Although the lighthouse was completed in 1792, the idea of a lighthouse on Cape Henry came to be decades earlier. Learn about the agreement between Virginia and Maryland, how the Founding Fathers are connected to the construction of the lighthouse and the process of building with the adjustments that had to be made to create the first federally funded public works project during this virtual program on Zoom.
ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED On August 7th, 1789, the 9th act of Congress was signed, the Lighthouse Act, celebrate National Lighthouse day with us. Climb the Old and New Cape Henry Lighthouses for a once in a lifetime opportunity! Join local organizations in participating in crafts and activities. Learn more about maritime […]
Join Scotchtown staff on Saturday August 8th from 10am-4pm and learn about how popular vegetables and herbs were prepared in the 1700s! In addition we will be discussing foodways in colonials times, exploring the kitchen garden, and cooking multiple dishes throughout the day using 18th century recipes. Guests can take home a recipe or two […]
This event is free and open to active/retired military/ DoD ID holders and their families. Join the Cape Henry Lighthouse on the lookout at the Cape Henry Memorial Park overlooking the ocean as we read a children’s book related to the ocean and lighthouse. Stick around for a fun quick craft that accompanies the book that you can take home!
Learn about the historic shipwrecks that plagued the Virginia coastline, including the Dictator, and how their presence is still being felt today in this virtual program designed just for kids!
This event is free and open to active/retired military/ DoD ID holders and their families. Join the Cape Henry Lighthouse on the lookout at the Cape Henry Memorial Park overlooking the ocean as we read a children’s book related to the ocean and lighthouse. Stick around for a fun quick craft that accompanies the book that you can take home!
Bacon’s Rebellion began as a campaign of violence against the region’s Indigenous people carried out in defiance of the royal governor. The elite instigators of the insurrection garnered broad support by stoking prejudice and exploiting the desperation of struggling and marginalized groups, including many in the colony’s growing, and increasingly oppressed African population who saw in the uprising a chance for self-liberation.
Join the Scotchtown staff on Saturday, August 22nd from 10am-4pm for ongoing demonstrations on dyes and colors of the 18th century. Come learn about dyeing practices in Colonial America and at Scotchtown in the 18th century. Join our staff in this all-day long program as we discuss our sample dye and textile gardens and demonstrate […]
This event is free and open to active/retired military/ DoD ID holders and their families. Join the Cape Henry Lighthouse on the lookout at the Cape Henry Memorial Park overlooking the ocean as we read a children’s book related to the ocean and lighthouse. Stick around for a fun quick craft that accompanies the book that you can take home!
You are invited to join us for a film screening and panel discussion of our new documentary, “Voices Remembered: History Speaks in the Present Tense,” at 6 PM on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. “Voices Remembered: History Speaks in the Present Tense,” celebrates the rich tapestry of Black […]
Join Preservation Virginia’s John Marshall House and the Valentine Museum’s John Wickham House for a deep dive into one of America’s first great legal spectacles. In the summer of 1807, the national spotlight landed on Richmond’s Court End neighborhood as Chief Justice John Marshall deliberated the fate of accused traitor Aaron Burr. Learn about the […]
Join Preservation Virginia’s John Marshall House and the Valentine Museum’s John Wickham House for a deep dive into one of America’s first great legal spectacles. In the summer of 1807, the national spotlight landed on Richmond’s Court End neighborhood as Chief Justice John Marshall deliberated the fate of accused traitor Aaron Burr. Learn about the […]
Join Preservation Virginia’s John Marshall House and the Valentine Museum’s John Wickham House for a deep dive into one of America’s first great legal spectacles. In the summer of 1807, the national spotlight landed on Richmond’s Court End neighborhood as Chief Justice John Marshall deliberated the fate of accused traitor Aaron Burr. Learn about the […]
Patrick Henry is best remembered for his stirring oratory, with his “Liberty or Death” speech being the most famous example. His words have been chronicled for generations but they were never spoken to an empty room. This program focuses on Patrick Henry’s connections with other founding fathers; the relationships he built, correspondence he kept, and […]
Patrick Henry is best remembered for his stirring oratory, with his “Liberty or Death” speech being the most famous example. His words have been chronicled for generations but they were never spoken to an empty room. This program focuses on Patrick Henry’s connections with other founding fathers; the relationships he built, correspondence he kept, and […]
Join Preservation Virginia’s John Marshall House and the Valentine Museum’s John Wickham House for a deep dive into one of America’s first great legal spectacles. In the summer of 1807, the national spotlight landed on Richmond’s Court End neighborhood as Chief Justice John Marshall deliberated the fate of accused traitor Aaron Burr. Learn about the […]
