Located in the former 19th-century Almshouse, the Barrier Islands Center celebrates the history, beauty, and culture of the Eastern Shore and the barrier islands. The BIC is dedicated to highlighting Virginia’s unique coastal history through exhibits with over 7,500 artifacts artfully displayed to tell the stories of the men and women who once lived, worked, and played on the barrier islands.

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Tues. thru Sat., free admission

7295 Young St., Machipongo, VA 23405

(757) 678-5550

barrierislandscenter@gmail.com

Housed in a former diesel electric plant, the museum includes videos, photographs, and artifacts depicting the extensive history of Cape Charles, the railroad, the ferry service across the Bay to Norfolk, and the Chesapeake Bay impact crater. Permanent exhibits include the town’s original diesel generator and an extensive model collection of Chesapeake Bay ferries and steamboats. Outdoor exhibits celebrate the town’s railroad history, including a reconstruction of the Bloxom railroad station, a GP7 diesel locomotive, and 6 historic railroad cars.

10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Mon. thru Sat., 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Sun., free admission (contact museum for winter hours)

814 Randolph Ave., Cape Charles, VA 23310

(757) 331-1008

Laura Smith: laura@sundayhistorical.com

John Griffith, President: griff23888@msn.com

The mission of the NHPS is to preserve the historic heritage of properties in Northampton County, through education, advocacy, and restoration activities. Locations include the Eastville Courthouse Green, with the oldest continuous court records in America; and Pear Valley, a yeoman’s cottage dating back to 1740. Historic buildings on the Courthouse Green include the 1731 and 1899 Courthouses, the c. 1800 Clerk’s Office, the c. 1815 Debtors’ Prison, and the 1907 Jail.  

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mon. thru Fri., free admission

15404 Courthouse Road, Eastville, VA

Eyre Baldwin: nhps100@gmail.com

Dedicated to preserving the agricultural heritage of the area, including a collection of antique tractors and farm machinery.

Open by appointment and for special events, free admission

Nassawadox Sawmill, 10150 Mill St., Nassawadox, VA 23413

(757) 710-7478

Fitz Godwin: flgodwin_law1@verizon.net

Housed in a restored 1906 Pennsylvania Railroad passenger station with railroad memorabilia from the lines that operated on the Eastern Shore, the museum campus offers an informative glimpse into the rich railroad history of the Shore. The grounds include 2 cabooses, a baggage car, a Pullman sleeper, a Seaboard 6106, a Budd dining car, a 1913 wooden box car, and the Diplomat, an observation car, along with an 1890s maintenance-of-way tool shed, a crossing guard shanty, and various railroad artifacts.

12:00 to 4:00 PM, Wed. thru Sat. (Mar. thru Oct.), free admission

18468 Dunne Ave., Parksley VA 23421

(757) 665-7245

Ellen Johnson: Madm4js@gmail.com

The mission of the museum is to preserve the history, celebrate the present, and encourage the future for the Watermen of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The museum includes many digital artifacts as well as physical ones, while continually documenting the wonderful maritime history of the Shore through the collection of oral histories. 

10:00 AM to 3:00 PM., most Saturdays, or by appointment; free admission

Historic Onancock School, College Ave., Onancock, VA 23417

(757) 665-5771

Paul Ewell: drpaulewell@gmail.com

Located in the former Post Office, the museum celebrates the history of Harborton, once a thriving steamboat port. Exhibits range from models of many old Harborton buildings and the floating theater that used to visit the town to cannonballs from the Battle of Pungoteague in the War of 1812. Ongoing projects include photo collections and oral histories.

2:00 to 5:00 PM, Sat., free admission

14207 Junior & Dockview Street, Harborton, VA 23389

(757) 442-4303

Doug Belote: harborton.history.museum@gmail.com

Built in 1859, this historic school building is a well-preserved example of a mid-19th century rural academy building. The 2-room school served as a private school from 1859 to 1879, and as a public school from 1908 to 1926. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Open by appointment only, free admission

28055 Drummondtown Road, Locustville, VA 23404

(757) 709-9746

Lloyd Johnson: ruralhappiness@gmail.com

Located at the foot of the bridge to Assateague Island, the Museum includes the 1st Order Fresnel Lens from the Assateague Island Lighthouse; the iconic Chincoteague ponies Misty and Stormy; models of vessels that plied the Chincoteague waters long ago; items that washed ashore from shipwrecks; a decoy carver’s workshop; and oral histories, documents, and artifacts that tell the story of Chincoteague Island life throughout its long and varied existence. A recently installed exhibit tells the story of the village of Assateague. In 2023, the Museum purchased the Beebe Ranch, where Misty and her foal Stormy resided.

