9 Best Things to Do in Richmond

The American Civil War Museum is a multi-site museum where you can learn by visiting the White House of the Confederacy, the museum in Tredegar, and the museum in Appomattox. Among the collections at these museums are a comprehensive collection of artifacts, imprints, and photographs from the era. The White House of the Confederacy is particularly interesting in that it served as the presidential residence of Jefferson Davis before the Union army took the town. You can start exploring at the Tredegar location just west of downtown by the James River.

The Science Museum of Virginia is a comprehensive museum offering innovative programs, lab demos, and technology demonstrations designed to wow and inspire all kinds of people. While you'll find plenty of permanent exhibits, don't forget to check out temporary exhibitions that are showing during your visit. The theater in the museum is particularly impressive as the screen measures a massive 76 feet. That's enough to make it the largest screen in all of Virginia. You'll find this museum about 2 miles northwest of downtown past the Fan District.

Riverfront Canal Walk is a popular attraction in town where you can walk along the central canal to see art, statues, restaurants, and exhibits along the way. You can traverse the path on foot or a bike, though walking gives you more time to take in all the sights. One of the most prominent features of this walk is the history medallions. The path contains 22 in total, and you can see them all embedded in the ground along the path, with each highlighting prominent historic sites in the area. You'll find this path along the James River with entrances at nearly every block between 5th and 17th.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is home to numerous collections of fine artworks gathered all across the world from various periods. The African art collection is particularly impressive, as it contains around 500 objects with most hailing from Kongo, Yoruba, Akan, and Kuba cultures. You'll also find ancient art with works dating back to the times of the Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans, Romans, and Byzantines. You can find all of these collections fittingly on the east end of the Museum District.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a collection of immaculately maintained gardens that frequently host events among its vibrant greenery and in its accompanying conservatory. You'll find more than a dozen themed gardens among the grounds here, including a rose garden, a cherry tree walk, and a children's garden. Consider when you want to plan your visit here, as the local events can be one-of-a-kind. During the holiday season, for example, you'll find impressive light displays set up throughout the garden. Spot this destination a few miles north of downtown by Lakeside.

The Fan District is one of the most iconic neighborhoods in Richmond known for its 19th-century architecture, local shops and restaurants, and historical monuments. Among the local architecture, you'll find many different styles all originating from the same period, including Queen Anne, Italianate, Colonial Revival, and Richardsonian Romanesque. Getting around this neighborhood is easy if you take advantage of the local bike share. Renting a bike is affordable and, with their app, you can pick up a bike virtually anywhere in the city. You'll find this district northwest of downtown next to the Museum District.