3 Best Places To See in Newport News, VA

“The Mariners' Museum and Park features 90,000 square feet of galleries showcasing maritime art, culture, science, and history. Designated by Congress as America's National Maritime Museum, it is located within a 550-acre park, one of the largest privately owned and maintained parks open to the public. The museum's collection includes approximately 32,000 objects, evenly divided between works of art and three-dimensional artifacts. Its extensive research library, originally built around the maritime book collection of founder Archer Milton Huntington, has grown to house nearly 110,000 books, 800,000 photographs, films, and negatives, and over 1 million archival materials, making it the largest maritime library in the Western Hemisphere.”

“Virginia Living Museum connects people to nature through interactive experiences that inspire conservation. It combines elements of an aquarium, science center, aviary, botanical preserve, and planetarium, featuring live animals and plants in recreated natural habitats. Home to more than 250 species native to Virginia including bobcats, red wolves, otters, and bald eagles the museum also serves as a sanctuary for orphaned, non-releasable, and injured animals. Visitors can explore the museum’s permanent outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail, which includes 16 life-like dinosaurs, paleo camps, and a fossil digging pit. Discover Virginia’s natural world while making lasting family memories. Virginia Living Museum offers free admission for members.”

“Virginia War Museum showcases American military history from the Revolutionary War to the present. Established in 1923 by American Legion Post #25 (The Braxton/Perkins Post) as the American Legion Memorial Museum, it features an extensive collection of artifacts, vehicles, weapons, uniforms, and posters that chronicle the evolution of the U.S. military. Notable exhibits include a section of the Berlin Wall and a portion of the outer wall from Dachau Concentration Camp. Visitors can engage in visual arts, multimedia presentations, hands-on activities, and critical thinking exercises. The museum staff also preserve historic city-owned structures, sites, landscapes, and collections while fostering community identity through educational programs and special events held year-round.”