The best things to do in Richmond, Virginia, include a nice mixture of activities for history
buffs, city lovers, and people who appreciate being outside in nature.
Whether you're interested in learning about the rich history of the state at one of the
cities many museums or taking a leisurely stroll along the James River, keep watching
to learn about some of the best things you can do in Richmond, Virginia during your stay.
Attractions
A visit to Richmond is not complete without a visit to the sprawling Maymont grounds.
This 100-acre estate includes a 12,000 square foot mansion turned museum, multiple gardens,
an arboretum, a carriage collection, a farm, a nature center, and wildlife habitats.
The Maymont mansion belonged to a very wealthy Richmond couple in the 1800s and was turned
over to the city after their death.
The mansion has since been restored to show off its Gilded age elegance, and you can tour
12 rooms in the mansion to see the height of luxury during that era.
A bed shaped like a swan is one of the more impressive pieces of furniture you'll come
across on your tour.
You will also get to visit the basement area of the mansion where the house's servants
worked, which includes the kitchen, wine cellar, laundry, butler's rooms, and maids' rooms.
You'll learn about the people who worked at Maymont and their struggles while seeing how
racial inequality and women's suffrage issues affected those living in the mansion at the
time.
At Maymont, you'll also get to see many original and preserved buildings on the estate, including
a mausoleum, bridges, gates, and gazebos of differing architectural styles.
At the Maymont carriage house, visitors can view over 20 unique horse-drawn carriages,
and learn more about this common mode of transportation in the 18 to 1900s.
The stunning gardens are another one of Maymont’s most popular features.
The Italian garden has some magnificent fountains, statues, gazebos, and stonework in addition
to the many beautiful flowers and shrubs.
The Japanese garden is a serene and reflective space and happens to be one of the oldest
public Japanese gardens on the east coast.
The arboretum features more than 200 exotic tree and plant species, and there is also
a butterfly trail on the grounds, which is a trail consisting of a variety of butterfly-attracting
flowers.
Maymont also boasts multiple attractions for animal lovers.
The Maymont farm has many farm animals on its pastures and a feed machine so guests
can hand out treats.
Nearby, the Robins Nature Center is a unique space and holds over 30,000 gallons of aquariums
to display the animals you'll find in the Chesapeake Bay and James River.
Finally, guests can visit the 40-acre valley that houses multiple Virginia native species
of wildlife.
If visitors come early enough, they'll have a good chance of seeing bison, black bears,
bald eagles, bobcats, elks, hawks, foxes, owls, deer, and vultures.
While visiting Richmond, be sure to check out the Virginia State Capitol.
The unique colonial-style building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and has undergone over
100 million dollars of restoration and expansion.
Visitors can enjoy a free hour-long tour and appreciate the impressive interior design
of the structure.
One of the more unique things visitors will come across on the tour is an original marble
statue of President George Washington in the rotunda.
You'll also find a gallery with several exhibitions, a gift shop, and a cafe.
Taking a walk on the grounds is also recommended, as visitors can view different monuments dedicated
to notable Virginia residents.
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Museums
When checking out the museums Richmond has to offer, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
is not one to miss.
The museum has a rich, expansive collection of artwork that rivals those you would typically
find in bigger cities.
In addition to their modern and contemporary American artwork, the museum also houses German,
French, English, South Asian, and African art.
Some of these collections are considered some of the best in the country.
The museum also holds the country’s largest collection of Fabergé jeweled Easter eggs,
as well as other enamel items and precious trinkets.
You can also take a stroll through their sculpture garden, and visit their gift shop or have
a bite to eat at the museum cafe.
To explore more about the history of the state, stop by the Virginia Museum of History and
Culture.
This museum has an impressive collection of items, totaling over 9 million.
One of the most popular exhibitions is called the Story of Virginia, which showcases 16,000
years of Virginia history and features over 500 letters, artifacts, maps, and more.
You’ll also find a collection of beautiful landscape paintings depicting the different
geographical regions of the state, as well as some military-themed murals.
Some other exhibits showcase the history of weapons in the state and the silver industry.
These are just a small snapshot of what you’ll see in the museum, among their exhaustive
collections of historical significance.
Less than a mile from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, you’ll find the
Science Museum of Virginia.
Here, you’ll experience educational and interactive fun for the whole family.
The Dome in the museum which shows astronomy presentations and a wide variety of films
is one of the most technologically advanced planetarium theaters in the world.
The exhibits cover a wide range of topics such as motion, time, light, full body well
being, and more.
There are four floors of labs, artifacts, and many hands-on experiences.
The museum also features an art lab, animal lab for close encounters with a variety of
different creatures, and places to watch educators dissect a sheep heart, cow eye, and sheep
brain.
These are just a few of the many interactive experiences available at the Science Museum.
To dive deeper into the region's history, you can visit the Valentine Museum.
The unique collections and exhibits in this museum tell the story of Richmond's 400-year
history and its people.
It was the first-ever museum to open in Richmond.
Some exhibitions you'll come across include costume and textile collections, decorative
and fine arts collections, and industrial artifacts.
There are close to a million items in their general collections, which showcase the daily
life of Richmond.
As part of your admission to the museum, you can also tour the neighboring Wickham House,
a national historic landmark built in 1812.
Here, you'll learn more about life in the 19th century, and how it was for the wealthy
people who owned the home, as well as the realities of the home's enslaved occupants.
If you're a fan of literature, you'll enjoy the Poe Museum, which honors the life and
works of Richmond native author Edgar Allen Poe.
The museum houses the largest collection of Poe's belongings, memorabilia, and manuscripts
in the world.
You'll be able to see some items from his childhood, first editions of his stories,
and more.
There's also an enchanted garden behind the museum, with many pieces in the garden representing
a connection to Poe's life.
You'll also come across two furry felines that the museum cares for in honor of Poe's
love for cats.
Outdoor recreation
If you like the idea of being surrounded by 50 acres of beautiful blooms, visit the Lewis
Ginter Botanical Garden.
This is a serene place to relax among their stunning botanical displays and learn about
their numerous plant collections.
Their 11,000 square foot conservatory houses many exotic, tropical, and usual plants from
all around the world.
They have several themed gardens as well, including an Asian garden, rose garden, cherry
blossom area, children's garden, and much more.
They also have a shop where you can pick up unique gifts, including artisan-made products,
and a cafe and tea house for refreshments.
For a nice view of the James River, you can take a walk on the canal.
The 1.25-mile canal walk takes you along the river, through one of the city's neighborhoods,
and past a unique triple line Railroad crossing, which is the only one in the world still in
operation.
Along the way, you'll come across several statues, monuments, historic sites, and exhibits.
You'll also walk past some fantastic murals that were created during the city's first
street art festival.
If you'd rather take a leisurely boat ride, you can explore the canal from the water on
a 40-minute historical tour.
In Richmond, the James River has several islands for people to enjoy outdoor activities.
Belle Isle is one of the largest islands on the James River, and visitors can walk on
a 1,000-foot pedestrian bridge to get there.
Once on Belle Isle, you can go hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, or go kayaking on the
rapids.
If you hike the mile-long trail, you'll see some interesting sights along the way, like
the remains of a confederate gun site and an old power plant.
The scenic views of the river and Richmond skyline are particularly nice on Belle Isle.
That about wraps up our list of all the best things to do during your stay in Richmond,
Virginia.
Which attraction would you put at the top of your itinerary?
Let us know in the comments.
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