West Virginia State Museum Reviews

The museum in the basement level is extremely well done as it leads the visitor from West Virginia’s earliest days up to the recent times on meandering pathways filled with various exhibits. There are photographs, artifacts, reconstructions, paintings, little rooms and booths that offer both audio and video presentations. We loved it.

We have been to 30+ of the Capitols and their state museums so far and this museum is by far the very best one. It started in pre-historic times and had a flow all the way through present day. They covered the wilderness, the coal mines, the battles, the railroads, moonshine, and their wonderful scenery. And of course much more in this first class museum. We are always looking for something new with a “wow” factor and this definitely was. The #1 ranking of things to do in Charleston WV is well deserved.

The Christmas lights are a nice simple design and the entire family enjoyed the visit!

Will go again!

The museum is really nice for an agricultural history perspective. There is more to see than one expects.

I’m convinced this is one of the best state museums in the country. I’ve been to a few others. This one walks you through a timeline of years and is very informative.

Though this museum is small, it is very interesting. You literally walk thru the history of the state of WV, going by an old log cabin, general store, coal mine, even an old soda shop. Lots of historical information along with visual interest. Kids will enjoy it as well as adults. The museum is located in the Cultural Center which has a nice gift shop featuring a wide variety of WV made items. Most of the year, a display of beautiful quilts decorates the center's lobby. It also houses a small auditorium for musical and various other events.

The cultural center and accompanying archives are really a treasure. The state has done an excellent job in showcasing the history of the state and preserving records for researchers.

the museum is LONG and one can be overwhelmed. Neat objects, neat stories. But long and at times confusing

This exhibit about the history of one of the more tragic states in the Union will also show you the less tragic, and sometimes fascinating aspects of this widely misunderstood and one of the most under-appreciated tracts of topography in these United States.

The exhibit is extremely well done, if you'll excuse the interference of yet another ignorant and unprincipled Governor welcoming you to the venue with an audio greeting at the entrance. You'll recover quickly from that with the stunning realization that WV, and presumably neighboring states were once south of the equator. From there the time line of excellent dioramas takes you on a fascinating and enlightening tour of West Virginia's illustrious history. I cannot over emphasize how startled you will be at its depth and breadth. You will miss alot even if you allocate two hours, and will surely anticipate your next visit with relish.

The Cultural Museum is located on the WV Capitol campus and well worth the trip. Lots of history and neat gift shop. Plenty of parking nearby.

This is located in Charleston, West Virginia. It is in the lower level of the Museum building across the sidewalk from the State capitol on the West Virginia State Capitol Complex. Parking for this can be found either on a nearby street or in the metered parking to the northeast that is part of the complex. The museum is a marble building with a large open entryway/atrium that is beautiful. There are escalators to either side of the information desk in the center. The left-hand one will take you downstairs. The museum takes up most of the bottom floor. You can walk through the wonderfully descriptive parts of the museum that takes you through the various parts of the state history. It starts with the prehistoric era to describe how the area came to be and the other portions describe various historical eras and then focus on the most recent centuries. I really liked the coal mine recreation. As you leave, the other escalator takes you back up to the main floor. Please be sure to check out the gift shop on the way out. This site is a must-see for anyone in the area.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this museum. I figured it would have some interesting things and I'd be done in about 15 minutes. I think we spent two or three hours enjoying all the wonderful display and artifacts. Definitely would recommend.

When we visited it was WV's birthday so there was a lot going on. The museum is very informative and you walk through different periods of the states history.

There is public parking but it's metered so bring quarters (30 mins per quarter). We spent 3 hours looking at the grounds and museum but we could have easily spent even more time. Probably the BEST self-paced museum we've been too. Use the restroom before starting because once you start thru, there are not other restrooms - you'd have to walk back to the beginning (that makes more sense once you're there). Great gift shop - everything sold is made in WV.

West Virginia State Museum is a terrific place to wander around and discover their many treasures. Early afternoons, after the school tours are over, the place is quiet, peaceful and very educational. The displays are well done and most have an auditory presentation. This would be a great value at any fee...because it's FREE it's priceless.

This museum is amazing and has an incredible amount of historical and educational information. A school trip for middle and high schoolers should be manditory. I love history and historical places. This is a must see for all history buffs. I learned new and exciting things and even learned about the Hatfields and the McCoys. Plan to spend 2 to 3 hours to get the full effect.

I wsn't expecting much, but this museum has a lot of interesting information about how WV became a state separate from Virginia. Also information about WV culture and life, especially with regards to the mine wars of a century ago.

This museum is located on the Capitol complex! It has several interesting exhibits and is very educational regarding the state and it's history!

Take the kids and grandkids or if you want to spend more time reading the plaques , just go as a couple. You really get a historic perspective at any state museum. Whenever you are close, stop in to any of them.

This was a place we decided to do while visiting the Capital. Didn't spend enough time to be able to see everything there as its a great exhibit. Could have spent another 2 hours just looking at all the little side items much less the main areas.

Went with a group of fourth grade students for a field trip. This museum is absolutely stunning. You are literally walking around while having history unfold around you. The displays are breathtakingly beautiful. Definitely plan to spend a few hours here. I love learning about our history, so I felt I could have spent a majority of the day here looking at all it had to offer. I will be back.

This museum is very well done and we loved our visit. In fact we wish we could have stayed longer. We arrived around 3 pm so we had about 2 hours but could have easily spent 3-4 hours taking it all in. I have already recommended this to several friends and would definitely return if ever back in the area.

We went here on a Tuesday morning in June. The whole museum exceeded our expectations, including the fact that it was free. All of the exhibits were filled with really good content and our entire family enjoy the museum. The lady at the reception desk was super nice and helpful. We spent about two hours there and could have spent even longer.The basement had a lovely West Virginia history exhibit from prehistoric times to the present, Including exhibits of an old general store, a movie theater, a coal mine, the early State House, and a 1950s diner. The main floor had amazing contemporary art quilts and a Blenko glass exhibits.

