Fredericksburg Museums and Military Parks

Fredericksburg Museums

Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center

Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center
The Fredericksburg Area Museum houses seven permanent exhibitions, and three changing galleries, that interpret the history of the region. Exhibits focus on Virginia Indians, the settlement of the region during the Colonial Period, Fredericksburg during the Civil War, Revolutionary War, and WWI and WWII, African American history from slavery to Civil Rights, and perspectives on our community today. Housed in the 1816 historic Town Hall/Market House and the 1927 Planters National Bank building. Enjoy Fredericksburg’s unique character in the adjoining historic Market Square, a public gathering space for centuries.

907 Princess Anne Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(540) 371-3037

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Fredericksburg Historic and Military Parks

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Military Park

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Military Park
Retrace some of the history of the Civil War at four battlefields: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. During the summer walking tours guided by park historians are available in certain locations. The battlefields are open daily until dusk. Two visitor centers at Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg help interpret the four battlefields with audio-visual presentations and museum exhibits. Maps, brochures and assistance from park historians are available. Open daily from 9 am-5 pm, except January 1, Thanksgiving Day and December 25. Hours expand on spring and fall weekends and daily during the summer. Admission is free, but a fee is charged for the 22 minute film: $2 ages 10-61, $1 ages 62 and above. Please allow 50 minutes for your visit. For complete information from the National Park Service, visit www.nps.gov/frsp.

1013 Lafayette Blvd
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(540) 373-6122

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Confederate Cemetery in Spotsylvania County

Confederate Cemetery in Spotsylvania County
Local women concerned about these unattended plots formed the Spotsylvania Memorial Association. In 1866 they established a Confederate Cemetery on five acres of land a half mile northeast of the Court House. The Association reburied nearly 600 soldiers from 10 states in the new location. Most are identified and organized by state. A few remain unknown. Headstones provided by the federal government mark all of the graves. In the center of the cemetery, a granite shaft crowned by a stone confederate solider silently stands watch over the dead.

Courthouse Road
Spotsylvania, VA 22553
(540) 507-7090

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Chatham Manor

Chatham Manor
Chatham is the only house in America to be visited by both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In the 1700s it was owned by William Fitzhugh, a wealthy planter and politician. Fitzhugh employed 100 slaves some of whom revolted in 1805, when an overseer tried to get them to go back to work after the Christmas holiday. Three men died in the incident. Chatham is best-known for its role in the Civil War when it served the Union army as both a headquarters and hospital. Clara Barton and Walt Whitman were both at the house during the war.

120 Chatham Lane
Falmouth, VA 22405
(540) 373-4461

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Ellwood

Ellwood
This 18Th century building was used as a Union headquarters during the May 5-6, 1864 Battle of the Wilderness. One year earlier, during the Battle of Chancellorsville, wounded men were cared for at the nearby; the most famous patient in the hospital was Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson. The cemetery includes the grave of Jackson’s amputated arm. The building is open 11-5 weekends and holidays May-October, and Fridays mid-June to mid-August. When closed, a pass to the grounds may be obtained at the Chancellorsville Visitor Center. For complete information from the National Park Service, visit www.nps.gov/frsp.

36380 Constitution Highway
Locust Grove, VA 22508
(540) 786-2880

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Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont
Pictured Above – Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont – The richly furnished country house and working studio of American impressionist painter Gari Melchers (1860-1932) can be seen as they appeared in the 1920s. Explore the colorful formal gardens and wooded hiking trails of the artist’s 27-acre retreat. Enjoy special exhibitions of the art of Melchers and his contemporaries. We invite you to consider the Gari Melchers Home and Studio as the setting for your wedding, reception, bridal luncheon, evening event or business meeting. The stunning Studio Pavilion at Belmont, situated in an elegant woodland setting, is connected to the artist’s original studio building and opens onto the estate’s gardens.

224 Washington Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
(540) 654-1015

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Fredericksburg Visitor Center

Fredericksburg Visitor Center
Make the Fredericksburg Visitor Center your first stop on your visit to the area. Located in the heart of Fredericksburg’s 40-block National Historic District, you can buy a pass to the region’s museums and historic sites; get a trolley ticket; learn about the galleries and studios that dot the downtown area; or choose from more than 40 chef-owned restaurants within easy walking distance. See the 12-minute orientation program, get events, lodging, parking and additional travel information. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., extended summer hours.

706 Caroline St
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
(800) 678-4748

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Fredericksburg Museums and Military Parks