Top Virginia Wedding Museums

• 1 Wedding Album
• Spaces for 25-350 Guests
• 6 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 6 Total Spaces

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley sits on 214 acres in Winchester, Virginia, making it the largest green space in the city and pairing a 50,000-square-foot museum building — designed by architect Michael Graves — with the historic Glen Burnie House and six acres of formal gardens. Glen Burnie House, built in 1794, was transformed into a refined home by Julian Wood Glass Jr. and R. Lee Taylor beginning in the 1950s before the museum itself opened in 2005 to share their collection with the public. For private events, the museum offers a range of indoor and outdoor spaces suited to gatherings of different sizes and styles. The beautifully renovated Glen Burnie House, with its formal Drawing Room, Library, and adjacent Terrace, suits an intimate dinner or cocktail reception, with access extended to the surrounding garden rooms. The Glen Burnie Gardens themselves offer settings from the Grand Allee to the more intimate Water Garden for ceremonies and receptions. Inside the museum, the wood-beamed Reception Hall and adjoining lobby and hallways can host larger cocktail-style events, while the Truist Learning Center and Carriage House Classroom provide smaller spaces for meetings, workshops, and luncheons. The museum is a site-only rental, so caterers, tents, and event equipment are arranged through outside vendors, including members of the Shenandoah Wedding Professionals group that the museum regularly partners with.

• Spaces for 125-150 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 3 Landmarks

Say “I do” on the historic grounds of Gunston Hall. With 550 acres of beautiful landscape and a breathtaking vista of the Potomac, you and your guests will have an experience to remember. Weddings at Gunston Hall are truly a special occasion and can include the use of the newly opened Riverside Garden, grounds, the Ann Mason Room (located inside our visitor center) and its adjoining private courtyard. The Ann Mason Room and grounds can accommodate up to 125 seated guests or 150 standing for your ceremony or reception. Wedding packages may include tours of the historic mansion, private wedding party changing quarters, and a dedicated staff member throughout your wedding planning process. To schedule a tour of the facility and grounds and to begin planning your next event, contact our event team at: Nicole Ryan, Leader of Business Enterprise nicole.ryan@gunstonhall.org (703) 550-9220 Britt Fiocca, Sales & Rental Associate britt.fiocca@gunstonhall.org (703) 550-9220

• Spaces for 90-250 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 4 Total Spaces

We're a functioning farm winery dedicated to producing exceptional Virginia wines while honoring the heritage and preservation of Fairfax County's pastoral past. We provide you an escape from the hustle and bustle of your daily life to a simpler time—where you may relax in the beautiful Virginia countryside with your family and friends while sipping excellent, award-winning Virginia wine. We are the nearest winery to Washington, D.C. A Spectacular Location for Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Event! We take your vision and turn it into a reality. At The Winery at Bull Run, rustic beauty meets history and grandeur. Our unique winery is the perfect place for you to exchange your “I Do's” with spectacular panoramic views of the vineyard and adjoining horse farm, the trendy look of reclaimed wood and wine barrels that line our interior event areas, and the romantic stone ruins of our ancient Hillwood Mansion. Our Events Team is committed to assisting you in organizing your perfect wedding during the planning months and is on hand on your wedding day to ensure that every little detail is perfect so you can enjoy your special day! The ruins, which were once the site of a magnificent mansion, provide a unique and functional backdrop for your event. Your ceremony will take place on the elevated old porch, which provides a beautiful view for all of your guests to see you say your "I Do's." Hillwood Ruins also has a large lawn and stunning views over the vineyard. The Hillwoods Ruins can hold up to 200 people and are available as part of any wedding package.

• Spaces for 80-120 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark

Wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties, and seminars can be held in the Athenaeum in a dramatic and unique setting that can be tailored to your individual needs. Upstairs galleries may accommodate up to 125 guests standing or 80 guests seated at tables. For a ceremony, the delightful courtyard offers a lovely outdoor location for up to 50 people to stand or sit. The Athenaeum structure and courtyard are included in all of our rentals. ​As always, we will be pleased to discuss your specific needs. Rental requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. Viewings of the Athenaeum can be arranged in advance or during gallery hours. The gallery is open from noon to four on Thursday through Sunday. On holidays, the Athenaeum is closed. Membership of the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association at the Supporter level ($100) or higher is required to rent out the Athenaeum. The Rules and Regulations for Renting the Athenaeum, the Release of Liability for Renting the Athenaeum, and an event information form must all be read and signed by the renter. The return of a completed contract, a 50% payment, and a $750 refundable security deposit completes a reservation.