We really enjoyed this museum. There is really not much to do in Charleston, so we headed to the museum and spent over two hours there. Great collection of artifacts, great overall layout, friendly staff, and free! Out teenager annoyed it too. Highly recommended to anybody visiting Charleston.

My husband and I took a trip to WV, the place of my birth with my parents who are in their 80’s. We were at the Capitol complex over 3 hours, most of it at the museum. We never made it to the gift shop because they were tired (and so was I) but there’s so much to see and experience through the path of the decades of WV history. They were both born and raised in WV as well so it was so interesting for us all. There’s benches to rest along the way and it is wheelchair accessible. Give yourself plenty of time and take quarters for the metered parking, because it is definitely worth it.

This museum takes you through the history of West Virginia from prehistoric times on up to today. Located on the capitol grounds the museum has been around for many years in one incarnation or another. It was closed for several years for an extensive (and expensive) over hall and the result, as it turns out, was worth the wait.
West Virginia's "attic" is replete with some pretty amazing artifacts. Take the noose that John Brown was hung from. One could make the case that it represents the first of what would be 600000 deaths during the American Civil War. Even if you are not a history nerd, the exhibits are laid out in such a way that they are enjoyable just to walk through. If you take a moment and read the signs though your experience will be that much more fulfilling.
One thing that you are not likely to see are crowds. It's a shame really-but take advantage of it!

We stopped here on our way to Ohio. We parked at Wendy’s and walked to the museum and then grabbed Wendy’s to go and hopped back in the car. This museum is so great and FREE!!!!!!

A very interesting free, self-guided museum located on the West Virginia State Capital complex. There are the show path & discovery rooms covering prehistoric to modern times, presented in a very interesting way. The discovery rooms depict life through the ages. You can also tour the state capital, the grounds are beautiful. You can easily spend several hours touring the museum, capital and grounds.

This museum was surprisingly awesome - the exhibits were immersive and well made. We have a 2 year old and we were looking for somewhere to walk around in December when we stopped in Charleston on a road trip - this was perfect! Not only were the exhibits immersive and interactive for kids but there was interesting historical information about West Virginia too. And the Christmas decorations were great too!

I could go back over and over,,, been there 8 times over 20 years and it always amazes me,,,, enjoy,,, Gift yourself please

Stopped at the West Virginia State Museum on our trip to the Smoke on the Water cookoff. Very nice State Museum! Free admission, nice and cool inside, and the exhibits were very well done. I liked how you walked through time and the floors changed! Learned a lot about West Virginia. Gift shop was very impressive! Lots of neat stuff.

We stopped here and unfortunately only had an hour to tour. We will certainly return to view the entire complex. The tour in the lower level was great. A fantastic time line for WV with audio in each room. The discovery rooms off each of the 26 rooms had great artifacts. I understand that there is a display on the second floor of period dress. Looking forward to seeing it. The quilts that are on display in the lobby are fantastic. The gift shop is worth taking in even if you do not purchase anything. Many items are made by WV craftsman. A wonderful little treasure. Easy to get to off the interstate.FREE admission!

Fantastic. A true professional museum that is first class and a must visit for any WV history enthusiast. Surpassed all expectations by a large margin.

This is a 2 for 1 really with the Cultural Center, but it is a memorable journey for young people and well worth a visit.

Me and my sister and her husband from California went, It had been 32 years the last time I seen my sister in person,, And what better place to go to catch up, The Museum, It was the first time I been there, And it was cool. One moment you feel like your standing on a porch from 1900's, To the underground mine, it was really interesting, so interesting that I will be going back,The Gift Shop is nice, The staff is super friendly, Parking was I think $1.00 an hour, we didn't have to drive around the parking lot 100 times to find a spot. and they have all kinds of handicap parking right up front, Its worth the visit, really interesting.
My sister and her husband really enjoyed it as did I.
👍👍👍

I was pleasantly surprised by the holiday decorations this trip, that just adds to the value of the pretty well designed bit of WV history!

Immersive experience. Walks through the timeline instead of the typical room-to-room museum tour. Unapologetically pro Appalachian.

Went with my cousins and we spent two hours at the museum and did not see it all. Since my family forefather were mines I loved the sections about the Coal Mining in WV. Did not have time to see everything will definitely go back to see more of WV history.

This would be a great place to visit with kids on a date or by yourself. It had a lot of information and very clean and the people were very friendly!

I enjoyed my visit to the museum, it’s not massive but it’s free and very interactive. It’s just perfect for my OCD; you enter on one side and work your way through in chronological order from 1700s to present day. There’s a small exhibit about natural history but other than that it mainly all focuses on WV’s history. The museum is fantastic with loads of interactive exhibits such as picture frames talking to each other and civil war mannequins telling stories. There’s also a lot of voiceovers in each mini section which saves you having to read all the plaques on the wall! Definitely worth a visit!

This was the best State History Museum we have ever been to. Extraordinary exhibits that make you feel like you are in that place and time in history. The exhibits have audio presentations so you don’t have to read everything. You can easily spend three hours there.

Beautiful modern building. The main floor and upper balcony is mostly artwork. The actual museum is the whole lower level. It's a long maze of passageways through the chronological passage of civilization. I enjoy artifacts and plaques explaining historical events and stories. But I think children would probably find it boring. They tried to make it realistic and interesting by having the floors made out of stones, bricks, boards, and coal. But for anybody with limited mobility issues, it makes getting around more stressful. Plus they purposely have many rooms dimly lit, to create atmosphere and then highlight special exhibits with direct lighting. It may create an atmosphere, but it makes it harder to see some of the non highlighted exhibits, and were to put your feet as you walk. There's plenty to learn about West Virginia and it's history. But I would suggest they tried too hard to make it artistic and ended up making it less appealing to old folks and children. It's free, and they have some free literature. You can go through quickly in an hour, or slow down and learn much more in three hours.

