Thursday Thirteen

Virginia, like most states, has a lot of little museums that are fun to visit if you are so inclined to learn a little bit about a community.

Here are 13 in this state that I have visited.


1. The C&O Railway Heritage Center, which is located in Clifton Forge, VA, a small town about 45 minutes away. We visited this in 2013. It is a history of the C&O Railroad and it was fun to walk through an old passenger train car and to see how the railroad evolved in this area.

2. The Lynchburg Museum, located in Lynchburg, VA (home of Liberty University). We visited this museum in 2011. It tells the history of this city, which is about an hour away from me.

3. The Botetourt Museum, located in Fincastle, VA. I've been to this museum many times as it is the local museum that tells the story of my county. Lots of familiar family names can be found there as well as an interesting take on the founding of the nation - because Botetourt, dating back to 1769, played a role in the country's settlement.

4. The Salem Museum, located in Salem, VA. This museum, which I have also visited a few times, tells the story of the community (now a city) of Salem, and includes a large area detailing Lakeside Amusement Park. The Park is a place I visited multiple times as a child. Unfortunately it was wiped out in a flood in 1985.

5. The Antique Fire Museum in Staunton, VA. This museum, which we visited in 2012, has a 1911 fire engine in it.

6. The Eleanor D. Wilson Museum in Hollins, VA. This museum is located at Hollins University, and I have been there several times, too. I should go more often - like every time they change out the display, since Hollins is my alma mater.

7. Woods Brothers Racing Museum in Stuart, VA. We visited this museum in 2015. Even if you aren't a racing fan, it is an intriguing look at automobile, design, and history of the sport. It is also spotless and very well done.

8. The Camera Heritage Museum in Staunton, Va. We visited this museum in 2012. This private museum has a collection of all kinds of cameras, more than you ever thought existed.

9. Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, VA. We visited this museum in 2017. There were lots of planes on display along with memorabilia about various wars. A small wall devoted itself to women in aviation.

10. Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum in Petersburg, VA. We visited this museum in 2017. It has lots of tractors in it dating from the first ones in the late 1800s forward.

11. The Dirty Dancing Museum at Mountain Lake in Giles County. We visited in 2014. This is part of where the movie was filmed.

12. The Taubman Museum in Roanoke, VA. We have been here a few times, but should go more often. This is the premier museum for the city.

13. The Blue Ridge Institute and Museum in Ferrum, VA. We visited this in 2016. It has local history and when we were there it was offering a display of cannery labels. At one time this area was a great canning community, and nearly everyone worked in agriculture.

Thanks to my brother for giving me the idea to list the museums.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 552nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.