The Ava Gardner Museum is a large museum located in Downtown Smithfield. It is 6,400 square feet and is dedicated to showcasing the hometown legend of Ava Gardner. I've visited the museum many times as I enjoy learning about Ava and seeing the new exhibits at the museum. There is a large parking lot behind the museum and even some spots near her mural to park for free. Parking on the street is no longer allowed, as a lot of vehicles were getting hit. But the parking is still very close by. When you arrive at the museum, you will be greeted. Admission was $14 on my visit, but they do offer military, senior and educator discounts. Your visit starts with a video of Ava's life to give you an introduction. It runs about 18 minutes, and there are many seats to pick from. The video helps tie all the exhibits together. From there, you can start exploring the museum and learn about Ava's humble beginnings. You will learn how she became an actress and star, see the dresses she wore, and learn about her three marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. The museum contains lots of poster boards to read, filled with information, many personal and film mementos, you can watch her films, look at her personal library, and see art that an artist created of her. He put "Easter eggs" into the paintings for you to find. I highly recommend visiting the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC. Make sure to stop in the gift shop for some mementos and other items. read more

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Sarah is such a wonderful and welcoming docent! What a delight it was to finally make it to this wonderful museum! I've passed by the billboards so many times and today I'm so happy to check this off my wish list. It was wonderful to learn all about eva Gardner, who came from this very town and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars! I loved learning about her after Hollywood life living in Europe with her beloved corgis! So interesting to learn about the fellas that she married in the kind relationship that she had with them after parting ways. I really enjoyed seeing her amazing fashions, face-to-face! I really enjoyed seeing her personal items too! There is also a theater where you can watch a video that tells about her life and shows her living her life to the fullest! The gift shop was also filmed with many charming things! And all things were priced very reasonably. There was eva, Gardner, coffee, and soap! And of course, books, videos, and postcards! I also love the fan that could be used on hot days that featured her wonderful smile! I loved visiting here !! read more

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This museum is a wonderful tribute to one of Old Hollywood's most legendary icons and a gem for classic movie fans. Students of film history will enjoy hearing about this cinema goddess' life and seeing her perfectly-preserved wardrobe and other memorabilia. The museum docents are very friendly and welcoming and eager to talk to fans and answer questions. Miss Gardner's iconic performances in classics like "Mogambo", "Show Boat" and "On The Beach" continue to thrill new generations of moviegoers. I was delighted to find a copy of "On the Beach" available for purchase. Located in downtown Smithfield, where Ava grew up, the museum is also a short distance from her grave in the Gardner family plot. It's also marked and easy to find, so her devoted fans will want to stop and pay respects. Fun, informative and an iconic piece of Old Hollywood glamor and nostalgia. Well worth an afternoon! read more

I have past the billboard for this museum on I-95 many times this time I stopped. The museum is located in downtown Smithfield. It's a nicely laid out museum, beautiful, elegant and classic much like Ava Gardner. Greeted by the docent, You begin with an 18 minute view about Ava. You are then on your own to explore the museum and the library. I enjoyed the many movie clips from her career and learned about her life in Europe. It's clear Ava never forgot, she was a Smithfield girl. There is a small gift shop area that has local jams & Ava wines. It's a bonus to be able to drive a little over a mile down the road to see her gravesite. 2022 is the 100th Anniversary of Ava Gardner' s birth and the museum is planning events to celebrate. read more

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A beautiful tribute to a woman who certainly impacted film history and took audiences by storm! Their collection is so impressive, highlighting Ava's personal and professional life, and the staff here are so kind and knowledgeable. It's wonderful to see her legacy preserved and kept in good hands! read more

We stopped in our way home from Hilton Head. I've read several books on Ava and thought since we were close why not? We were the only people in the place. The woman there was super rude. As if we were bothering her. The museum itself was kind of disappointing. More pics of Ava than anything. A few outfits/costumes but really kind of underwhelming. read more

A nicestop off and a step back to hollywood nostalgia. A short informative film is played explaining her career and hollywood loves. Costumes from some Ava's films and photos as well. read more

It was a well-designed, and thoughtfully laid out little museum. I didn't know a whole lot about Ava's personal life, but this gave me a glimpse into her lifestyle in Hollywood, Spain, and London. Be advised: they will not honor the "admit two for $6" Yelp check-in offer. There is not an expiration date published on here, but the staff told us that it is outdated. I wasn't upset- the admission is only $10 per person and I like supporting local spots, but just want to make other Yelpers aware. The lady did feel bad, so she gave us a buy-one-get-one offer for a later date. read more