You travel through time and different regions of WV. The state had the help of Disney in designing the museum. Definitely not boring like some museums. Highly recommend allowing at least 2 hours for your visit - there is so much to see!

Interesting for adults and children with lots of hands-on activities for the children to enjoy. Nice place to spend a hot or rainy afternoon.

I really enjoyed visiting this museum even though I'm not from West Virginia. The museum, which was very large, stretches from exhibits about how coal came to be all the way to modern West Virginians. The place is very interactive, with sound being a key dynamic in almost every exhibit. The museum is also free, which makes it even sweeter. It is right next to the capital, so you can visit that as well. Finally the gift shop has some great handmade products. I bought a really nice wooden steamboat made in Charleston, West Virginia. Very family friendly and a great place to spend several hours or many more.

I took my family of 5 to this museum, based on the reviews at Trip Advisor. And we were not disappointed! Parking is very easy in the pay lot (perhaps $2 or so). The museum is free to visit! It took us about an hour to get through the whole museum, but could've spent a lot longer. We were on a time schedule so we sped through some of the exhibits. I highly recommend this museum and its gift shop!

My teenager loved the interactive museum. I loved the time I got to spend with him. He enjoyed this .
The museum went on and on.

In the Culture Center next to the State Capitol, this facility tells the rich history of West Virginia by vivid views captured on camera and screen as well as displays. Our grandchildren enjoy when they visit and they can discover other interesting facts in drawers that make their tour more interesting. Plan to spend either a "quick" walk through of about an hour or a more detailed view in two hours. Personally, I think the museum is a little dark for us older folks and that is the only reason I do not rate this as excellent.

This is a very informative museum about West Virginia and its history. Allow about 1 ½ to 2 hours to go through the museum to see all it has to offer. Also it is right next to the capital building which is one of the most beautiful in all of America. There is parking adjacent to the museum.

We went last year with my mom and her husband. My husband is a huge history buff, and my mom was dying to show him. It did not disappoint! I wish I could give it a million stars. We had our baby at the time, and even from the stroller he loved it. It is the best museum I've ever been to. It trumps them all. You start out in prehistoric time, and the floor looks like mud, with animal prints in it. It goes into dirt, and then eventually into a modern day road. There's a place where you cross a river, though it's not an actual river, it has interactive "fish " swimming in it. My one year old thought it was the best! Even us adults got a kick out of it. It was magnificent! With talking portraits and moving mannequins to train tunnels and large cases filled with glorious treasures that you can marvel at, it has everything. I had better not say any more for fear of spoiling it - but give it a go, it is worth going to.

Even better than before. A must for kids and teenagers to learn about the history of WV. Several surprising exhibits. The museum as a whole can compare to most exhibits in D.C. museums.

Don't miss the artisan Craft Shop and library
Take in all of the building, upstairs, and outside too for all the history.
The theater has awesome acoustics.
The museum is great for state history, from fossils , to native Americans,to first settlers, to the Civil War, W.Va. life, and industry. (and its free)
and the W.Va. Capitol and grounds are just outside and they are beautiful.

We spent several hours touring the rooms and exhibits in this large museum. The exhibits were well presented and gave one a good perspective about the history, geography, and economic forces of the State. First class.

Glad to have visited.

This place was not on the visit bucket list until staff at the West Virigina State Capitol Information Center told me about it. It's right next to the State Capitol building.
Due to time constraint, I only spent 45 minutes but wish to have more time.
Please plan spending 2-3 hours for a more relaxed and thorough visit.
The main exhibits are in the basement level, and it's huge.
The shows West Virginia history from pre-historic time to date, highlighting what makes West Virginia unique, its main industries and people. The pain path is easy to walk on, well labeled, and each exhibit are well designed and interesting to read and see. A general store, pharmacy, mining rail track, old style voting booth, artifacts from the past, and many more.
If you are in Charleston, WV, visit both the State Capitol building and West Virginia State Museum.

This was a pleasant surprise and exceeded the expectation.

I visited the free State Museum while in town visiting friends when I had some free time. Entering the building, you can't really tell what to expect. When you go downstairs to the museum it initially looks disappointing, but once you start on the path (marked by time) it is very interesting. I went on a Friday afternoon, and there was no crowd at all. I spent about 2 hours following the trail and reading the exhibit descriptions. Since I didn't know much about the history of WV, I found it to be quite informative and interesting. It's a great place to start a visit to the city, for sure.

I've been in many archives in the USA and Europe, this archive has got to be one of the friendliest. Not the biggest, so I didn't spend more than two hours, but it was a pleasant time. The gift shop has very interesting locally made items, but the few pieces unique enough to consider adding to any collection were very cost prohibitive. The museum was interesting, lots of quilts, not sure it it was a permanent display.
BEWARE parking meters. Car next to mine had a ticket when I arrived. I was informed they are extremely strict with ticketing, do not be late to getting back to car, or throw a few more quarters in above how long you think you might spend at the capitol complex. Didn't even get to any other building.

Has history of West Virginia that you didn't even know existed. Takes you through time while you walk with authentic sounds of war and interactive tools.

We enjoyed the museum. It is well layed out, like you are walking through time. I liked reading about the history of West Virginia and I enjoyed the award winning quilts

It is just an amazing place to visit , rich in WV history - beautiful building & very friendly staff.

Interesting artifacts and history of past governors' terms. Artwork was unusual and very interesting. One has to visit the museum if in the vicinity.

We had stumbled by this place by accident and had gone to the old one. Wow ! This place is nice. It gives a good history lesson on WVA. Good place to kill a couple hours or good for entertaining friends of family for an afternoon. Lots to see and very well put together. Highly recommend you go visit and see history of cole mining and and things of history past. Will go back and take others.

We have been to many state museums, but this one rates at the top. They have set up a winding trail through the museum that leads you through the years in West Virginia. The displays are well put together and offer a fascinating journey through their history. Only minor complaint is there are several forks in the path and maybe putting arrows on the floor would facilitate the visit ensuring you see everything. A knowledgeable, friendly staff is included. The quilts in the entry hall are fantastic and worth the visit alone. Go and enjoy this diamond!

