An initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Museums for All encourages people of all backgrounds to visit museums frequently and build lifelong museum-going habits.
Understanding that admission fees may be a barrier for many families, the program ensures that individuals receiving food assistance can access reduced or free admission to participating museums by showing their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.
“As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore, and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “It is imperative that financial barriers do not prohibit anyone from visiting and enjoying museums and other cultural attractions on a regular basis.”
Since the launch of the initiative in 2014, Museums for All has served more than 4 million visitors nationwide at more than 900 museums, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With the recent addition of Maymont, 10 museums and cultural attractions in the Richmond region now participate:
- Agecroft Hall & Garden
- The American Civil War Museum
- The Children’s Museum of Richmond
- Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
- Maymont
- The Poe Museum
- Science Museum of Virginia
- The Valentine
- Virginia Museum of History & Culture
- Wilton House Museum
The Virginia Museum of the Arts and Virginia Holocaust Museum offer free admission for all guests.
Agecroft Hall & Gardens
Located a mile from Carytown in Richmond’s Windsor Farms neighborhood, Agecroft Hall & Gardens is a reconstructed 15th century Tudor estate originally built in Lancashire, England and now surrounded by 23 acres of gardens and trails overlooking the James River. Agecroft was moved piece-by-piece from England in the late 1920s and accented with grounds designed by noted Virginia landscape architect Charles Gillette.
The American Civil War Museum
The American Civil War Museum exhibits tell stories of how the Civil War affected Americans across the divides of race, gender and nationality. Their goal is to communicate human connections to history and current culture. Three locations: Historic Tredegar and the White House of the Confederacy, both in Richmond; and a museum in Appomattox.
The Children’s Museum of Richmond
The Children’s Museum is more than a fun place for children to play, indoors and outdoors. It’s an active, involved opportunity for the whole family to grow and learn together. At both locations of the Children’s Museum, they aim to inspire growth by engaging families in the power of play, knowing that everyone can learn more – and learn better – when they play together.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Consistently recognized as one of the top botanical gardens in the U.S., Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden invites, welcomes and celebrates all who respect the Earth and each other. With a calendar full of events and more than 50 acres of gardens including a Conservatory and Children’s Garden, Lewis Ginter has something for all ages and works to connect people through plants to improve communities.
Maymont
Maymont is a historic estate overlooking the James River with so much to see and do: stroll the 100-acre grounds, tour a well-preserved Gilded Age home, enjoy landscaped gardens and majestic trees that change with the seasons and learn about farm animals and more than 85 species of native rescued wildlife in habitats and in The Robins Nature Center.
The Poe Museum
The Poe Museum celebrates native Richmonder and internationally famous writer Edgar Allan Poe. It boasts the world’s finest collection of Poe’s manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The Poe Museum is dedicated to illuminating Poe for everyone, evermore.
Science Museum of Virginia
With three floors of interactive experiences, The Dome, touring exhibitions throughout the year, and a calendar of family-friendly events, the Science Museum offers countless ways to explore science.
The Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. The only museum dedicated to our city’s diverse history, the Valentine offers exhibitions, walking tours, community programs, special events and more.
Virginia Museum of History & Culture
Owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture cares for a collection of nearly 9 million items that bring the commonwealth’s ever-evolving story to life. Experience 16,000 years of Virginia history under one roof through exhibitions, interactive displays and special programs.
Wilton House Museum
Built in the 1750s and once the centerpiece of a 2,500 acre plantation, Wilton House Museum tells the story of the rise and fall of the Randolph family and one of the largest enslaved communities in Henrico County. Relocated to Richmond in the 1930s, Wilton offers tours of the historic house, events, and an annual lecture series and symposium. Wilton House Museum is owned and operated by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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Crystal Graham
