About Us

The City of Virginia Beach History Museums include the Thoroughgood House, the Francis Land House, the Lynnhaven House, and the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum. They are part of the City’s Cultural Affairs Department. As part of the municipal government of the City of Virginia Beach, the Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department engages residents and visitors through meaningful arts, heritage, and cultural experiences to connect and strengthen communities.

Virginia Beach's rich heritage is represented in its variety of historic homes. Some of the oldest surviving brick houses in America are in Virginia, and two of those–the Thoroughgood House and the Lynnhaven House–are located in Virginia Beach. The Francis Land House is a larger, later example of plantation living in Princess Anne County. These houses offer visitors the opportunity to step back in time and discover stories of risk and opportunity, expanding definitions of equality, and the bonds of family and community.

Slavery and the efforts of people of African descent to fight injustice and adversity are part of our shared past. The best account of local African American history can be found in the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum. The museum tells the story of the efforts, and ultimate success, of the African American community to build a high school for black children during the era of segregation.

Virginia Beach's history is surprisingly broad, and the Virginia Beach History Museums provide memorable experiences for those wishing to discover the true hidden treasures of the Atlantic coast.

*Note: Photos and videos may be taken by Virginia Beach History Museums staff during programs and throughout Virginia Beach History Museums buildings and grounds. If you do not wish to have your picture taken, please avoid the camera or tell the photographer.