Sights To See
Lee Hall Mansion
One of the last surviving antebellum homes on the Virginia Peninsula, Lee Hall Mansion was build by a wealthy Warwick County landowner, Richard Decauter Lee. The mansion was used as a command center by Confederate Generals John Bankhead Magruder and Joseph E. Johnston during April and May 1862. Now a historic house museum, the Lee Hall Mansion has authentically furnished period rooms that offer visitors a step back into the past. Exhibits feature Civil War artifacts, including a tablecloth from the USS Monitor. Lee Hall Mansion is located at 163 Yorktown Road in the northern part of the city. For more information call 757-888-3371.
The Mariners' Museum
The Mariners' Museum - International in scope, the museum preserves and interprets 3,000 years of maritime history. 100 Museum Drive. For more information and admission fees call 757-596-2222.
The Newsome House Museum and Cultural Center
Dedicated in 1991, the house was home to J. Thomas Newsome, a prominent African-American attorney, community leader, and civil rights pioneer from 1906 to 1977. The museum showcases art exhibits and offers a wide variety of programs to the community. Free admission. Call 757-247-2360 or visit Newsome House website for details.
Peninsula Fine Arts Center
The center presents changing bi-monthly exhibitions of Virginia's foremost contemporary artists and craftspeople, as well as special loan exhibitions and works by regional artists. 101 Museum Drive. For more information and admission fees, call 757-596-8175 or visit the Peninsula Fine Arts Center website.
U.S. Army Transportation Museum
The history of Army transportation by rail, sea and air is traced through miniature models, including such experimental devices as the AVRO-CAR "flying saucer." Located at Fort Eustis. For more information call 757-878-1115 or visit the US Army Transportation Museum website.
Victory Arch
Since Hampton Roads was the WWI Port of Embarkation, returning men of our armed forces marched through the arch during their homecoming. The arch serves today as a memorial with an eternal flame for all men and women of the Armed Forces. Located in downtown Newport News on West Avenue at 25th Street.
Virginia Living Museum
Watch native wildlife up close in natural habitat settings. There's a unique combination of wildlife park, aviaries, aquariums, natural science museum, botanical gardens, planetarium and an observatory. 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard. For more information call 757-595-1900 or visit the Virginia Living Museum website.
Virginia War Museum
A collection of more than 60,000 artifacts traces U.S. military history from 1775 to the present. Included are weapons, uniforms, photographs, vehicles, memorabilia and the nation's largest collection of propaganda posters. Located in Huntington Park at 9258 Warwick Boulevard. For information on hours and admission fees, call 757-247-8523 or visit the Virginia War Museum website.