This year marks the 250th birthday of the United States, and families everywhere are celebrating by learning about American history. In Virginia, the Virginia 250 Passport is a unique way to celebrate, allowing families to track the historic sites they visit and win prizes.
Many locations participating in the program are great spots for learning about Black history in Virginia. These museums and historic locations explore the experiences and celebrate the contributions of African Americans in our state and country. If you’re planning historic excursions around Virginia in 2026, add a few of these family-favorite spots to your list.
At a Glance
- The Virginia 250 Passport program celebrates the 250th birthday of the United States at historic sites and museums all around Virginia.
- Many locations participating in the Virginia 250 Passport help families learn about and celebrate Black history in Virginia.
- Visit museums like the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, the Robert Russa Moton Museum, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.
- Living history sites like Colonial Williamsburg and the Frontier Culture Museum explore life for African Americans in Virginia’s early history.
What Is the Virginia 250 Passport?
In Virginia, families have a unique program to enjoy: the Virginia 250 Passport program. This celebration runs throughout 2026, linking together family-favorite museums and historic sites around Virginia.
At each participating location, visitors can fill a “passport” with stamps showing that they visited. After collecting five stamps, the holder can enter to win prizes such as museum memberships or cash prizes up to $2,500.
Favorite Virginia 250 Passport Destinations to Learn About Black History
Plan a weekend outing or search for historical places near Charlottesville. These are our favorite Virginia spots to learn about and celebrate the contributions of African Americans to the history of the United States.
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (Richmond)
This Richmond museum is dedicated to sharing and celebrating the contributions that African Americans have made to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Families will find exhibits that explore the lives of individual Virginians, such as Tuskegee Airman Howard Lee Baugh and civil rights attorney Oliver Hill. You’ll also learn about local art, music, and historic artifacts.
Learn more: Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
Virginia Museum of History and Culture (Richmond)
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond has tours and exhibitions for all ages. This year, be sure to visit Un/Bound, which tells the stories of free Black Virginians through first-person accounts, artifacts, and more than 200 years of stories
Learn more: Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Robert Russa Moton Museum (Farmville)
The Moton Museum was formerly Robert Russa Moton High School. Today, it’s a National Historic Landmark and museum that celebrates America’s student-led civil rights revolution. Learn about school segregation and how the students who started a walk-out to protest school inequality eventually became plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education.
Learn more: Robert Russa Moton Museum
Birthplace of Country Music Museum (Bristol)
A museum dedicated to music is always a fun place to take kids. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum introduces visitors to the history and evolution of roots music in American. Exhibits like “We Are the Music Makers” and “I Have a Voice” celebrate the contributions of African American musicians. Kids will learn how country music has been influenced by spirituals, blues, ragtime, jazz, gospel, soul music, and more.
Learn more: Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello (Charlottesville)
Monticello is a World Heritage Site in Charlottesville featuring many different programs and tours of the house and grounds. In 2026, families can visit the Life of Sally Hemmings exhibit or join a walking tour that explores the lives of enslaved workers at Monticello.
Learn more: Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg)
Colonial Williamsburg is known for programs featuring famous historical figures and demonstrations of colonial trades, cooking, and music. But it also commemorates the lives of enslaved Africans during America’s early history. Families can visit with James Lafayette to learn about the work of an enslaved revolutionary spy or take a tour that explores how many Founding Fathers depended on slavery to support their lifestyle.
Learn more: Colonial Williamsburg
Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia (Staunton)
The Frontier Culture Museum is the largest open-air living history museum and includes a recreated Igbo village from West Africa. The exhibit explores how West African peoples were impacted by the arrival of European explorers, the rise of the Atlantic slave trade, and the food, music, folklore, and religious practices that Africans brought to America.
Learn more: Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia
Alexandria Black History Museum (Alexandria)
Located in Old Town, the museum explores the lives and experiences of African Americans in Alexandria. Families can visit exhibits on communities that grew after the Civil War, education, and the Civil Rights Movement. You’ll also learn about prominent African Americans who lived and worked in Alexandria such as community leader Annie B. Rose and opera singer Ben Holt. After visiting the museum, families can stop by the Alexandria African American Heritage Park to see sculptures commemorating African American neighborhoods as well as the known and unknown people buried at the site.
Learn more: Alexandria Black History Museum
Plan Your Family’s Virginia 250 Passport Adventure
Whether your family is planning a full weekend getaway or simply searching for historic sites near Charlottesville, the Virginia 250 Passport program makes it easy to build meaningful, memory-filled adventures across the Commonwealth.
For more information, visit the Virginia 250 Passport site.
Looking for more family-friendly day trips? Virginia has plenty to choose from, no matter what your interests are, including science museums, transportation, dinosaurs, and of course, history!
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JENNIFER WALDERA is an award-winning freelance writer published in numerous print and digital publications. When she’s not crafting creative content, Jennifer can be found exploring new spots, indulging in some quality time with a new novel or magazine, or streaming shows about food, drinks, and travel.
KATHARINE PALJUG is a freelance writer and novelist. She lives in Charlottesville with two busy kids and proudly owns an unreasonable number of books. Find her on Instagram as @katharinewrites.