• Spaces for 250-400 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

The Watermen's Museum sits on the Riverwalk in Colonial Yorktown, Virginia, on the only privately owned stretch of beach in the village, overlooking the York River. Dedicated to preserving the heritage of the watermen who have worked the Chesapeake Bay from pre-colonial times through today, the museum tells that story through its exhibits while also opening its grounds to weddings, receptions, and private events. Couples and event hosts can reserve the museum's beachfront, complete with a driftwood tree, beach grasses, and sunset views over the river, along with the elevated Carriage House deck and a 30-by-50-foot events tent large enough for sizable weddings and receptions. The museum's administrative office coordinates all rentals directly, and hosts can choose from two preferred local caterers, Chef K Cooking and The Yorktown Pub, or arrange their own. The setting also lends itself to traditional, colonial, or pirate-themed celebrations, with a gun deck available for a ceremonial cannon firing.

• Spaces for 200-500 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

Founded in 1966, the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News combines a zoo, aquarium, science center, and planetarium under one roof, home to more than 1,100 native species representing every region of Virginia. Its "conservation starts with connection" mission shapes an event backdrop unlike a typical banquet hall: guests mingle among living exhibits recreating an Appalachian Cove, a Cypress Swamp, the underwater world of the Chesapeake Bay, and a limestone cave, with live animal encounters woven into receptions. The museum hosts weddings, receptions, corporate parties, banquets, and celebrations of all kinds for up to 500 guests at a cocktail party or 200 for a seated dinner. Ceremonies can take place in the outdoor Amphitheater or on the museum's main floor, and the rental extends to an outdoor deck overlooking Deer Park Lake and a rooftop patio with a 16-inch telescope for stargazing. A multi-level layout allows dinner on one floor and dancing on another, and behind-the-scenes spaces are available for catering staff and bridal parties to prepare. All rentals take place after the museum closes to the public at 5 p.m.

• Spaces for 130-400 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Barn
• 1 Historic Space

Frontier Culture Museum is an open-air living history museum in Staunton, Virginia, built near the junction of I-64 and I-81 to tell the story of the settlers who shaped early American culture from European, African, and indigenous roots. Reconstructed farms and historic buildings across the museum's grounds recreate the world of 17th- and 18th-century migrants from England, Germany, Ireland, and West Africa, alongside the enslaved individuals who helped build colonial and early American society. The museum operates as an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is billed as the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley. The museum rents several of its spaces for private events, including weddings, cocktail receptions, luncheons, board meetings, staff retreats, and company picnics. Options include the historic Octagonal Barn, a two-story 1908 barn relocated from Bridgewater, Virginia; an open-air Pavilion overlooking the museum's Old World Exhibits; and a converted Dairy Barn Lecture Hall. Every venue is handicap accessible, and rentals include tables and chairs, on-site supervision and security, trash removal, ample on-site parking, and discounted museum admission for guests.

• Spaces for 70-300 Guests
• 4 Museums
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 4 Total Spaces

Historic Crab Orchard Museum & Pioneer Park sits on a nationally registered archaeological site in Tazewell, Virginia, first settled during the late Woodland period and later home to the Witten family, among the earliest settlers in Tazewell County. Pioneer Park was established in the late 1970s on land donated by A. Jefferson Higginbotham, Jr., and today the grounds hold 15 historic log and stone structures alongside the Higginbotham Museum Center, home to the museum's permanent collection in the Lucie Greever Gallery and its rotating exhibitions. As the Premiere Cultural Heritage Center in Southwest Virginia, the museum welcomes weddings and private events across its grounds. The Red Barn, once used for exhibitions and community gatherings, now hosts receptions, luncheons, dinners, and weddings, with a preparation kitchen, restrooms, and heat and air conditioning. Wedding packages pair the Red Barn with the museum's picnic shelter, cabin porches, and grounds, and include setup the day before and cleanup after the event.

