Where Virginia Ranks Among Best States For Museum Enthusiasts

Virginia is one of America’s most history-rich states, with world-class educational institutions and a penchant for art and nature dating back centuries.

So we took a break from analyzing Virginia sports gambling to take a closer look at the cultural attractions available in the state.

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When Is International Museum Day?

May 18 is International Museum Day, a day in which we recognize and celebrate our beloved cultural institutions dedicated to a wide variety of subjects. Using data from 2018 Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Data Files, we calculated the number of museums, botanical gardens, planetariums and zoos per square mile in each state, then ranked the states.

Of course, many Virginia residents are close to Washington D.C., and the nation’s capital is an obvious cultural powerhouse with museums and architecture to enthrall visitors of any age or interest.

But there are plenty such places in Virginia. In fact, it ranks 12^th in the United States, according to our data, with 221 museums, zoos, planetariums and botanical gardens in its 42,774 square miles. That’s 51.67 such institutions per 10,000 square miles.

States Ranked By Most Museums Per Square Mile

Rank, State	No. of Museums	Area (sq. miles)	Museums per 10,000 sq. mi.
1. Rhode Island	44	1,545	284.79
2. Massachusetts	223	10,554	211.29
3. Connecticut	106	5,543	191.23
4. New Jersey	148	8,722	169.69
5. Delaware	28	2,489	112.50
6. Maryland	138	12,405	111.24
7. New York	485	54,554	88.90
8. Pennsylvania	322	46,054	69.91
9. Ohio	259	44,825	57.78
10. Hawaii	62	10,931	56.72
11. New Hampshire	50	9,349	53.48
12. Virginia	221	42,774	51.67
13. Florida	335	65,757	50.90
14. Illinois	271	57,913	46.79
15. California	739	163,694	45.15
16. Vermont	40	9,616	41.60
17. Indiana	146	36,419	40.08
18. South Carolina	105	32,020	32.79
19. Tennessee	127	42,114	30.13
20. Georgia	172	59,425	28.94
21. Kentucky	111	40,407	27.47
22. Wisconsin	176	65,496	26.87
23. Washington	174	71,297	24.40
24. Alabama	116	52,420	22.13
25. Michigan	212	96,713	21.92
26. Iowa	122	56,272	21.68
27. Maine	76	35,379	21.48
28. West Virginia	49	24,230	20.22
29. Louisiana	105	52,738	19.90
30. Missouri	131	69,706	18.79
31. Texas	448	268,596	16.68
32. Minnesota	139	86,935	15.99
33. Colorado	160	104,093	15.37
34. North Carolina	209	139,391	14.99
35. Oklahoma	92	69,988	13.16
36. Mississippi	60	48,431	12.38
37. Kansas	98	82,278	11.91
38. Oregon	117	98,378	11.89
39. Nebraska	80	77,347	10.34
40. Utah	66	84,896	7.77
41. South Dakota	55	77,115	7.13
42. Idaho	56	83,568	6.70
43. New Mexico	75	121,590	6.17
44. Wyoming	51	97,813	5.21
45. Arkansas	70	137,732	5.08
46. Montana	73	147,039	4.96
47. Arizona	127	295,234	4.30
48. Nevada	45	110,571	4.07
49. North Dakota	36	183,108	1.97
50. Alaska	43	665,384	0.65

Mount Vernon Tops List of Virginia Museums

To show the variety of institutions on our list, the top museum in Virginia is not dedicated to art, nor is it a zoo. Rather, it is the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, at least according to TripAdvisor rankings.

Mount Vernon was the home of America’s first president, George Washington. In addition to Washington’s mansion and grounds, the facility also has a museum and an education center. George Washington and his wife, Martha, are buried on the estate.

Other notable museums in the state include several in Richmond – highlights include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the American Civil War Museum. Virginia also boasts the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle and the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, plus the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.

Those inclined to use the best Virginia sports betting apps might take an interest in the National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, which according to its website is mainly concerned with “sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports.”

Author

Jim Tomlin

@jdtomlin68

Jim Tomlin has nearly 30 years of experience in journalism, having worked at such publications as the Tampa Bay Times, FanRag, Saturdays Down South and Saturday Tradition. He is a contributing writer and editor for BetVirginia.com.