Things to See and Do

Museums in Fairfax County

Fairfax County is home to a variety of museums offering exhibits on topics ranging Civil War history to firearms to 19th century rural life.

In December 2003, the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Air and Space Museum opened on the grounds of Washington Dulles International Airport. This spectacular museum holds artifacts such as the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Enola Gay and an SR-71 Blackbird. For the future the National Army Museum is being planned at Fort Belvoir. The museum will house artifacts from colonial times to the modern day. (Photo, right: The Udvar-Hazy Center.)



Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism
Originally part of George Washington’s River Farm, the Collingwood Library is now a unique library on Americana. With its extensive collection of books on American heritage and a genealogy section on loan from the Mayflower Society of Washington, the library also houses a Sioux chief’s headdress, a tribute to Uncle Sam and replicas of the Constitution and the Magna Carta. The nine-acre grounds, situated between Alexandria and Mount Vernon, offer picturesque views of the Potomac River at a place where ferries crossed the river in Revolutionary times.

Hours: 10 AM-4 PM Monday and Wednesday-Saturday; 1-4 PM Sunday. Closed Tuesday.
Admission: Free

8301 East Boulevard Drive
Alexandria, VA 22308
703-765-1652

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Fairfax Museum
Exhibits in the Fairfax Museum outline the rich history of the area, with emphasis on the Civil War, including an exhibit on the nearby battlefield where the Battle of Chantilly was fought in September 1862. Constructed in 1873, the building that houses the museum is the first two-story brick schoolhouse ever built in Fairfax County.

Hours:9 AM-5 PM daily (except major holidays)
Admission: Free

10209 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-385-8414

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Fairfax Station Railroad Museum Fairfax Station Railroad Museum
The Fairfax Station Museum is a reconstruction of the 1858 building that served as a Civil War Union supply base, field hospital and transport center. The station was the railroad depot for the City of Fairfax until it was closed in 1973. It now serves as a museum housing Civil War, Red Cross and early railroading memorabilia; model train shows; Civil War reenactments; and artistic events. The Station's freight room is available for tours, parties, receptions and meetings. Tours on request.

Hours: Sundays 1-4 PM and Labor Day 12-5 PM
Admission: $2-adults; $1-children

11200 Fairfax Station Road
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
703-425-9225

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Frances Moore Museum and Pleasant Grove Church
The Pleasant Grove Church was built in 1892 and is an excellent example of a 19th century country church. Restored in the 1980s, the church houses the Frances Moore Museum dedicated to local African-American history. The collection includes memorabilia from the home of Reverend William Sanford Sharper, a founder of the church. The furniture and object on display depict the home and life of a typical African-American family at the turn of the century.

Hours: By appointment only
Admission: Free

8641 Lewinsville Road
McLean, VA 22102
703-759-5368 (Bonnie Klem)

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Freeman House Museum
The historic Freeman House was intended to be a general store when it was constructed in 1859. During the Civil War, the Freeman House served as a makeshift hospital and the cellar became a stable for both Union and Confederate horses. The house has been carefully restored and is a resource for historic information about the Town of Vienna.

Hours: 12-4 PM Saturdays; 1-5 PM Sundays
Admission: Free

131 Church Street, NE
Vienna, VA 22180
703-938-5187

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Gum Springs Historical Society and Museum
Former slave West Ford founded the community of Gum Springs after being freed by George Washington. Located close to the Mount Vernon Estate, the community was as a haven for freedmen and runaways. Assisted by Quakers, freed men and women worked in the trades they learned as estate slaves. Many activities, including exhibits at the Gum Springs Museum, celebrate the long continuity of this historic black community. Today, Gum Springs has more than 2,500 residents; up to 500 are descendants of the original families.

Hours: 6-8 PM Monday, Wednesday-Friday; 1-3 PM Tuesday and Saturday. To visit at other times, call for an appointment.
Admission: $2 for kids, $3 seniors, $4 adults

8100 Fordson Road
Alexandria, VA 22306
703-799-1198

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Herndon Depot Museum
The Herndon Museum houses railroad memorabilia, information on Commander William Lewis Herndon, for whom the town was named; and artifacts from local residents. Operated by the Historical Society of Herndon, the building dates back to the 1850s and served as a train station until 1968.

Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free

717 Lynn Street
Herndon, VA 20172
703-787-9879

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National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
The National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a magnificent museum houses some of the world's best known air and space crafts. Exhibits include an SR-71 Blackbird, the "Enola Gay," the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a Concorde and hundreds of other artifacts. The musuem also has an IMAX theatre and an observation tower. More information on the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is here.

Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM daily
Admission: Free, $12 parking fee

14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
202-357-2700

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National Firearms Museum
The National Rifle Association’s National Firearms Museum houses one of the most extensive firearms collections in the country. The spacious facility offers visitors the chance to view more than 2,000 historic firearms displayed in 13 permanent galleries. Exhibits span the history of handheld firearms—from mid 14th century guns to the latest in sporting rifles, shotguns and pistols.

Hours: 10 AM-4 PM daily, except major holidays.
Admission: Free

11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-267-1600

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Reston Museum
The Reston Museum opened in 1997 to explore and celebrate the history of Reston, Virginia. The museum offers free, drop-in children's art workshops every Saturday morning; walking tours; community exhibits; plus much more. The museum shop features Reston t-shirts and mugs; prints; pottery and handcrafts by local Reston artists; and more. The museum staff is collecting and sharing the stories of the diverse neighborhoods and people of Reston to celebrate one of the most unique areas of Fairfax County.

Hours: 12-6 PM Wednesday-Sunday (winter hours: Wed-Sat 12-5 PM).
Admission: Free

Lake Anne Village Center
Reston, VA 20190
703-709-7700

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U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey is the nation's largest water, earth and biological science and civilian mapping agency. The USGS Visitors Center features exhibits on the natural sciences as well as hands-on exhibits.

Hours: 8 AM-6 PM, Monday through Friday
Admission: Free

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 22092
703-648-4748

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