Something to See: Historic Attractions in Richmond

Initially owned by the wealthy Dooley family and occupying 100 acres in the heart of the city, the heart of Maymont is the Romanesque mansion completed. Visitors to the home can tour the elaborately decorated and highly stylized building and the many antique pieces of art and furniture contained within, stroll the beautifully sculpted gardens and walkways, visit the children's zoo and learn about the region at the wildlife exhibits and nature center. One of the city's top attractions, the grounds begin on the northern banks of the James River, just a few miles west of the Carytown shopping district.

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Agecroft Hall was constructed in the late 1400s in England, only to be dismantled and shipped to Virginia in the early 1900s by a wealthy family. The home is unique in the area, reflecting the lifestyle of the European elite in the Tudor and Stewart periods through both the structure of the building and the furnishings within. Visitors can take a guided tour of the home, walking past centuries-old portraits and furnishings, then continue on to a self-guided walk through the residence's Elizabethan sunken gardens. In the historic Windsor Farms neighborhood, the home overlooks the gentle James River and lies less than a mile northwest of the popular Carytown shopping district.

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The Museum of the Confederacy is arguably the premiere spot in the world to learn about the Civil War through the eyes of the Confederate States of America. In addition to its amazing collection of uniforms, weapons, flags, painting, photographs and other 19th-century memorabilia, the museum features a library with some 5,000 pertinent books and pamphlets. Set right beside the museum is the White House of the Confederacy, an early 19th century mansion famous as the residence of Jefferson Davis and his family. The museum and mansion are in Richmond's Court End neighborhood, within walking distance of the Virginia State Capitol.

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Running through the heart of the city, Monument Avenue is one of Richmond's finest historic areas, with beautiful Victorian-era homes and structures arranged along the beautiful tree-lined street. Between the lanes are towering sculptures to important figures in Richmond's history, including Civil War leaders Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee as well as Matthew F. Maury and Arthur Ashe. The street begins in the West Side neighborhood and crosses through the historic Fan District before continuing east into the downtown area as Franklin Street.

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Richmond National Battlefield Park encompasses 13 Civil War sites scattered throughout Richmond and the surrounding areas. The park features a number of sites where battles and skirmishes took place, including Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines' Mill and the Cold Harbor Battlefield, and the remnants of forts like Fort Drewry at Drewry's Bluff and Fort Harrison. Other sites in the park include the Chimborazo Medical Museum and the Garthright House, both used as hospitals for injured soldiers. Visitors can begin their travels at the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works, where exhibits and artifacts are displayed and materials about the other sites are available; the center is located next to the north bank of the James River, near downtown.

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The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar strives to help explain the causes and effects of the Civil War. Taking a wide range of perspectives on the conflict, the center has exhibits speaking to the cases made by Union, Confederate and African American citizens. Located near downtown, the center is built on the site of the massive 19th century Tredegar ironworks factory, the center is surrounded in history. Visitors can cross a 1/4-mile bridge to the historic Belle Isle, once used as a Civil War prisoner of war camp.

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A state-funded art museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts holds a sizable collection of works drawn from around the world and throughout the millenia. Its holdings, consisting of over 20,000 pieces, have an especially strong focus in areas including Modern American art, Art Deco, South American art and Asian art. One of the museums in Richmond's Museum District, other nearby attractions include the Science Museum of Virginia and the historic statues along Monument Avenue.

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Beth Ahabah Museum & Archives records and preserves the history of the Jewish community that has made its home in Richmond. Changing exhibits provide detailed glimpses into various aspects of Jewish life in the past, and the museum also retains a number of special items, such as an intricately decorated marriage contract from 1723, ceremonial pieces cast from silver and Civil War bonds. Located in The Fan district of Richmond, the museum is beside the synagogue still in use by the congregation and it is close to other educational facilities including the Science Museum of Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

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America's foremost writer of horror and suspense, Edgar Allan Poe called Richmond home, and the museum that bears his name contains a comprehensive collection of first edition manuscripts, letters, photos, and other memorabilia. Visitors can take guided tours of the museum, view drawings of the writer, or even get married in the estate's Enchanted Garden. Part of the historic Shockoe Bottom district, the museum resides in the Old Stone House, within walking distance of the old Southern Literary Messenger office, where Poe lived and worked.

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