This is certainly one of the best state museums anywhere. The randomness of much of the collection makes if fun. But overall, it is well organized and comprehensive. Displays are very well labelled and explained. Lots of narration as you walk through. For adults and teens, take the time to see all of the video on West Virginia's convoluted path to statehood.

If your a history buff and want to learn more about the heritage of the state, this is a good place to go. Family friendly. Observe at your own pace.

We were looking for something to fill a couple of hours, and ended up here. What a great decision. We are not from West Virginia, but in a way that made it more interesting. Your visit is a path through time, and it is done incredibly well. You are surrounded by the time period you're learning about. I particularly enjoyed the mining area. Stayed an hour and a half, needed three.

This museum is in the basement of the cultural center right next to the state capital. It's free and the staff are friendly. The exhibits are well done and the history is comprehensive starting from when coal formed to modern times.

Settlers, coal mines and railroads. All in one place. even the feuding Hatfields and McCoys. Great Models and displays. even the old central telephone switch board form Charleston

This museum allows the guest to walk a trail from prehistoric times to today - all within West Virginia. Outstanding!

Multiple levels of attractions for the family to enjoy. Upon entering the complex you will see a historic glass chandelier cascading the foyer. Handmade quilts grace the main level and depending upon what time you drop in you may find a musical event happening. The lower level has a museam of artifacts that pertain to the heritage of WV & those treasured times that have made the state what she is. Different seasons bring different attractions & don't forget to drop by the gift shop.

The state museum was redone (amid some controversy) and now is reasonably modern. You walk though a series of displays tracing the geologic and political history of the state. It is handicapped accessible, although there are places where it is relatively dark.

Nice place to take company to get some West Virginia History Come here at least once a year during Vandalia Has been changed over the years something new usually every time we go The quilt exhibit is really nice and some interesting items for sale in the store. Of course the grounds and the State Capital are here and all the craft exhibits and the music are great Food is okay use to be a better variety

This free museum is located in the State Capitol complex. You walk through a chronological history of West Virginia. The layout is a trail with side rooms. We learned a lot about industry and culture in the Appalachian region. The lighting could be stronger; I suppose they're trying to protect the artifacts from strong light; but I'd like to be able to see the details more clearly.

The West Virginia State Museum is located in the Cultural Center and it is FREE. it is laid out as a path through West Virginia history. Many of the displays are interactive. There is a scavenger hunt map that encourages you to slow down and search for specific items. Don't forget to get one from the information desk. There is a wonderful art gallery and a magnificent video at the end showing beautiful places through out West Virginia

My kids love the museum and it has lots of interesting history about WV. So much to see. Every time I go I see something I missed before.

My wife and I initially went for the Vandalia Festival. After visiting the local vendors and watching some exciting mountain music, we decided to visit the museum at the Cultural Center.

Make no mistake about it, the WV State Museum is a landmark achievement. You begin in prehistoric times and walk through a virtual timeline of West Virginia history. The artifacts and pictures have been meticulously researched and studied. This wasn't our first time, but it was amazing all the same.

Did I mention that there is no admission cost? How great is that? The next time you're in the neighborhood, stop in and visit the West Virginia State Museum.

W O W! Oh my goodness, definitely one of the best things we did in WV. And it's free, which is pretty amazing. I felt like we cheated the state on this one.

We go to many of the state history museums and this is by far one of the most well organized we've seen. They did a light intro of the whole 300M years ago piece, then dove right to the 1700's which helps you understand the history as it relates to the people of the state. Who was here, who made their mark, and how WV became what it is - which is a very underrated state.

It's impossible to sum it all up, but we learned a ton about the coal industry, Civil War battles, and other social, political and lifestyle info. A must-see.

This is an wonderful museum to visit whether you live in West Virginia or are a tourist. Upstairs, you'll find the lobby displaying current West Virginia crafts and a well-stocked gift shop. Downstairs, the "show path" guides you through West Virginia's history, from prehistoric to current times. Each room flows thoughtfully to the next, giving a sense of how each time period is connected to the others. Exhibits are designed to immerse you in the experience of the topic, whether it's the talking pictures of interpreters talking about the incidents at Harpers Ferry, or the darkness of the coal mine tunnel.

Since history is interpreted by each person or group differently, retelling it can be complex. We noticed that the curators had intentionally woven in the complexities of these different viewpoints in the displays. They didn't shy away from some of the hard or ugly aspects of history, and provided thoughtful questions for self-reflection throughout the exhibits. Discovery rooms help you dive a little deeper into certain topics within a time period.

Thanks to the variety of materials in the exhibits, this is a great place for adults and children. It's amazing that it is free. Give yourself at least a good 2.5 hours--more than that would be ideal.

Allow approximately 1-2 hours, depending on how much/quickly you read. Admission is free. Parking is 0.25 per 30 minutes if you use meters on complex grounds. Take time to check out the monuments spread around on your way to museum.

A must for all West Virginian must visit! See the history of our state at its best. So m etching for everyone to see and learn at any age.

We could have spent hours upon hours in here. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and they gave us an electric wheelchair for our grandma (all of the museum was accessible with it!). It's clear that a lot of time and effort was dedicated towards creating the exhibition rooms. It's definitely worth the visit!

The WV State Museum is top notch in all respects. I am not typically a history buff. But this museum is magical. It takes you from the beginning of time to present time. It is done in such a way you can walk through a glance at everything in several hours or focus on specific areas and spend hours and hours digging in deep. Best thing it's FREE!

Was amazing to see the history of the great state of West Virginia , We could have spent hours looking around, admission is free

Well kept, a must see!

This was one of the best museums we have been to - and it is FREE! We have paid to go to museums for less content. This museum is interactive and fun for all age groups. I would highly recommend saving at least 2 hours to go through it.

This is a very large, very beautiful, well curated museum. The downstairs is chock full of great displays of many different eras and lifestyles. And to top it off , its free. Take a little time or take a lot, there is so much to see.