Museum: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Tues. thru Sat. (May 26 to Oct 25); 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Fri. & Sat. (spring & fall); closed Jan 1 to Mar 27; $8.00 adults age 13 & older, free for children, active military & their families

7125 Maddox Blvd., Chincoteague, VA 23336

(757) 336-6117

director@museumofci.org

museumofci@gmail.com

Beebe Ranch: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Tues. thru Sat. (June 30 to Oct.); call for off-season hours; $8.00 adults age 13 & older, free for children, active military & families

3062 Ridge Road, Chincoteague, VA 23336

(757) 336-7035

asstdirector@museumofci.org  

Since its beginnings, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility has launched more than 16,000 rockets carrying science experiments, technology, and satellites. The public is invited to explore the history and future of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility through engaging exhibits, videos, events, programs, and facility group tours, as well as viewing upcoming launches.

10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Thur. thru Sat. (school groups Tue. & Wed.), free admission

175 Chincoteague Road, Building J-20, Wallops Island, VA 23337

(757) 824-1404

wff-nasa-visitor-center@mail.nasa.gov

The 1927 building preserves the Blacksmith Shop as a rare surviving example of an African-American-owned industrial site. The historic blacksmith shop showcases the life and work of Samuel D. Outlaw, a prominent local blacksmith who brought both technical excellence and community-minded values to Onancock. The museum features a collection of historic artifacts, tools, and equipment, offering a unique glimpse into the region’s industrial and cultural past.

Open by appointment on Wednesdays, free admission

5 Boundary Ave., Onancock, VA 23417

(757) 656-3460

Gerald Boyd: gerald@estaci.org

Located in a 100-year-old country store, the museum celebrates the life of Saxis, including artifacts from the daily lives of watermen and storekeepers. While documenting the fading lifestyle of the Saxis Island watermen, the museum will help educate current and future generations on the dangers of misuse of the Chesapeake Bay and its ecosystems. A decoy-carving demonstration is featured on the front porch most Saturdays.

10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturdays (summer) & by appointment, free admission

20101 Saxis Road, Saxis, VA 23427

(757) 824-4080

info@saxisislandmuseum.org

M. K. Miles: mkmiles3@gmail.com

Housed in Ker Place, an 18th-century Federal Style mansion, the museum is dedicated to the history of the Eastern Shore, with valuable artifacts and archives. Permanent exhibits include a period home museum interpretation; the 1904 log canoe the Annie C.; an exhibit dedicated to Gen. John Cropper and Gov. Henry Wise, 2 of the Shore’s most notable residents; and the Herb & Kitchen Garden. The organization also maintains Hopkins & Bro. Store and the Wise Family Cemetery.

11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Tues. to Fri., Sat. by availability (Mar. to Dec.), free admission

Ker Place, 69 Market Street, Onancock, VA

(757) 787-8012

Hilary Hartnett-Wilson: executivedirector@shorehistory.org

The museum tells the surprising story of a small island off the shore of Virginia, starting with the Native Americans and John Smith & his crew. The island’s first settlers in the 1700s relied on farming, but seafood quickly became the more lucrative profession. The island was occupied by the British during the War of 1812; later influences included epidemics and storms.

11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Mon. to Sat., 12:00 to 4:00 PM, Sun. (Apr. to Nov.); $3 adults age 11 & older; free for children, veterans, & active-duty military; the island is only accessible by boat or ferry (from Onancock, VA, Crisfield, MD, or Reedville, VA)

16215 Ridge Rd., Tangier, VA 23440

(757) 891-2374

Beth Thomas: Tangiermf61@yahoo.com