The Mariners Museum and park was an absolute gem. I never expected our visit to be so spectacular…read moreas I hadn't really given the museum in Newport News too much thought before. The parking lot is huge and I was pleasantly surprised that the parking offered natural trails, a playground, and a pollination garden! The inside of the museum is full of history with some impressive displays. My sons were really impressed with the videos, and the walk-in models made for an unforgettable experience. The staff was friendly, you can't beat the price! They have a cafe and gift shop. If you're a history buff or your looking for something unique in Hampton Roads just check them out!

Came on July 5th, the facilities were nice and clean not overly crowded, and the exhibits were well…read moremaintained, the price was excellent $1 for admission and my baby was free. The biggest drawback was the experience with the workers. Anytime we had to interact with them whether it be the giftshop, the front desk to pay, or to ask a question it felt like the biggest imposition. At one point we asked for the America 250 stamp for our babies book, the girl never said a word, just rolled her eyes scoffed and then turned around grabbed the stamp, stamped the book and then looked forward. Not a word was spoken. It was so awkward. Come for the museum and the value, but don't interact with the young staff working there or you'll be left disappointed. Might be worth replacing with an AI customer service rep, that's been working great with fast food.

Absolutely awesome! The special exhibit wraps you up into the history, the people, the experience…read more Took the trolley from the visitor's center, arrived at the entrance and became wrapped in the history of this wolf changing part of our history

What a real treat for the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to host an exhibit on Outlander…read morecostumes. The exhibit mostly included costumes from Seasons 1-4, with a piece to from 5 and 6. Wow! The museum did a wonderful job presenting the exhibit--costumes, video clips from the showing the costumes being worn -- and lots of background information about how the designed planned and prepared them. This is a must-see exhibit for both Outlander fans and those who appreciate period clothing. The exhibit also includes a few pieces of clothing that are crested on sight for use by the living history interpreters at Yorktown.

Art isn't something I thought of when visiting Colonial Williamsburg, but I ended up spending more…read moretime here than at the actual living museum. Here's why. 1) Admission: It's free to anyone regardless whether or not you have a ticket. Park in the nearby lot (don't forget to pay via the app or QR code) and walk right in. Staff are more than willing to guide you to where to start. 2) Art: The building itself houses this museum and another one. It's hard to tell which is which, but I recommend visiting every gallery. Each gallery comes with helpful signs that bring the art to life and explain about preservation. 3) Space: It's very big so you can easily spend 2-3 hours visiting. There are restrooms and places to rest throughout.

Last year, Colonial Williamsburg changed entry to this museum from requiring a paid ticket to free…read moreaccess. The free access now makes this museum a terrific value for locals and visitors. The museum has excellent exhibits in furniture, textiles,18th- and 19th- century clothing, folk art, clocks, and so much more. In addition, the museum houses a comfortable theatre for lectures, music, and plays. Sometimes the shows have a fee, but many are free. There also is a counter service museum cafe that provides soups, chili, salads, sandwiches, desserts, and beverages with a large open seating area. In addition, the gift shop sells upscale Colonial Williamsburg merchandise and jewelry. Free parking can be found on the side street or in a small lot across the street. Paid parking is available in nearby lots, many of which provide the first hour or two free.

Gallery is not handicap accessible at all - it's located on the 2nd floor and has no elevator. I…read moresuggested they note this on their website. The director contacted me afterwards and did offer a solution.

If you visit Colonial Williamsburg make sure you visit the museum, they have a great assortment of…read morehistoric artifacts , the museum if big enough that you can be entertained, but not too big that will take much time

Visit artist Robbie Younger and be transported into her ethereal artistic vision. Painted Garden…read moreGallery is right across Main Street from Smithfield's Visitor Center.

One of the most interesting art studios I have seen. The owner, Mr. Everna is by far one, if not…read morethe, top arties in Hampton or even the state. His work is so unknown and we are all doing ourselves a GREAT injustice by not visiting his studios. A humble man he is, and has a passion for God, Art, and giving back to the community. His current location is still in the works, however the art is availale for view. I can not begin to describe this place. All I can say is you should visit with an open mind and art. The history I learned by viewing his and other artist work is unexplainable and unbelievable.....the work is so passionate, accurate and will have you leaving with a sense of love for are that you have never experienced before. He and his artist love what they do and are passionate in sharing it with the world. Please, if you are ever in Hampton, and you're inspired to see some unknown, art, history and culture of this country. Go and visit his studios. You will not be disappointed. Be sure and tell him that Vance and Inez sent you. I hope he remembers me. Oh, take your kids. They will be highly satisfied.

A different kind of art to suit every taste. From serious classic pieces and historical themes, to…read morefantasy and romanticism, to thought provoking and smile generating, Art Central Phoebus has it all.

Had 3 matted prints over 20 yrs old that had been rolled up through the years. Took to Trimble it…read morewas pricey but well worth it. He did a great job and restored the prints to their original beauty.

Utterly glorious art. They restore paintings and photos. Well worth the stop. There is a big…read moreselection of animal and Renaissance fine art. This is for art collectors, not for casual shoppers but fun to look for anyone.

Williamsburg Botanical Garden is a smaller botanical garden in comparison to Norfolk's, but do not…read moreunderestimate it for its size! It's completely free admission and is open until sunset. It is densely packed with all sorts of plants for all seasons, from small ground covers to thick-trunked loblolly trees. It showcases plenty of plants native to Virginia and plants that can be planted in zone 8, hence, it teems with life. It's a great sanctuary for pollinators and you do see plenty of them from bees, wasps, beetles, to caterpillars, butterflies, and hummingbirds that fly around you as you explore. :) From a distance it looks like the same looking green stuff, but when you look closely each patch is a variety of plants serving different purposes. We visited the garden late summer and saw plenty of Monarch caterpillars feeding on common milkweeds. If you didn't pay attention to the foliage you would have missed the hundreds of them fattening up. The place teaches you to really look at things to appreciate the ecosystem that thrives there. It doesn't seem too big from the outside, but it's easy to get lost with everything to be seen from the inside. My husband and I jokingly dubbed it "the gift that keeps on giving." Corny, yeah, but we genuinely felt like we kept seeing more new plants and new areas right when we felt like we've seen it all. They also have little benches scattered around for sitting just to enjoy the atmosphere. Such a great place for plant lovers and people who enjoy the peace of the outdoors minus the strenuous hike that is required to explore an overwhelmingly large botanical garden. The surrounding areas also have plenty of trails for a long walk, an outdoor obstacle course that is a good challenge for adults and kids alike, a small museum with a dipping dots, and an open field great for a peaceful picnic, a frisbee game, or for just running around. If you wanna go outside and touch grass, this is place!

Visiting from Washington, D.C., I thought the Williamsburg Botanical Garden would be like D.C.'s…read more To save you the worry, it's not. There's no greenhouse or indoor space, but it's still worth a visit. Inside Freedom Park, the botanical garden is free for anyone to go in. Park by the visitor's center and follow the signs to a gate. Open it and follow the trails to many different gardens of native plants, flowers, and more. There are benches along the way and fun surprises for all ages.