The West Virginia Capitol Complex is 1 block from I-77/64. Free parking and an awesome experience await you in the State Museum. Journey from prehistoric times to the present in a self-guided tour that is engaging. When you have completed your tour, enjoy some time perusing the quilts that hang in the great hall. Stop in the gift shop for some unique WV crafted items. Before you leave, take time to enjoy the Capitol lawn and building.

Free admission. They have wonderful quilts to see on main floor. Basement exhibits have been renovated over past few years. Is a fun visit to stroll through the exhibits on a path and check everything out. Good for the little ones on a snowy or cold day.

A trip to the West Virginia State Museum earlier this month was actually our second trip. We took our daughters several years ago and decided to go back this year with our nephews and their parents. The museum spans the ground floor of the West Virginia Culture Center and you walk through time exploring its history and traditions. The museum engages nearly all of your senses and has something for all ages. I find something new and interesting during each visit. We spent about 2 hours there, but one could easily spend more if you read displays in great detail. With younger kids, that can be tough. The gift shop upstairs is a great way to cap off your trip -- you can purchase kids' mining hats that have working lights! Definitely a great way to spend a cold, winter afternoon. During warmer months, I would also recommend a stroll around the capitol grounds.

My 16 year old nephew and I truly enjoyed this wonderful museum. Lots of information and very well presented. The quilt exhibit was exquisite.

If you are interested in WV history this place is a must visit. We only had 1 1/2 hrs. You should allow at least 4. I'll be back.

We stumbled upon this museum while visiting the state capital. It was very interesting and I loved all the quilts and flags hanging in the entrance area. There is a very nice gift shop here as well. We enjoyed the visit.

Wow. I thought I would spend an hour or two on the second leg of a business trip. I spent hours here. Originally, I tried to visit an art gallery but they were nowhere to be found. Thanks Google maps!

I pulled into the parking area on Saturday and saw a police car right there so I asked if the museum was open. It was! And parking is free on the weekends.

I entered and was immediately greeted with a smiling greeter. I got a map and learned about the complex a bit.

I have been to museums all over the country but obviously West Virginia has a cadre of dedicated, considerate and talented artisans and historians. This museum is excellent. It has collections of interesting historic bits and pieces all grouped on a self-guided narrated tour. Fascinating to say the least.

The pathway takes you through the prehistoric, through native cultures and settlers to the modern world and West Virginia's key role in manufacturing, in addition to coal and power production. I learned so much and it enticed me to move there for retirement.

Plan on spending a few hours. You can linger in anterooms, read everything or waltz through and still get a lot out of the experience. I really enjoyed the museum. I felt uplifted and hopeful. The special displays of children's art, and the history of unusual legends also caught my eye.

I did encounter families which also enjoyed the displays. They tend to move through faster but the tour is free, so please attend!

Afterwards I went to the gift shop staffed by the friendliest folks I have met in a long time. We talked about the local artists and the production of SALT. I came home with a cookbook, jams, and wild ramp salt from J/ Q. Dickinson Salt Works. Has the naturally occurring oniony ramp mixed with the salt from the mines.

If you ever visit West Virginia, I highly recommend the Capitol complex museum. When I exited there was a special Drum line competition in progress, so I also got to hear some very talented youth perform. What a great day!

Called Cultural Center and is a free self guided tour. Facility displays are very well done. We were the only two people in the museum. Worth taking a couple hours to see.

This museum is free even though one would pay for its exhibit in most places. A good history of West Virginia that is fun but confusing in some places. Get a map at the front desk because there are two ways to walk the exhibits and they are not the same. Both cover most of the museum but one will leave the coal mine out and the other will skip a few rooms. You will enter and exit the same way and bathrooms are only available at the beginning/end. The capitol building's original collection of artifacts is presented at the beginning/end before you enter into the main exhibit area. Parking is available but metered spaces only.

Shop is beautiful and staffed by friendly people. Glassware, jewelry, soaps and candles are just a few of the selections in this shop. I bought some gifts and pendant for myself. There are restrooms nearby. A worthwhile stop if you are near the Capitol.

The displays tracing West VIrginia history were excellent, Extremely well done. Both adults and children will find them interesting. Wish we had more time, we made the mistake of not having enough money in the parking meter and had to leave.

The expansive entry had quilts on display during my visit. The gift shop is also on this level. The historical trail and artifacts are on the lower level. There is a video on that level, but the place was crawling with school-aged children and chaperones, so I didn't see the video. I felt as if the space was not optimally utilized. For example, watching the video in a main level auditorium and then proceeding to the lower level seemed more logical. Also, there were supposedly exhibits on the third floor, but it wasn't very clear what was there or how to get there. The gift shop has a nice selection of West Virginia made items.

being handicap RBKA they gave me a Jazzy scooter to see all of the museum. verr helpful staff. lower part is wonderful, esp co; mining exhibit. new river bridge display was interesting.

Very nice front desk attendants plus a wonderful gift shop with another group of pleasant workers! No matter where in go in the Capitol complex the people you come in contact with are so helpful and extremely nice!

The Museum is a state of the art facility it tells the State's story from the beginning it is a wonderful museum full of history

The museum is part of the Capitol complex in Charleston. There is metered parking outside and various memorials and statues reflecting the history of the area and it's people. The museum itself is in the form of a timeline, starting 3 million years ago with dinosaur fossils etc. and working forward through the history of the area and some of it's famous (and infamous) inhabitants. There is a lot of stuff about the civil war and the industrial heritage of mining etc. John Brown and Stonewall Jackson are featured as well as the women who championed political progress. There are several rooms dedicated to different eras and featuring old shops, printing offices and sports history.
The museum has a gift shop offering all things West Virginian. There is no food and drink provision within the museum itself but there is a restaurant/cafeteria in the adjacent Capitol building which has many interesting historical features as well as te offices of the current Governor and state dignitaries. You should allow a couple of hours to explore the whole complex. A nice way to spend half a day.

