Explore Your State History Museum

History Blooms

History Meets Horticulture with the VMHC & Garden Club of Virginia on October 6-8, 2023.

Get Tickets
Image
Two hands tie ribbon around a bouquet of flowers. Twine and plant sheers are on the table.

Virginia Vines

Join us on October 21, 2023, for Virginia wines, live jazz, & food trucks.

Get Tickets
Image
Three smiling people hold glasses of wine in front of a blue background with an icon of a hand holding a wine glass

"Apollo: When We Went to the Moon"

Explore Space Race history at the VMHC.

Plan Your Visit
Image
A rocket launching from a launch pad

Explore Your Reimagined State History Museum!

Plan Your Visit
Image
A couple look at artifacts in a gallery
Image
Silhouettes of two people looking at an exhibition of artifacts about Virginia regional history
Featured Exhibition

Our Commonwealth

 This signature exhibition provides an in-depth, multi-sensory journey through the five major regions of Virginia and features stories and artifacts from across the state to reveal that place is not only about geography, but also the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.

Explore

Featured Events

Featuring award-winning speakers, tours, and family activities for all ages and interest levels. To browse all upcoming events, please click through to our calendar.
View Calendar
Image
An astronaut in a space suit on the surface of the moon with a lunar rover in the background
Lecture:

Across the Airless Wilds

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2272/2430
Image
A garden with a small white outbuilding and picket fence, brick walkway, hedges, and purple flowers, with tress in the background.

History Blooms

-
/historyblooms
Image
Two people sit on the edge of a fountain eating dinner

First Fridays at VMHC

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/overview/2240
Image
A garden with a small white outbuilding and picket fence, brick walkway, hedges, and purple flowers, with tress in the background.

History Blooms

-
/historyblooms
Image
A garden with a small white outbuilding and picket fence, brick walkway, hedges, and purple flowers, with tress in the background.

History Blooms

-
/historyblooms
Image
A painting of people in colonial dress with a horse
Curator Conversations:

The Emotional History of Slavery in Virginia

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2390/2428
Image
Two people sit in lawn chairs facing a historic Tudor mansions

Member Mondays at Virginia House

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/overview/2392
Image
A photo of Christian Bale
Movie Mythbusting:

The Pale Blue Eye

-
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A//secure.virginiahistory.org/2618/2619%3…
Image
Photo of a man in blue civil war uniform and large mustache
J. Harvie Wilkinson, Jr. Lecture:

On Great Fields

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2276/2600
Image
A photo of four smiling people standing in front of the museum holding wine glasses

Virginia Vines

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2404/2405
Image
Guests enter Virginia House

Virginia House Open House

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2628/2629
Image
Guests enter Virginia House

Fall Open House at Virginia House

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2628/2629
Image
A painting of George Washington on a horse with a military corps band marching beside him
Lecture:

Washington's Marines

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2272/2431
Image
Leland Melvin and Robert Satcher wear blue astronaut uniforms and walk on an airfield with a stationed plane behind them

Legacy of Black Astronauts

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2437/2482
Image
A group of children in Halloween costumes run across a grassy field with trees in the background

Trunk or Treat

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2437/2601
Image
Three smiling people hold a VMHC scavenger hunt with a food truck and the museum in the background

First Fridays at VMHC

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/overview/2240
Image
Two people lean over a library table pointing at a map, next to a laptop screen, pencil, and large open book.

History Matters Symposium

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2478/2480
Image

American Visions with Ed Ayers

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2437/2481
Image
A War Ration Book
Collections Up Close:

The Commonwealth in WWII

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2230/2233
Image
A child smiles while holding a paper craft of a bee in a flower

First Fridays at VMHC

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/overview/2240
Image
A photo of the front of the museum
Curator Conversations:

Acquisitions Year in Review

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2390/2602
Image
An interior of a gallery with a space capsule, photo of Earth and surface of the moon, and a spacesuit in a display case.

Apollo Member Tour

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2621/2622
Image
A silhouette of a man looking up at the moon in front of a reddish sky
Movie Mythbusting:

October Sky

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2618/2620
Image
An interior of a gallery with a space capsule, photo of Earth and surface of the moon, and a spacesuit in a display case.

Apollo Member Tour

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2621/2623
Image
An interior of a gallery with a space capsule, photo of Earth and surface of the moon, and a spacesuit in a display case.

Apollo Member Tour

-
https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2621/2624

Featured Collections Items

The VMHC has a collection of more than 9 million items. Here are just a few them (please note that not all of them may be on display to the public). Search the Library or Museum Objects Collections databases to learn more. 

Library Catalog
Museum Objects Catalog
Image
Tennis raquet, sports bag and shoes - belonged to Arthur Ashe

Tennis Items, Arthur Ashe

Tennis racquet,bag, and wrist band, all belonged to Arthur Ashe.
View Catalog Listing
Image
pastel drawing of Natural Bridge in snow

Drawing, Natural Bridge

Pastel drawing depicting Natural Bridge in Snow  by George Brewerton in 1872.
View Catalog Listing
Image
Oil painting of George Washington in uniform

Painting, George Washington

Portrait in oils of George Washington by Charles Peale Polk, nephew of Charles Willson Peale, whose 1787 portrait of the general was the basis for this image. 
View Catalog Listing
Image
Bowie knife and sheath. Clip-point steel blade. he knife bears the following mark on left side of blade: "G WOSTENHOLM & SON / WASHINGTON WORKS / SHEFFIELD" (at left) and "THE REAL I XL KNIFE / THE HUNTERS COMPANION" (at right). The text of "THE REAL / I XL / KNIFE" is split between three small ribands. The knife also bears the following mark at the left ricasso: "I*XL".