Join the Virginia Association of Museums at City Stadium on August 29th for Night at the Museums. Meet local museums, explore engaging exhibits, and connect with cultural organizations from across the region before enjoying a family-friendly night of soccer at City Stadium! Proceeds from each ticket sold through the link below will benefit the Virginia Association […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
This focus tour explores the experiences of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked at the John Marshall House from 1790 to 1835. Discover what daily life was like for those held in bondage, learn the names and stories of individuals enslaved at the site, and gain a deeper understanding of how […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Join us at the John Marshall House for our collections tour where you will get an up-close look at objects that reveal the personal connections of Chief Justice John Marshall and the enduring ties carried forward by generations of his descendants. Examine name plates, serial numbers, makers’ marks, and engravings that help us piece together […]
What was the first insect documented by English colonists in Virginia? Why was a wildlife bill deemed too silly for the General Assembly in 1826? And what in the world is a “Virginia Nightingale?” Join us as we discover the surprising history of the animals in our own backyard during a Natural History Hike at […]
Join us at the John Marshall House for our collections tour where you will get an up-close look at objects that reveal the personal connections of Chief Justice John Marshall and the enduring ties carried forward by generations of his descendants. Examine name plates, serial numbers, makers’ marks, and engravings that help us piece together […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Exactly one-hundred years before the Declaration of Independence, a group of rebels marched on Virginia’s capital and burned it to the ground in an attempt to depose a government they saw as elitist.
Join the Scotchtown staff at 11am on Sunday, September 20th for a special focus tour in honor of constitution day! When the Constitution was sent to the states for approval in 1788, it faced heavy scrutiny; many detractors argued it did not adequately protect individual liberties, robbed the states of their sovereignty, and provided the […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
Torchbearer: A Story of Bacon’s Rebellion is a new original musical based on the events that swept Virginia from 1675 to 1677. In a colony haunted by the shadow of regicide, old grudges and new tensions build to a conflagration that threatens everyone and everything it touches. Torchbearer examines the motives and fates of a […]
Join Scotchtown staff for a special tour of the manor house that focuses on special and unique pieces in our collection. During the tour we will also discuss our recent furnishings research and look at how and why Scotchtown has changed over the years. This special tour happens on Fridays and Saturdays at 10am during […]
It will be a day of dancing and music at Scotchtown! Join the Virginia Home Spun Dance Ensemble as they dance through the centuries exploring music from 1760 to 1860. While enjoying their performances, learn how music may have influenced the lives of people in Virginia especially during the revolution and here at Scotchtown! Then […]
Worldwide Day of Play is dedicated to bringing opportunities for joyful learning through play to museums and their communities, with a focus on getting kids and their families up, out, and playing around! Bring your family to Bacon's Castle to enjoy the outdoors and play games including Hoop n Stick, Graces, Croquet, Sack Races and […]
Torchbearer: A Story of Bacon’s Rebellion is a new original musical based on the events that swept Virginia from 1675 to 1677. In a colony haunted by the shadow of regicide, old grudges and new tensions build to a conflagration that threatens everyone and everything it touches. Torchbearer examines the motives and fates of a […]
Torchbearer: A Story of Bacon’s Rebellion is a new original musical based on the events that swept Virginia from 1675 to 1677. In a colony haunted by the shadow of regicide, old grudges and new tensions build to a conflagration that threatens everyone and everything it touches. Torchbearer examines the motives and fates of a […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
This focus tour explores the experiences of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked at the John Marshall House from 1790 to 1835. Discover what daily life was like for those held in bondage, learn the names and stories of individuals enslaved at the site, and gain a deeper understanding of how […]
Crumbling castles, dark foreboding landscapes, supernatural and mysterious characters, disturbing and horrifying stories! Spend an evening at Scotchtown and experience the true terror of the early Gothic literary movement as you meet the authors of some of the most chilling and haunting stories and novels of the 18th and 19th centuries. Guest interpreters will be […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission listed Smith's Fort on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. As part of the celebration of our 250th year of independence, Preservation Virginia's Smith's Fort is excited to offer a series of Archaeology Walking Tours at the site that will be open to the public. The tours will […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Join us at Bacon’s Castle for our annual Seventeenth Century Day! This year we will be joined by our Virginia Indian Tribal Partners – the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, the Rappahannock Indian Tribe, and the Nottoway Indian Tribe – and we will also host the Library of Virginia’s LVA On the Go van.