Best place to learn about West Virginia History. Hatfield and McCoy is the best area!!
And its all FREE!!

When you enter the museum, you feel more like you are visiting a cabinet of curiosities rather than a well-planned museum of state history and culture. The first exhibit is a few stuffed animals collected by a West Virginian but of no other local significance. Next is a case of artifacts brought back by West Virginia travelers, only some of which are labeled (who really expects to find a stuffed pangolin in Charleston WV?). Then there is a case dedicated to pictures of stuffed animals from DC, but with the disclaimer that the stuffed animals themselves have not been displayed since 1959. But as you progress through the museum, wandering here and there without a clear plan laid out, you find yourself continually finding small surprising tidbits of state history, such as the quote from Gen. George Patton's grandfather reporting his observations of a WV Civil War battle, or finding that Pearl Buck grew up in WV, or discovering that both Stonewall Jackson and Booker T. Washington spent their boyhoods in places that are at least now in WV. You wander through a replica of a coal mine, see portraits of various WV notables, and discover that Robert C. Byrd was a fiddler of some skill. In the end, despite the seemingly haphazard approach, you find that you have learned a great deal about the state, and have seen a state take an unflinching and thorough view of itself. In at the end, you understand the state much more thoroughly.

This museum is free(unheard of now days) It is so nice, clean and the workers are so friendly. Learn about our Wild Wonderful West Virginia!

West Virginia is by far the most unfriendly and money gouging state you will ever find...beware.you have been warned

If you get a chance to go, it is well worth your while. This museum housed so much information on the history of West Va, and it is very well done. The only downside was a group of school kids on tour ran around and yelled, obviously the teachers didn't tell them to stop. There was a worker who heard them and did not address it. I mentioned to the front desk that the kids needed to be a little quieter as it took away from our enjoyment, They promised to speak with the teachers. Other than that, go if you get the chance.

After a tour of the Governor's Mansion, and the State Capitol, my spouse and I had just enough energy for a visit to this museum. Along with aforementioned, this is also a free site. After descending on the escalator to the lower gallery, one begins to travel through time along a scenic path that begins with the ancient land and prehistoric people. It is well posted with the centuries marked on the floor. Wandering amid a series of displays presenting artifacts and scenes from every day life, you discover the people, frontier life, a company store, family farms, the big city, trains and railroads, mining life, the Great Depression, boats and rivers to name a few. Everything is well done and well thought out. It is a unique experience that brings the past to life.

We went to the WV State Museum with the school. It gives you a good picture of our beautiful state. The treasure hunt activities kept our students engaged. I highly recommend a visit.

A winding and cavernous building holding more exhibits than I could see in a couple of hours. Especially enjoyed the WV settler and civil war history exhibits. Would definitely return!

Very interesting for all ages. My children and grandchildren have enjoyed looking at our history and our WV history played apart in American

This was my first visit to the WV History Museum since it was renovated. The research and thought that went into creating it was exceptional. Starting with prehistory, the "trail" takes one through every important phase in the development of the state as it exists today. Many collections, including an original, furnished log cabin have been donated and beautifully to help visitors get a genuine sense of the history and its people.

What a creative museum! So much to see and take in. Very engaging. A couple of suggestions- it’s difficult to read some of the signage and difficult to hear if recordings are going in front or behind you. Well worth a visit.

You can review West Virginia's history. Exhibits progress in chronological order.The Show Path is an approximate forty-five minute tour through West Virginia history (took me an hour with my cane), gift shop has some unique items.

My son, age 7, cannot get enough of this museum. Every time we have company from out of state he has to take them to the museum. It shows the progress of West Virginia through time. They recently added new items. One of these is an interactive pond. If you step in the water the fish swim away. It is a quality museum you would expect to pay money for, but it all free.

This is a great museum for learning about West Virginia history--way nicer than other state museums I've seen. We only had about 50 minutes to visit before closing but easily could have spent another hour. Lots to see and digest. The free admission was an added bonus: if I had paid admission I wouldn't have felt cheated. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Wonderful collection of items documenting West Virginia's history. The museum has items in the collections that will interest people of various age. Every time I visit I see and learn something new about our state. Allow ample time to enjoy this treasure.

The management of this exquisitely designed Museum has furnished and maintained same in an outstandingly outstanding fashion.The complete layout was so very steeped in tradition that it was an absolute joy to see the absolute attention paid to the tiniest detail.It's the best Museum,I have ever visited.

Great entry and exit via escalators, so you can’t get confused as to where to start. The interactive museum starts at the beginning, geologically speaking, talking about the formation of the ancient Appalachian mountains, bringing in the first animals, paleo Indian people, indigenous tribes, settlers from Europe, lifestyles, agriculture, industry, mining of copper and coal. The history and cultures are well covered. The museum was set up so the visitors felt immersed in a walk through WV history.
Would I visit the WVSM again? Probably not but would highly recommend a visit. Loved it!

On a rainy day or hot and you need an indoor activity this is the place to go. Parking as others mentioned is across the street. Saturday no charge-but during the week you do need quarters (30 minutes per .25). Not open on Sunday or Monday but free the rest of the week. Nice entry and restrooms right there at gift shop. Gift shop has most items made right in WV. The museum has loads of history and you could spend 2-3 hours walking and reading or under 1 hour and just walk and not read much.Everything is very up to date and the culture and history are worth reading about. You get a sense of how this state was created. They have a nice theater also but did not go there based on our time limit. Flags, murals, displays were well done. Singles, solo or families would enjoy this museum. I would like to come back again-lots to look at and read. Recommend

Has very interesting exhibits about the state. Worth taking a look. Interesting use of quilts and display.

I hadn’t been to the cultural center in years but my family was visiting and we decided to check it out. I absolutely love this place! If you have never been or it’s been awhile since you’ve been there then you should definitely check it out! You won’t regret it! Best of all...it’s FREE!!