Bowie Knife

Bowie knife taken from John Brown at Harper's Ferry in 1859 by J.E.B. Stuart.
View Catalog Listing
Image
Desk, slant-front. Eastern Virginia, probably Richmond, based on Williamsburg prototype. Chippendale slant-front desk with bracket feet.

Desk circa 1780-1805

Chippenale slant-front desk with bracket feet, Eastern Virginia, probably Richmond, based on Williamsburg prototype. 
View Catalog Listing
Image
US Navy WAVE uniform. Navy blue jacket with gold buttons and anchor emblem on collar

U.S. Navy WAVES Uniform

Complete WAVES uniform from World War II worn by Nancy E. Bailey (Bon Cogsdale).
View Catalog Listing
Image
Black and white photograph of women gathered in Capitol Square holding large banners which read "Equal Suffrage League and Richmond, Virginia" and "Votes for Women." Many otes for Women."

Equal Suffrage League of Richmond Photograph

1915 Photograph show a group of women gathered in Capitol Square holding large banners which read "Equal Suffrage League and Richmond, Virginia" and "Votes for Women." 
View Catalog Listing
Image
Black and white photograph of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and five signatures (clockwise from top right): Martin L. King, Jr.; Wyatt Tee Walker; Ralph Abernathy; Virgil A. Wood; Curtis W. Harris.

Program, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1962

Program from the Virginia State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference meeting, includes a black and white photograph of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and five signatures (clockwise from
View Catalog Listing
Image
Silver gelatin photographic print. Framed. Image depicts Norfolk and Western Train No. 3, the Pocahontas, in a shroud of exhaust with 13 cars of Christmas mail and passengers.

Photographic print, No. 3, Pocahontas [train], barrels by Shawsville on its night run to Cincinnati, 1955

Image depicting Norfolk and Western Train No. 3, the Pocahontas, in a shroud of exhaust with 13 cars of Christmas mail and passengers.
View Catalog Listing
Image
Tintype portrait of Robert Thaxton (d.1863), in uniform. Thaxton was a Confederate soldier killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia.

Tintype Portrait of Robert Thaxton

Tintype portrait of Pvt. Robert Thaxton, a Confederate soldier killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, in May 1863.
View Catalog Listing
Image
Silver medal inscribed on obverse, " The King of" and on the reverse "Machotick," [Machodoc], with both sides engraved with flowers and cornucopia.

Medal, Indian Badge

A 1661 act of the Virginia General Assembly forced the Chief of the Machodoc—and all the leaders and warriors of Virginia’s Indegenous people-to wear these badges while in English settlements. 
View Catalog Listing

Shop Apollo Merchandise at the VMHC Museum Store

Image
Book cover for Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances shows astronaut Leland Melvin in his orange spacesuit with his two large brown dogs
Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances
A revelatory and moving memoir by former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver Leland Melvin, following his journey from the gridiron to the stars.
SHOP NOW
Image
Astronaut Ice Cream Sandwich features a photo of a space shuttle launch
Astronaut Ice Cream Sandwich
Get a taste of space with this Freeze-Dried Neapolitan Ice Cream Sandwich!
SHOP NOW
Image
I Need My Space Socks are navy with illustrations of rockets taking off among planets
I Need My Space Socks
The space socks are made from 100% bamboo which means that they are anti-allergenic, moisture-wicking, antibacterial, environmentally friendly, and incredibly comfortable!
SHOP NOW
Image
LEGO Lunar Research Base
LEGO Lunar Research Base
This LEGO playset is packed with NASA-inspired details for imaginative space play, including a lunar lander, skycrane drone, VIPER-inspired lunar robotic rover and moon buggy, plus 6 astronaut minifigures.
SHOP NOW
Image
Waving Astronaut Sticker
Waving Astronaut Sticker
Decorate your journal, laptop, fridge, and more with this whimsical waving space-walker!
SHOP NOW
Image
Book cover for One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon by Charles Fishman features a photograph of the moon and a small shuttle
One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon
The sweeping, definitive behind-the-scenes account of the furious race to complete one of mankind’s greatest achievements and the extraordinary impact Apollo had back on Earth and on the way we live today.
SHOP NOW
Image
Stuffed plush toy of the moon with a face and arms and legs.
Little Moon Buddy Plushie
This best-selling stuffed toy is ready to be your comforting celestial companion.
SHOP NOW
Image
Book cover for Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race features an illustration of the moon and four women standing in front of it
 Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race
This hardcover picture book based on the New York Times bestselling book and Academy Award-nominated movie brings to life the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space.
SHOP NOW
Image
3/4 navy sleeve shirt with hand printed black and white illustration of an astronaut
Astronaut Shirt
This 3/4 sleeve shirt with a hand printed, yellow-gold foiled astronaut design is available in multiple sizes for kids and adults.
SHOP NOW
Image
Black and blue box with illustration of the moon on front and the words: Moon Poet Magnetic Poetry Kit
Moon Poet Magnetic Poetry
Over 200 word magnets related to lunar language will bring out your inner poet.
SHOP NOW