Uncover the stories of murder, mayhem, and mystery that are housed within Preservation Virginia's John Marshall House on these special evening tours. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the oldest surviving brick home in the city of Richmond by candlelight and hear tales of Marshall family secrets, tragic events in early Richmond history, and […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
With over 350 years of history, there is more to Bacon's Castle than meets the eye. Encounter the all-too-true tales of a cursed family, a secret heiress, a daring rescue by night, and more on this guided lantern tour after-hours at Virginia's oldest brick house. This tour is 40 minutes long and recommended for ages […]
Uncover the stories of murder, mayhem, and mystery that are housed within Preservation Virginia's John Marshall House on these special evening tours. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the oldest surviving brick home in the city of Richmond by candlelight and hear tales of Marshall family secrets, tragic events in early Richmond history, and […]
Join us at Scotchtown for First Responder Appreciation day on Sunday, October 25th from 11am-4pm! To say thank you to our first responders and their families, today we are offering free admission and refreshments. See you at Scotchtown! Call us at 804-227-3500 to make your reservation.
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Uncover the stories of murder, mayhem, and mystery that are housed within Preservation Virginia's John Marshall House on these special evening tours. Guests will have the opportunity to tour the oldest surviving brick home in the city of Richmond by candlelight and hear tales of Marshall family secrets, tragic events in early Richmond history, and […]
Calling all junior detectives and historians ages 6-12! Kids, bring your parents and join us Friday or Saturday in October at 10am for a hands-on interactive and engaging investigation into what life was like in an 18th century country manor house. This special children's focus tour will look at primary sources along with objects in […]
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Step back in time at Bacon’s Castle for the Tournament of the Castle Renaissance Faire on November 7th & 8th, 2026! Advance ticket purchase is required, no tickets will be sold at the gate. This thrilling weekend features medieval full-plate armored combat from the local Tidewater Dogs of War, alongside international teams battling for prizes […]
This focus tour explores the experiences of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and worked at the John Marshall House from 1790 to 1835. Discover what daily life was like for those held in bondage, learn the names and stories of individuals enslaved at the site, and gain a deeper understanding of how […]
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Revolutionary ideas for resistance and liberty didn't just take place in the meeting house or on the field, they took place in the home! Learn how women picked up the mantle for independence in one of the few ways they could - through textiles! Scotchtown staff will lead a discussion on the homespun movement during […]
Revolutionary ideas for resistance and liberty didn't just take place in the meeting house or on the field, they took place in the home! Learn how women picked up the mantle for independence in one of the few ways they could - through textiles! Scotchtown staff will lead a discussion on the homespun movement during […]
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Have you ever wanted to wander through Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown appreciating the architecture of this 300-year-old house? Have you longed to see parts of the house not usually open to the public? You can explore Scotchtown from the attic to the cellar with one of our historic interpreters during the 10 a.m. tour on Fridays and Saturdays.
Join the Scotchtown staff on Saturday, November 28th from 10am-4pm for ongoing demonstrations on dyes and colors of the 18th century. Come learn about dyeing practices in Colonial America and at Scotchtown in the 18th century. Join our staff in this all-day long program as we discuss our sample dye and textile gardens and demonstrate […]