Interesting! Learned a lot about West Virginia I didn't know. Myth and fact! Plan on spending at least a couple of hours.

You will travel through a succession of exhibits beginning from ancient fossils to the modern day. You will see some unexpected twists along the way.

I went on a business trip when I had time and it was very cool! They spent 14 million to build this. The staff was very helpful they also had cool stories as extra to the museum! I would definitely recommend!

Free cultural museum with 26 Discovery Rooms that showcase West Virginia’s geology, prehistoric cultures, exploration and settlement, frontier conflicts and life...statehood, railroad, coal company town, mining,... the Great Depression, Civil Rights movement...transportation, fairs and festivals, cultural state collections and famous West Virginians. Very well done with extensive and interesting displays about West Virginia’s history and culture. Conveniently located next to the capital building.

It is not easy to impress a history geek and museum cutator. That said... I fell in love immediately. The variety of items, the quality of displays and the docents were top notch. The experience of West Virginia becoming a state and the storytelling of it was fun and a great learning experience. Best of all it is free, self paced and in an amazingly cool space! I plan on coming back soon!

We figured we'd be here an hour or so - 3 hours later we emerged so glad we took the time to enjoy this remarkable museum. We both learned a lot and were entertained in the process. Recommended!

Traveling with 2 teenagers, they thought it was ok. But the adult enjoyed it very much. They do a great exhibit.

Fascinating as it takes you fro pre historic times through the present indicating all sorts of col events in west Virginia history

I had not been to the museum in about 3 years and they have added since then. It is worth the trip. Lots of items to look at. Great gift shop with lots of WV made items...love my ramp mustard!

The WV State Museum is true to our history, very informative! Very neat, clean and such a friendly staff! You will be glad you came and will leave with a great knowledge of our beautiful state and its history. If you can, visit us in the Fall and Winter, it is breath-taking!! As they say.........Almost Heaven! :)

The long history of West Virginia begins eons ago with geological artifacts. The whole story is told with many interactive rooms. Each of the rooms covers a different aspect of a time or the people up to the present. There are many, many artifacts to take in and kiosks of written explanations to help one understand what is being displayed. We are not from West Virginia but enjoyed learning about the state and the people of the state. In some of the displays the lighting was insufficient and and some of the displays could be updated. There is no admission charged for this museum but there is a value to visiting it.

I was very impressed with this Museum. A lot of work went into this place. The gold dome of the Capitol building can be seen as you approach.

I absolutely LOVE the West Virginia History Museum! It is an amazing experience for the price of FREE!! I love learning about the history of the State and the museum makes it a FUN experience!!!

Not a massive museum fan but this places was awesome. Best of all it was free. Exhibits are innovative and interesting.

We've visited many history museums and this one ranks near the top. Beautifully conceived and well executed. Every state should have a history museum of this quality. Simply outstanding.

This place is free if your looking for a cheap thing to do. It contains many of West Virginia’s heritage and is very interesting. If your looking for something quiet to do this would be perfect. Then you can take some peanuts and feed the squirrels on the capital lawn.

You can easily spend over an hour here, we had 90min and only got about half way through (didn't even make it upstairs), there is just so much to learn and read it was amazing.

West Virginia state museum is the best museum I have ever been to, All cities states countries whatever should have the same type of museum that they have here it’s interactive entertaining well thought out well laid out it’s a fantastic experience if you ever come to West Virginia this is something you definitely want to walk through.

We spent 8 hours over two days enjoying this excellent museum, backtracking 40 miles for the second day. The displays offer Disney class animation in several cases. They offer an unvarnished version of the states history and their contribution to the nation. We have visited 'state museums' in about a dozen states and this one is the best of them all. We had lunch at the Capital cafeteria across the courtyard and it was very good and inexpensive. A McDonald's is also located within a block of the museum. The staff is friendly and very helpful. Metered parking is available as you come off I-64 at Exit 99, turn left at the traffic light as you get to the Capital complex and left again at the 'T', (the right parking lot is being repaved).

What a great layout! This museum showcases the entire history of WV but never, ever, dull or boring. It is a continual loop beginning with prehistoric times and ending at the present . You walk at your own pace and each section is even better than the last. Superbly done, colorful, fascinating. We spent 2 1/2 hours and really, I can't wait to go back. P. S. It is flat and easily navigable for those with mobility issues. They thoughtfully provided many benches to sit a while.

If you leave this museum and don't know the history of West Virginia then you got the wrong building. Everything to do about West Virginia from Coal mining to the civil war is here. You can park around that area for free on the street or parking lot during the weekend's. Weekend's are probably best to visit, it was pretty empty when we went. Since its right next door to their capitol you can stop to see that as well.

I have been to the WV State Museum several times now, and I have come and I have come away from the experience very impressed. The Museum guides you through the history of West Virginia from the beginning with the Adena Indians and the subsequent Shawnee and Cherokee through all the stages of West Virginia's development.

The exhibits are very similar to that I have seen in the Smithsonian Museums in Washington. You walk through the history of West Virginia on a personal visit. The evolution of the state from frontier to the Civil War Era is very well done. The arrival of the railroads and the building of the Coal Industry is accurately depicted. Life in a coal town and in the mines is done with emphasis on what life was like for those growing up and living in coal communities is very personal. A number of real people speak to you about their lives and make everyday life in Appalachia very real and personal.

The drive to statehood and the building of the locks and canals and the industrialization of the state are very well done. The effects of the World Wars on the state are again done in a very personal way, with various participants in the wars talking to you about experiences in West Virginia and on the home front.

The Museum also does a very good job on the building of the West Virginia Turnpike and the other roads that changed the nature of life in West Virginia. The Museum takes the history of the state right on up to the current period and accurately depicts
the changes created in the state in the modern era. All exhibits are very well done and seek to actively engage the visitor in the history of the 35th state, and they succeed.

The Museum is contained in the Cultural Center, which offers beautiful exhibits of local quilts and gives access to the beautiful state archives library. There is also an excellent gift shop that features West Virginia glassware and West Virginia Quits of very high quality. The prices for these items are reasonable and affordable.

