As part of VA250 celebrations, the Gloucester Museum of History is sponsoring a Landmark Scavenger Hunt through 2026. Individuals and families who visit the 14 listed landmarks will receive a prize from the museum.
“We have numerous historic sites across the community that help tell that story,” said Historic Resources Supervisor Robert Kelly about the nation’s semiquincentennial.
Page Middle School Community Engagement Coordinator Tiffany Bates came up with the idea of a landmark scavenger hunt as a fun family activity in an effort to keep “families engaged with our community.”
“She wanted to find a way to get families out in the community,” added Kelly.
The landmarks listed in the scavenger hunt include Machicomoco State Park, Gloucester Court Circle, Woodville School, Buck’s Store Museum, Ware Episcopal Church, Edge Hill House, Abingdon Episcopal Church, Gloucester Museum of History, Rosewell Ruins, Nuttall Country Store, Battle of the Hook site, Walter Reed’s Birthplace, Werowocomoco exhibit at the Gloucester County Visitor Center, and Tyndall’s Point Park.
Bates has already started the scavenger hunt with her young son. “He’s very much enjoying it so far.”
Most of the sites are free to visit with the exception of Machicomoco State Park, which requires a $5 parking fee. Rosewell usually charges an admission fee, but the Fairfield Foundation has announced that admission will be free for all visitors during its 2026 season in honor of the 250th celebration. Rosewell opens for the season on April 3 and will have regular weekend hours through Nov. 1.
Each student enrolled in Gloucester County Public Schools will receive a landmark scavenger hunt activity sheet with additional information and photos of the landmarks. All the photos were taken by Tourism & Marketing Suprvisor Susan Ammons of Gloucester County Parks, Recreation & Tourism. Activity sheets will also be available at select landmark sites, including the museum, and online at va250.org/gloucester-county.
“We hope that folks get out in the community,” said Kelly.
2025 museum recap
Gloucester Museum of History had a busy 2025 season and is looking forward to its 2026 plans.
“We welcomed 4,780 people physically inside of the museum,” said Kelly. In special programs with schools, retirement homes and other groups, the museum interacted with an additional 3,003 people for nearly 7,800 individuals reached.
For a community museum like ours, that’s a huge number,” he said.
A fleet of volunteers logged about 1,800 hours at the museum last year, maintaining the docent desk, working special programs and taking groups on tours. Volunteers help the museum operate on a Monday through Saturday schedule with the addition of Sundays when there is a special program being held.
“We always need more,” said Museum Specialist Sidney Ripley about volunteers. “It’s a small commitment, but it helps us in a big way.”
Through its continuation of the Colonial Williamsburg fourth grade field trip, addition of an eighth-grade state capitol trip and creation of special Sunday afternoon programming in 2025, the museum was working on its new second-floor exhibit.
The $130,000 grant-supported exhibit opened in October and required innumerable meetings, research hours and staff time. The second-floor space was thoroughly cleaned and received fresh paint and new furniture.
“People are spending a longer time here and they’re much more engaged,” said Kelly. “It now provides a hands-on component for visitors and students.”
More people are sticking around to ask staff questions, play tavern games and take guided tours. “It’s going to pay dividends here at the museum for years,” said Kelly about the space.
“We’ve started to offer costumed interpretation,” said Ripley who dresses up as an 18th-century woman from the American Revolution era.
“It engages people a lot,” said Kelly. “It gives people a chance to meet someone from the past.”
“It adds a lot to events to have that,” said Ripley.
Looking forward
Gloucester Museum of History is taking the lead on the county’s 250 programming and began preparations last year by enrolling in the VA250 Passport Program, which encourages people to visit different historical sites and museums throughout Virginia.
“We’re the only site in Gloucester to be on that passport,” said Kelly.
“I’ve had a lot of people come in for that,” said Ripley.
“That was a competitive process and we were honored to be included in that,” said Kelly, mentioning that all of the premiere museums in the commonwealth are listed on the passport.
The museum was also able to welcome the VA250 Mobile Museum last year during Daffodil Festival weekend and hopes to host the mobile museum again this year. “For us, that was really, really special that they chose to be here,” he said.
This year, the county will not only celebrate the 250th, but will also commemorate the 375th anniversary of Gloucester. The museum will soon publish a full calendar of events that will commemorate both historic dates.
In partnership with the Gloucester VA250 Committee, the county is planning a big community celebration the weekend of July 4. There will be several programs and events leading up to that weekend to commemorate the semiquincentennial.
During Memorial Day weekend, the 7th Virginia Regiment will be interpreting the moments just before the start of the Battle of Gwynn’s Island, also known as the Battle of Cricket Hill, ahead of the battle’s 250th commemoration in Mathews. One of the aims of this event is to raise awareness of the Mathews event.
“This is a regional tourism effort,” said Kelly. “It’s a benefit for all of our community.”
Throughout September, the museum is planning 375th celebrations, which will kick off on Gloucester Day.
In addition, the museum will be installing a chairlift on the southern end of its porch to make the building more accessible, updating exhibits and participating in a mini documentary series on the American Revolution in Gloucester this year.
“We want people to take advantage of all the different offerings we have,” said Kelly. “We want the museum to be dynamic.”