Appomattox Court House

Location: 111 National Park Drive, Appomattox, VA 24522

Phone: (434) 352-8987

Website: https://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm

Hours: 

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (closed on New Years Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) 

Ticket Prices: Free for all ages

Visited: July 30, 2021

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is maintained by the National Park Service. The site contains the house of Wilmer McLean, where Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War. The surrender occurred April 9, 1865.  

The park is the recreation of a small village and was made a national monument in 1940, then made a national historical park in 1954. It is located about 3 miles east of Appomattox, Virginia. The park has a couple of dozen restored buildings, a few ruins, and some cemeteries.

The Visitor's Center is the first building you see on the right as you walk up from the parking lot. 

In it, visitors can watch a short film about the surrender and the end of the Civil War. 

The Visitor's Center also houses a collection of items about the area, the McLean House, and general Civil War memorabilia.  

NPS staff hold talks and Living History sessions throughout the day. Visitors are able to tour the McLean House and see the room where the surrender occurred. 

Other buildings, such as the tavern, the homes of enslaved people, and the jail, are also open for visitors. 

A bookstore/gift shop is also open and worthy of a visit!

It was nice to see license plates from all over the country in the parking area. We take Virginia's rich history for granted, and love to know that people come from all over the world to learn about the history where we live. 

Frontier Culture Museum

Location: 12910 Richmond Avenue, Staunton, VA 24401

Phone: (540) 332-7850

Website: http://www.frontiermuseum.org/

Hours: 

March 11 through November 30, 2019: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 7 days / week; 

December 1, 2019 through March 8, 2020: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: 

Adult: $12.00
Senior: $ 11.50
Student (ages 13-college): $11.00
Child (ages 6-12): $7.00
Children Under Age 6: Free

Homeschool discount? No, but the museum offers Homeschool Days and other programs for Homeschool families. Check their Homeschool page for more information. 

Visited: September 30, 2018

The goal of the Frontier Culture Museum is to tell the story of early immigrants to America. It does this through exhibits, living history demonstrations, and hands on activities. The museum is outdoors and consists of two main areas: The Old World (where the immigrants come from) and America. 

Prepare to do some walking, and be sure to dress for the weather! We took our time and visited each area at a leisurely pace. Altogether, we spent about 3 ½ hours walking and exploring. If you get tired or just want a lift golf cart shuttles travel through the museum regularly. The shuttle driver would be happy to take you wherever you'd like to go.

The Old World exhibits show visitors what life and culture was like for many of America's early migrants. The museum actually moved several of the buildings from their original countries and locations and rebuilt them on the museum grounds. 

The Old World section contains buildings from the 1600's – 1700's England, Germany, Ireland, West Africa, and (native) America. 

The New World section exhibits show what life for colonists and their descendants may have been like in nearby rural areas from the 1740's to the 1850's. 

Snacks and drinks are available in the gift shop, but no cafe or dining service is available onsite. You may, however, bring your own food and eat at the picnic areas. Even though this is an outdoor museum, pets are not allowed due to possible interaction with the livestock. 

If you ever want to travel back in time and visit a few other countries at the same time, spend an afternoon at this museum. We left feeling as though we had visited other countries and visited the past - truly, the most fun way to learn!