What a cute little museum! Packed with interesting info/many original items. The front lady (Sarah) was very friendly and helpful. Fee: $10 for adults. There is a discount for military members. Parking: Free. read more

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I visited this museum on a whim as I was driving up I-95 through North Carolina back in May. (I had been referred to it by the tourist welcome center.) Although simple, I love the premise of this place. I don't come across many institutions that focus on the stars (or even movies!) of the Hollywood golden era, so this was a treat. The museum itself was small, but I didn't mind paying the $6 entrance. The exhibit mostly consists of portraits lining the walls, but there are also some items on display. It must've taken me less than 10 minutes to peruse the place, but the owner was extremely attentive and talked with me in great length about her career; that was nice. If I do somehow end up in Smithfield again, I might just give it another go, if only to support the museum's mission. read more

I absolutely loved every minute. I'm a lifelong fan of Ava Gardner and this museum was on my bucket list. It was a small, sweet museum with charming exhibits. I felt Ava's spirit when I was in the back room looking at items from her library. Her gravesite was located about a mile away and worth a visit, too. She was a woman ahead of her time - and just so fabulous. read more

My Mom wanted to come to this museum, she was the fan and a Groupon for 4 brought the family along this past Friday. Small but interesting museum of old Hollywood and how it used to be. If you're a real fan don't forget to go down the street to visit her grave site! read more

Ava Gardner Museum - Museums Near Me - Smithfield, North Carolina

This is such a beautiful museum! There are a lot of relics from her time when she was born to when she died. The staff on this property are very nice! They go in depth when talking about her life as well. A great place where fans can learn about her life. read more

What a great museum! It seems fairly small on the surface, but it's well worth the trip. Not knowing much about Ava Gardner before going, I'm now watching through her biggest films and feel that I learned so much about the actress. There's a short video at the beginning of your visit, and make sure to visit her gravesite nearby after you finish at the museum. read more

The museum itself is interesting, however the only staff member working, an older woman, was quite rude. We were the only people in the museum and were waiting on my grandmother to complete payment and took pictures (of each other) while still in the gift shop. As my grandmother finished up paying the older woman who was working instructed us that she "was waiting" and flashed us an impatient look. If it had not been for my grandmother's desire to visit the museum I would not have continued into the museum and asked for a refund. We were literally the only people in the museum within the whole hour we were there. For a rather sleepy museum, I would have expected friendlier service. read more

An all around perfect homage to a beautiful and intriguing woman of her time. You can see the many outfits she owned and costumes she wore, as well as see personal documents that belonged to her. A friendly staff is available to assist you with any questions and the layout is easy to navigate. It isn't a large museum, but enough to probably take up an hour to 2 hours. If you're really wanting to be a "true" fan, you can visit Ava's gravesite not far from the actual museum. read more

The Ava Gardner Museum is a gem in Downtown Smithfield! While the museum is a must-see for fans of Ava and classic films, it makes for an enjoyable visit even for someone who knows no more of Ava than her name. The museum boasts a large collection including movie posters, Ava's personal clothing and movie costumes, and more personal things like china, home furnishings, jewelry, and the watch that she gave to Frank Sinatra. After you've visited the museum, you have a good sense of who Ava was, both as an actress and as a person. Don't miss the introductory film about Ava, or the paintings of her in the gallery! read more

I gotta confess - the only reason I went was because she was married to Sinatra. They actually had a few items on display of theirs that Sinatra gave her or she gave Sinatra. They had great taste. The costumes were cool and the panels were very informative. A buddy of mine designs their calendars every year so pick one up in the gift stand! I don't know any girls named Ava, but they had a cool charm bracelet/necklace that looked pretty awesome for the price. And don't forget to watch the video in the Museum's theater. read more

This is a great little Gem. Well worth the admission. If you are a fan of Ava or Old Hollywood this is a place to visit. The film is great! The exhibits are wonderful. If you go, tell Sue the two gals road tripping from California said hi! read more

This small museum is a big reminder that magical things really do happen. Worth a visit for anyone who believes this.

