Updated in October 2026, this American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar is a history museum on the site of the Tredegar Iron Works, on the James River in downtown Richmond, Virginia. An audio tour of the flagship exhibition is now available, and single-site tickets cost between $10 and $19. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the daily opening hours, the ticket categories and the multi-site pass rules.
Quick facts: the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Open daily, 10am to 5pm. |
| Ticket prices | Adult $19. Youth (6 to 18) $10. Reduced prices for military, veterans, seniors, teachers and college students. Under 6 free. |
| Address | 480 Tredegar Street, Richmond, VA 23219 |
| Nearest transport or parking | No on-site car park listed. Nearby parking on 2nd Street and in paid lots. |
| Typical time needed | About 1.5 to 2 hours |
The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar opening hours
The museum is open every day from 10am to 5pm. The hours are the same all year, and there are no seasonal changes.
Opening times can change for special events, so check the museum’s website before a visit. Phone 804-649-1861 ext. 100 to confirm.
5 top experiences to book in Richmond
- 🏛️ Dive into the city’s rich history on a guided Downtown Richmond walking tour.
- 🥾 Take a guided hike along the James River.
- 👻 Learn the sinister secrets of Shockoe Bottom on a walking ghost tour.
- 🍺 On a haunted pub crawl, combine beers with ghost stories.
- 🍴 Taste Richmond’s best flavours on an Arts District food tour.
The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar ticket prices
A single-site pass for Historic Tredegar costs between $10 and $19, depending on the ticket category. Adults pay the top rate, and youth pay the lowest rate.
- Adult: $19.
- Active military and veterans: reduced price.
- Seniors (65 and over), teachers and college students: reduced price.
- Youth (6 to 18): $10.
- Children under 6: free.
- Museums for All: free or reduced admission with an EBT card and photo ID.
- Reciprocal memberships: members of ROAM and NARM museums may receive free admission.
- Multi-site pass: discounted admission to several American Civil War Museum sites. It must be bought in person, so contact Guest Services on (804) 649-1861.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
The museum is not part of a city pass scheme such as Go City or CityPass. Its own multi-site pass covers the Tredegar site, the White House of the Confederacy and the museum at Appomattox. Each site can be redeemed once.
How to get to the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
The museum is at 480 Tredegar Street, on the James River in downtown Richmond. It stands on the site of the Tredegar Iron Works.
- By car: drive to Tredegar Street and use nearby parking, such as the spaces on 2nd Street.
- On foot: the Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk runs for more than a mile between Tobacco Row and the Tredegar Iron Works.
- By taxi or rideshare: both can drop visitors at the museum entrance.
- From the Museum District: the museum is about 10 minutes’ drive from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Parking at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
No on-site car park is listed for the museum. Nearby parking may be available on 2nd Street, and the museum lists additional parking links on its website.
Paid lots near Tredegar charge by the hour. Arrive a little early on busy days, and allow for the cost when you plan your visit.
How long to spend at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours. The museum has two floors of exhibits, and a short film in the Robins Theater.
Allow longer if you walk the grounds around the former ironworks, or explore Brown’s Island and the river trails nearby.
Accessibility at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
The museum holds a VisitAble Advocate Certification. This means staff have been trained to serve visitors with disabilities.
The museum has two floors of exhibits. Phone Guest Services on 804-649-1861 ext. 100 to ask about access, wheelchairs and any accommodation you need before you visit.
What to see at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
The museum is on the site of the Tredegar Iron Works. Cannons made here fired the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter. The armour plating of the ironclad CSS Virginia was rolled here, and more than half of the cannon used by the Confederate army were cast here.
The core exhibition is A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America. It has hundreds of original artefacts, theatre experiences and powerful imagery. An audio tour of the exhibition is now available.
The museum is a 30,000-square-foot building around the industrial ruins of the ironworks. It holds more than 500 artefacts on two galleries, one permanent and one rotating.
The story covers political developments, civilian experiences and military events together, so the galleries show multiple perspectives. Richmond was the political and industrial hub of the Confederacy, and the destination for soldiers, white and Black, so the museum also covers life in the wartime city.
The Robins Theater shows the short film “A People’s Contest: America’s Civil War & Emancipation”. It has an original script and score.
The ironworks began in 1837. By the 1860s it had a workforce that included about 100 enslaved workers, and it kept operating until 1957. A Twelve-pounder bronze Napoleon field gun made at Tredegar in February 1863 is on display.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | The museum is open 10am to 5pm every day. Allow at least 90 minutes. |
| Crowds | The museum is on the river, so combine it with a walk to Brown’s Island. |
| Layout | The museum has two floors and the Robins Theater. The ironworks ruins are around the building. |
| Entry process | Buy a single-site pass online or at the welcome desk. Multi-site passes are in person only. |
| On-site logistics | Parking is on 2nd Street and in paid lots nearby. Phone Guest Services for access help. |
Frequently asked questions about the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost to visit the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar? | $10 to $19, depending on the category. Adults pay $19, youth (6 to 18) pay $10, and children under 6 are free. |
| Is the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar suitable for children? | Children under 6 are free. The museum includes a film and artefacts, and the subject suits older children. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar? | No, but tickets can be bought online. Multi-site passes must be bought in person. |
| Is the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar open on Sundays? | Yes. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm. |
| Is there parking at the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar? | Nearby only. Spaces may be available on 2nd Street, and paid lots are close. |
Things to do near the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
- The John Marshall House: the Chief Justice’s 1790 home at 818 East Marshall Street, about 5 minutes’ drive away.
- The Poe Museum: a museum of Edgar Allan Poe’s life in the Old Stone House in Shockoe Bottom, about 5 to 10 minutes’ drive away.
- The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: a free art museum with more than 50,000 works, about 10 minutes’ drive away.
- The Virginia Museum of History and Culture: a history museum on N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, about 10 minutes’ drive away.
- The Science Museum of Virginia: a hands-on science museum in the historic Broad Street Station, about 10 minutes’ drive away.
Alternative attractions
- Brown’s Island: an island park on the James River beside Tredegar, with riverside trails.
- Richmond Riverfront Canal Walk: a restored canal path of more than one mile that ends at the Tredegar Iron Works.
- White House of the Confederacy: a National Historic Landmark in Court End that served as the Confederate executive mansion, run by the same museum.
- The American Civil War Museum at Appomattox: a museum in Appomattox, about 95 miles west of Richmond.
- Virginia State Capitol: the state capitol in Richmond’s Capitol Square.
More Virginia travel
Other Virginia travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Planning a visit to the Maymont Mansion in Richmond.
- Guide to Sherwood Forest – President John Tyler’s plantation.
- Discovering presidents and the first Thanksgiving at Berkeley Plantation.
- A practical visitor guide to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Centre in Chantilly.
- Prepare yourself for the enormous scale of Colonial Williamsburg.
