Museums History
West Virginia

Browse Museums

African-American Heritage Family Tree Museum
Ansted, West Virginia

Culture, History

The museum contains artifacts of educator Booker T. Washington and Carter G. Woodson. Nearby, Talcot is home to the Big Bend Tunnel where legendary steel-drivin man John Henry helpd to building tunnel through a mile of rock.

Arthurdale New Deal Homestead Museum
Arthurdale, West Virginia

Art, Culture, History, Historic House, Library

Arthurdale is the nation's first New Deal Homestead Community. It provided a chance for coal miners and others suffering from the effects of the Great Depression. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was an active force behind the project, was active in its progress and visited often. She handed out high school graduation diplomas from 1935 to 1944 and often invited graduates to dine at the White House.

Barbour County Historical Society Museum
Phillippi, West Virginia

General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library

Museum reorganizing to celebrate the 150th celebration of the First Land Battle of the Civil War in 2011. Included in admission donation is admission to the Philippi Mummies.

Bice-Ferguson Memorial Museum
Shinnston, West Virginia

General, History, Library

Will be adding Pictures and memorabilia from Shinnston High School this spring. Also added 2700 sq ft of exhibition area.

Cass Historical Museum
Cass, West Virginia

History, Specialized

Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society
Huntington, West Virginia

Culture, History, Historical Society, Library, Specialized

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society (CPH) is one of 160 National Railway Historical Societies in the United States. Founded in 1959, and became a part of the NRHS in 1959. Our goals as a chapter are: “Preserve documents and artifacts of railroad history, to promote the use and improvement of the present railroad industry, to acquire and restore rolling stock for display and operations, and to generally encourage public interest in the ongoing story of the North American railroads.”

Harpers Ferry National Historical Association, Inc.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

History

Henerson Hall Historical District
Williamstown, West Virginia

History, Historic House, Specialized

Historic Shepherdstown Museum
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

History

International Mother's Day Shrine & Museum
Grafton, West Virginia

Culture, History

The Mother's Day Shrine and Museum was established in the memory of Anna Marie Jarvis by her daughter Anna Jarvis in 1908. Nearing our centennial year, we seek to preserve, promote, and develop through education the Spirit of Motherhood. Exhibits vary throughout the year, reflect on the culture and heritage of our community of Grafton West Virginia. The authentic sanctuary is used for weddings, musical programs, and community gatherings.

Anna Jarvis Birthplace Museum
Grafton, West Virginia

Culture, History, Historic House, Military

A Wooden two-story structure that was built in 1854 by Granville Jarvis and occupied by the family for several years. 95% is orginal, so it takes you back in time. We have over 5000 items on display.

Avampato Discovery Museum at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences
Charleston, West Virginia

Art, Children's, Culture, History, Planetarium, Science

With more than 9,000 square feet of gallery space, the art gallery houses the museum’s Permanent Collection as well as important, large-scale traveling exhibitions. The museum’s movable wall system and high ceiling allow the display of large 2-D or 3-D artworks. The art gallery has sophisticated climate control and lighting systems. With striking interior architecture complemented by dramatic views from on the three-story atrium, each visit is sure to be memorable.

Beauchamp-Newman Museum
Elizabeth, West Virginia

History, Historic House

The Beauchamp-Newman Museum, long known as the “Old Red Brick” is the oldest brick building in Elizabeth. It was built around 1835-40, by Alfred Beauchamp, grandson of the first settler in the community. It is believed that the bricks were made from local clay deposits on his land, probably by slaves.

Campbell Flannagan Murrell House Museum
Hinton, West Virginia

History, Historic House

Known as Hinton's oldest standing residential structure, the house was built before 1875 by Mr. Edgar Campbell and his wife, Elizabeth. The Campbells operated a general store, one of the first merchants in Hinton, out of the basement portion of the home. Little has changed since the home was constructed over a century ago. The entrance of the general store remains essentially the same today as it did in 1875.

Charleston Police Museum
Charleston, West Virginia

History

DuBois on Main
Mount Hope, West Virginia

Culture, History, Historic House, Historical Society

We are a small local museum filled with donations of DuBois related items from students and friends. We encourage visits by having no fee. We encourage yearly membership. We plan events that educate about DuBois students They had a rough time, but made it through. We hope to have others learn from that and not allow themselves to be victimized by their poverty.

Helvetia Museum
Helvetia, West Virginia

History

Henry Cooper Centennial Cabin Museum
Parkersburg, West Virginia

History, Historical Society

Believed to have been constructed about 1805 by Henry Cooper, one of the first settlers of Wood County, this two-story log house was originally located on Elizabeth Pike at Mineral Wells about nine miles from Parkersburg. It was situated on a several hundred-acre plot of ground. In 1910 it was dismantled and moved to the City Park to serve as part of the city's centennial observance that year of its incorporation as a town and its renaming as "Parkersburg." In 1911 the house became the headquarters and museum of the Centennial Chapter of the Daughters of the American Pioneers which organized in 1899 is Wood County's oldest surviving historical organization.

International Mother's Day Shrine
Grafton, West Virginia

History

Kenova Historical Commission
Kenova, West Virginia

History

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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