I've seen the billboards for the Ava Gardner Museum on I-95 for years and finally planned a stop this year in my travels. I didn't really know much about her before I went but I know a lot more now! She was truly a beautiful woman and had such an interesting life. I guess I didn't expect much because Smithfield is a pretty small town, but the Museum is much bigger than I expected, they had a lot more items that I thought they would, and it was all presented in a really attractive way. You first watch a short film on her life, which I thought was really well done. And then I went through the Museum on my own. They had the family Bible and her high school diploma, a dress Howard Hughes gave her and a watch she gave Frank Sinatra. Lots of awards, film costumes, and personal stuff of hers like china and jewelry. In the very back were these paintings a guy did of her once a year for 50 years and there are photo albums on the table that you can look through. I stayed for about an hour but I probably could have stayed even longer. I was really impressed with this museum and they say they change the exhibits regularly so I'll have to come back again. read more

Loved it! My mother used to talk about her all the time! Great actress and her live was exciting ! Well preserved and nicely displayed! Can't say enough about it ! Home town success story! Video was informative! Showed things I never knew! Her life was two short! read more

Thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Ava Gardner museum!! Loved the history evolving around Ava--small town girl makes it big in Hollywood. The 18 minute preview film recapped wonderfully. My sister and I spent almost 2 hours and we read everything! Donna, the museum Docent was very knowledgeable and pleasant to converse with. Highly recommend a visit to this museum!! read more

Very well organized and passionate staff who care about the artifacts and history behind them. Was a great visit and hope to return!

Having read the recent Ava biographies Living with Miss G, by Mearene Jordan, and The Secret Conversations, I was dying to visit this museum. Actually, I'd been wanting to go for years, but it's a bit out of the way in what for us in a very small town. We ended up making a trip of it, spent hours looking around the exhibits and then went on the "Ava Gardner Heritage Trail," and I feel that Ava's history and life were much richer and more interesting than one would expect. The museum, though not huge, is professionally curated and organized and has quite a bit of wonderful memorabilia. There are photos one will never find in a book, items such as Ava's birth certificate, a watch given to her by John Ford, the watch she gave to Sinatra, her MGM "yearbook" photo, books from her personal library, and family photos. The gun and bullets John Huston gave her (as a joke) are on display. My favorite items were her dresses (her waist size was incredible), her dishes (ornate), and photos of her colorful London apartment. The museum has a little theater in which one can watch a short documentary about her life, and they also have another exhibit which displays clips from her films. The museum docents are friendly and informative, and gave us a map so we could go on the "Ava Trail," which took us to her grave site, the home where she was born, her college, and all the way to her sister's house in Raleigh to see the spot where Ava introduced Mickey Rooney to her family. I recommend this wonderful little treasure trove to any Ava fan. You'll need at least a couple hours to cover the fun stuff -- and you won't be disappointed. read more

The Ava Gardner Museum is one of the best places to immerse yourself in the culture and life of the Golden Era of Hollywood through the artifacts of one of its most intriguing stars. The museum is beautifully kept and has an enormous collection of the Carolina actress' costumes and personal memorabilia. The exhibits are thoughtful and well-presented, taking the visitor through Ava's life from her birth in a nearby home to her time in London. For anyone with even the slightest interest in the Hollywood of old this terrific museum is well worth the visit. The staff is exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable and, occasionally, one of Ava's relatives stops by. Highly recommended. read more

In a previous life, before I entered the glamorous world of government accounting, I was an avid fan and scholar of the movies. For years I read every book I could possibly find about the golden age of Hollywood, the great films, and the great stars like Ava Gardner. I had no idea this museum was here, but I saw the sign on the Interstate and decided it was a good opportunity to stretch my legs. I'm so glad I did because this museum is a gem and does a tremendous job honoring the legacy of Ava Gardner. One would never expect such an excellent museum in a small town, but this museum would even impress people in Hollywood. There is nothing at all amateur here; the exhibits and storytelling are all top-notch and very impressive. I enjoyed seeing many personal artifacts and costumes on display, along with an excellent film presentation to acquaint visitors with Ava Gardner's story. If you are a film fan, you must stop here if you're traveling down I-95. read more

What started out as a pitstop in Smithfield between Florida and DC ended up being a rare treat. We had heard of an Ava Gardner Museum and, when we passed it, decided to go in. The love the locals have for Ava is apparent from the minute you walk in the door - and its infectious. The museum is modestly sized, but very thorough - and reveals an amazing interesting precis of the actress: her roots, career, and life. At the same time (and perhaps more importantly), it tells a unique story of small town Southern life at the beginning of the 1900s, and the movement of the entertainment industry to the west coast. I truly came away impressed by Miss Gardner, not just for her talent and beauty - but for what the museum revealed about her very innate warmth and dedication to her family/friends. Make sure to see the film and the portraits they have first - it really puts the exhibits into perspective. read more