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Museums
Fairfax County is home to a variety of museums offering exhibits on topics ranging aviation, Civil War history, firearms and 19th century rural life.
Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism
8301 East Boulevard Drive,
Alexandria;
703-765-1652
Originally part of George Washington’s River Farm, the Collingwood Library is now a unique library on Americana. With its extensive collection of books on American heritage and a genealogy section on loan from the Mayflower Society of Washington, the library also houses a Sioux chief’s headdress, a tribute to Uncle Sam and replicas of the Constitution and the Magna Carta. The nine acre grounds, situated between Alexandria and Mount Vernon, offer picturesque views of the Potomac River at a place where ferries crossed the river in Revolutionary times.
Hours: Call for hours.
Admission: Free
Fairfax Museum
10209 Main Street,
Fairfax;
703-385-8414
Exhibits in the Fairfax Museum outline the rich history of the area, with emphasis on the Civil War, including an exhibit on the nearby battlefield where the Battle of Chantilly was fought in September 1862. Constructed in 1873, the building that houses the museum is the first two-story brick schoolhouse ever built in Fairfax County.
Hours: 9 AM-5 PM daily (except major holidays)
Admission: Free
Gum Springs Historical Society and Museum
8100 Fordson Road,
Alexandria;
703-799-1198
Former slave West Ford founded the community of Gum Springs after being freed by George Washington. Located close to the Mount Vernon Estate, the community was a haven for freedmen and runaways. Assisted by Quakers, freed men and women worked in the trades they learned as estate slaves. Many activities, including exhibits at the Gum Springs Museum, celebrate the long continuity of this historic black community. Today, Gum Springs has more than 2,500 residents; up to 500 are descendants of the original families.
Hours: Call for hours
Admission: Free
Herndon Depot Museum
717 Lynn Street,
Herndon;
703-787-9879
The Herndon Museum houses railroad memorabilia, information on Commander William Lewis Herndon, for whom the town was named; and artifacts from local residents. Operated by the Historical Society of Herndon, the building dates back to the 1850s and served as a train station until 1968.
Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free
 National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway,
Chantilly;
202-357-2700
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a magnificent museum houses some of the world's best known air and space crafts. Exhibits include an SR-71 Blackbird, the "Enola Gay," the Space Shuttle Enterprise, a Concorde and hundreds of other artifacts. The museum also has an IMAX theatre and an observation tower.
Hours: 10 AM - 5 PM daily
Admission: Free, $12 parking fee
National Firearms Museum
11250 Waples Mill Road,
Fairfax;
703-267-1600
The National Rifle Association’s National Firearms Museum houses one of the most extensive firearms collections in the country. The spacious facility offers visitors the chance to view more than 2,000 historic firearms displayed in 13 permanent galleries. Exhibits span the history of handheld firearms—from mid 14th century guns to the latest in sporting rifles, shotguns and pistols.
Hours: 10 AM-4 PM daily, except major holidays.
Admission: Free
Reston Museum
Lake Anne Village Center,
Reston;
703-709-7700
The Reston Museum opened in 1997 to explore and celebrate the history of Reston, Virginia. The museum offers free, drop-in children's art workshops every Saturday morning; walking tours; community exhibits; plus much more. The museum shop features Reston t-shirts and mugs; prints; pottery and handcrafts by local Reston artists; and more. The museum staff is collecting and sharing the stories of the diverse neighborhoods and people of Reston to celebrate one of the most unique areas of Fairfax County.
Hours: Call for hours
Admission: Free
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive,
Reston;
703-648-4748
The U.S. Geological Survey is the nation's largest water, earth and biological science and civilian mapping agency. The USGS Visitors Center features exhibits on the natural sciences as well as hands-on exhibits.
Hours: 8 AM-6 PM, Monday through Friday
Admission: Free
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