• Spaces for 45-150 Guests
• 2 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 2 Total Spaces

Set in the heart of Staunton, Virginia, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum preserves the birthplace and legacy of the 28th president. Visitors can explore a World War I trench exhibit, Wilson's Pierce-Arrow limousine, and the historic Manse where he was born, tracing his path from the Shenandoah Valley to the White House. The museum's grounds extend beyond its galleries into terraced historic gardens behind the birthplace, offering a quiet backdrop for private events. The Upper Garden's lawn, brick path, and two gazebos suit a wedding ceremony or band setup, while the adjoining brick Lower Terrace accommodates cocktails, a seated dinner, or photos, with tenting available for either space. Each garden area holds 75 to 100 guests. For indoor gatherings, Don W. Wilson Hall on the first floor of the Research Center offers two parlors, a sitting room, a front porch, and a back terrace for up to 45 guests, along with a full kitchen, two handicap-accessible restrooms, and chairs, tables, and AV equipment included in the rental.

• Spaces for 150-155 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark
• 1 space at this venue

Housed in a former Arlington County school building, the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA Arlington) has occupied its location since 1976. The building was constructed in 1910 to a design by architect Charles M. Robinson and served as a school before being adapted for cultural use; it is designated both an Arlington County Landmark and a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. A 2005 renovation restored the building's original Louis Comfort Tiffany Studio stained-glass windows, which remain a signature feature of the space today. Spanning 17,000 square feet, the museum houses nine exhibition galleries, twelve artist studios, and three classrooms. Its event spaces include the Tiffany Gallery, set beneath the restored stained-glass windows, along with several of the museum's rotating contemporary art galleries, together accommodating up to 150 guests for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions. Rentals include round and cocktail tables, chairs, a large projection screen, and high-speed Wi-Fi, along with on-site and street parking, and hosts are free to choose their own caterer and bring their own bar.

• Spaces for 600-5,000 Guests
• 2 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Event Space

The Military Aviation Museum sits on a private grass airfield in Virginia Beach, home to one of the world's largest collections of flying vintage military aircraft from the WWI and WWII eras. Originally the private collection of Virginia Beach businessman Gerald Yagen, the museum opened to the public in 2008 and today welcomes more than 85,000 visitors a year to see warbirds maintained in operational, flying condition rather than kept as static displays. The campus blends museum galleries with authentic historic structures relocated from overseas, including the Goxhill Watch Office, a former U.S. 8th Air Force control tower from England, and Halle 6 Cottbus, a German airfield hangar that still bears battle damage from 1945. Two 15,000-square-foot hangars, each accommodating up to 600 guests, offer climate-controlled indoor space for weddings, corporate events, and holiday parties, while the historic WWI Hangar and the open museum grounds provide rustic and outdoor alternatives for events as large as 5,000 with tents and staging. The museum can also add a private aircraft demonstration to an event rental, giving guests a warbird flyover as part of their evening.

• Spaces for 40-190 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 3 Total Spaces

Historic Blenheim is a Civil War-era estate in the City of Fairfax, Virginia, operated by the City as an event venue and interpretive center. The centerpiece is a Greek-Revival/Georgian brick house built around 1859 for the Willcoxon family, where Federal soldiers left graffiti on the interior walls during the winter of 1862-63 — a detail that has made the property a stop on both the Virginia Civil War Trails and the Northern Virginia Graffiti Trail. The adjoining Civil War Interpretive Center houses a gallery with a full-sized replica of the house's attic and glass walls that look out over the historic grounds. Set on 12 secluded acres, the property combines that historic backdrop with modern event amenities, making it suited to weddings, anniversary parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, and meetings alike — even a routine meeting takes on a different character in the space. Events can move between an indoor multipurpose room and atrium/lobby and outdoor spaces including a pergola terrace and veranda porch, with additional tent locations available across the grounds for larger gatherings.