster in the past. There is a great deal of coverage of the many years of Virginia history with some interesting artifacts from the various eras, including many from the early part of the twentieth century, such as old cars and trolleys, which may bring back childhood memories for some. The slave era and the Civil War are not ignored though a more vivid description could be given of the suffering caused black people by the slave system. The descriptions that accompany the exhibits on slavery use mild language indeed when you consider that the system completely deprived its victims of their freedom and family life. The Civil War exhibits are interesting though they do suffer from the old Southern proclivity to imply that that the Lost Cause lost the war because there were twice as many Union soldiers on their side compared to what the Confederacy had available as well as that Grant was so willing to sacrifice lives. There is no mention of that fact that some Union generals, such as Phil Sheridan, were simply better than their Confederate opponents. The museum does acknowledge that a great many former slaves served in the Union forces while just a handful served for the Confederacy, which is a refreshing statement rarely made in non-federal government exhibits in the South.
I went on search for some family history and was expecting to find only a library. What an incredible fnd this was. Just fabulous and I didn't allot enough time for this trip. Anyone with school aged children would certainly want to bring them to this. But, we are seniors and were delighted at learning about this history of Virginia, which is nearly the history of all of us. Just so beautifully displayed and well done. I can't imagine us having such a wonderful place in Tennessee. It's really one of the best and so lucky for Virginians to have this jewel. Kudos to those who had the foresight to establish this and fund it. Just incredible.