Portsmouth’s Tour of Museums

Portsmouth, VA is home to some of the oldest history in America and with that, it has hundreds of stories to share. When visiting our museums, you’ll discover stories from the first moments Captain John Smith saw an abandoned Native American settlement along the banks for the Elizabeth River up through the latest NASA images sent back from the Hubble Telescope.   Portsmouth Museums are ready to educate, inform, and entertain you.  Meander through Portsmouth’s Arts & Cultural District and immerse yourself in over 300 years of history, architecture, art, and more!  Along the way, there are plenty of resting benches, shade trees, quirky shops and restaurants to keep you entertained during your museums adventure.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum:

This is a place where naval enthusiasts can explore the history and achievements of America’s First Shipyard. The museum showcases the history of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, and its significant role in U.S. naval history since its founding in 1767 as Gosport Shipyard.  The Yard was occupied by British forces during the War for Independence and the Union forces during the American Civil War.  It was burned and rebuilt.  The Shipyard had a hand in every war offering innovations such as America’s first battleship, first ironclad, first aircraft carrier, and first nuclear powered vessel. Today, it remains not only the oldest Naval Shipyard in America but the first Drydock in the western hemisphere is still in use today!

Lightship Portsmouth Museum:

This museum is a rare-find, with only 15 still in existence today, and only a handful that’s restored and turned into a museum. It is also on the list of the National Register of Historic places. Once used to guide ships and other vessels to safety, now it’s a retired floating lighthouse dry docked on the London Blvd Pier in Portsmouth, VA . This museum is great for the Naval, Coast Guard, and vessel aficionados as it provides insight into the daily life and work of the crews who manned these vessels for decades.

Hill House Museum:

The Hill House Museum offers visitors a glimpse into the Victorian Era through its well-preserved rooms and exhibits. This home displays belongings from three generations of the Hill family. It’s as if the home was frozen in time in 1956 when the remaining Hill sisters moved out.  Artifacts include 19th and 20th century furniture, clothes, dinnerware and one-of-a-kind memorabilia of their day. Today, it’s a historically registered home open for tours, special occasions, and private events.   Visit The Hill House Museum on Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon until 3 pm.

Children’s Museum of Virginia:

A great option for families to treat your kids to the largest Children’s Museum of its kind in the state. Kids have a blast playing, exploring, engaging and learning with hands-on exhibits and interactive experiences for all ages. The museum also offers daily shows at the high-tech Beazley Planetarium. Book birthday parties, special events, programs for school groups and those with special needs. This place is a kids dream-come- true with fire trucks and motorcycles as well as the unsurpassed Lancaster Antique Train and Toy Collection on display.   There’s nothing your kid wont love.

Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center:

This historic gem is a beautiful Greek revival building that served as the county courthouse from 1846 when it was built, until 1960 when it closed. It’s now a community treasure of another kind, featuring two spacious galleries of ever-changing art exhibits, an outdoor sculpture exhibit, workshops, classes, artist interactions, live music in the courtyard & more. Just outside its rustic and authentic gates, hosts the regions best farmers market every Saturday (all year long), car shows, art markets, and other live events throughout the year.

Jewish Museum and Cultural Center:

The JMCC is another place in Portsmouth that’s on Virginia’s Historic Registers list. Here, visitors can explore the history of the Chevre T’helim synagogue that once served first and second generation Jewish immigrants.  Portsmouth’s first synagogue, this rare surviving example of Eastern European Jewish Orthodoxy is open by appointment and for special events. Restored and reopened in 2008 as a museum, today you can learn and relive those times through exhibits, displays, artifacts, and speeches at this museum. You can also find concerts, films, and other special gatherings there from time to time to showcase Jewish history and heritage.

Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum:

In late 1945, this tiny building was constructed to serve as the library for the African American community in Portsmouth. Then, from 1961-63, Dr. James Holly III (who later became the first African American Mayor of Portsmouth) and other local leaders in the Black community fought for equal access to libraries, hospitals, and other public institutions. This tiny building was closed in 1963 and left abandoned until the African American Historical Society, the Community, and the City banded together to preserve this important part of our history. The brainchild of the African American Society, this library was unique and important in many ways. After moving the building in 1967 and again in 2007, the Library now showcases historic exhibits important to telling the story of African American’s here in Portsmouth.  The building is on both the Virginia register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.  Tours available from noon until 4 on Thursdays and Fridays or by appointment.

These museums offer a diverse range of exhibits and experiences, providing visitors with an opportunity to explore the rich history and culture of Portsmouth, Virginia. To make it even more fun, if you’re arriving via the Elizabeth River Ferry from Norfolk, six of these museums are within walking distance. Don’t worry, the ferry runs every 30 minutes and there’s our convenient and welcoming visitors center just a few blocks from any of these fine museums.

For other fun and entertaining things to do around Portsmouth, check out our “Top Things To Do” page here.

To learn more about historic places and buildings in Portsmouth, Visit HERE.