The Museum is easy to access, parking for the Museum is close by and the meters are inexpensive. After your visit you can walk across to the Capitol and marvel at the beauty of the building and it's central dome. There is access to an excellent cafeteria in the basement of the Capitol - good food offerings and not at all expensive. Handicap access is excellent for the Museum, with spots reserved adjacent to the Museum itself.

A visit to the Museum takes several hours, but the trip is well worth it. Access via the Greenbrier Street exit from I-64 is very simple. Well worth the time, and access to the Museum is free.

If you'd like to know all about West Virginia culture and history, you must check out our State museum!
Concert venue, Grand Hall, interactive displays.
This museum tells the story of the state from prehistory to present day.
Great gift shop.
Couple this with a trip to our State Capitol, and you've made it a very special day!
Oh yes...
TOTALLY FREE!

Growing up in an area where three states meet...WV, MD and VA...when we visited Charleston the capitol was a must. The museum is very nice and historical. Its like taking a walk through history.

I regularly visit museums wherever I go to learn about local history. The WV State Museum is one of the best I have ever been to. The walkways through the museum take you through prehistoric times to modern day along pathways that are immersively decorated in the time periods being illustrated. Eg. Walking through a coal mine or a 1950's diner. This is a terrific museum, not to be missed, and it is free!

This attractive museum recounts the history of the state in a series of nicely laid out rooms joined by a path that leads the visitor chronologically from 4,000,000 BCE almost to the present.

Tells the story of West Virginia using traditional and modern, innovative new methods that helps history come alive. A great attraction for young and old and free admission as well with easy and reasonable parking (meters) all around.

Staff are very friendly and gave us a lovely welcome. This is definitely an attraction the state should be proud of...and are!

State museum is in the magnificent state capitol complex. Building is stately, with a massive chandelier in the lobby. Lobby has WV quilts and art. Displays were well done and told interesting facts about WV history. Plenty of people to guide you and answer questions.

My wife and I visited the museum on a spur of the moment. We were in town for the WV state high school track meet, and had some spare time. I didn’t do any searches ahead of time, but I can clearly see why this museum is ranked so high. The experience far exceeded our expectations. We want to go back when we have more time.

Free museum hours 9-5 Tues-Saturday! Well organized museum- kept you going in a continuous route unlike others that have you circling around! Wonderful displays!

The museum was absolutely wonderful!! I especially loved the fact that it was free. It was a beautiful day when we went! It was my first time in Charleston and the people were very friendly and very helpful and the museum!

took the grandkids this week to visit the museum, actually a revisit from 2 years ago, they enjoyed it even more this time, older and interested (9 & 13 yrs) talked about the exhibits and related to many from expierences like the exhibition coal mine in beckley,wv several had been updated since our last visit, took us about 1 1/2 hours, its free too, dont pass this up its great!

I've just spent 3 and a half weeks in West Virginia and visited the state museum and Capitol park on a very hot 38 degree afternoon so the lovely air conditioned building was a welcome relief. This is a brilliant and fascinating museum that's takes you on a journey through West Virginia and American history. They use a variety of multi media, traditional story boards and displays, models and reacted scenes which makes it suitable for people of all ages. I love how there are benches all around so you can savour some displays or rest of you feel inclined. I spent 3 hours here and it was well worth it. Bravo to the museum curators who have done a great job making the history come alive. Definitely a must see.

This free, family-friendly museum is an excellent place to visit. It is a great collection of items, as well as, nicely decorated offering interactive displays. Will revisit again and again!

West Virginia State Museum truly impressed me during our most recent visit to Charleston, WV. It is one of these museums that truly exceed your expectations, and most importantly - it is FREE! In some ways, you felt like it was kind of a magical Disney experience as you went through a vast majority of these exhibitions. I was amazed by the attention to detail and ways the exhibitions capture guests attention. About two hours, you can go through all the different exhibitions and have a great time learning about West Virginia's history. There are so many things that kind of enlightened my knowledge about this State, and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Also, if you go during the weekends, the parking meters are free and don't have to worry so much about parking. If you are wanting to learn about WV and staying in Charleston, you must come to this place.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well done this museum is. Great exhibits, free, and a ton of West Virginia history! A must see!

A great place to learn about West Virginia.
An interactive program for kids. They even have Billy the Kids chaps ( how did that happen?).

Love taking friends to the State Museum at the WV State Capitol in Charleston WV. Informative and beautiful. Check it out when you're in town!

I love visiting here! The gift shop is great and our cooking class is the BEST! The theatre is quite nice and I enjoy the WV displays. The quilts are magnificent and I love the uniforms of the service men and women.

Whomever came up with this unique way of presenting history should be applauded. We only had a short time to visit, but would have easily spent a couple of hours there had time allowed. The museum is set up so that you go down an escalator and enter through doors that take you back to a prehistoric time in that area. Then, as you walk through the "tunnels", a year is imprinted on the floor, and you are suddenly in that time period.
There was an original log cabin that had been relocated in the museum, built in the late 1700's, moving forward, you are in the Civil war, aftermath, Spanish-American War, World War I, etc. As time goes on and industry changes, you are part of the railroad expansion, and coal mining. There is a 50's diner set up in there, as well as a large telephone operator room.
Walking through time surely made an impression on me! I've been to a lot of museums, and I would rank this one as one of the most unique and well presented.
Plus, admission was free! Can you really beat that?
This is well worth making a visit if you are in the area.

This is an excellent museum that clearly illustrates the interesting past of WV. It is a high quality museum with a design quality similar to the smithsonian museums. It covers a variety of topics including sports, music, natural resources (part is designed like a coal mine of course) and more. The is definitely worth a visit and will make any West Virginian proud.

This is a great State Museum, people were welcoming, lots to see it is pretty big area that covers so much of West Virginia History. Best of all it is free of charge, Parking is close by and the area that it is in has a lot more to see so plan awhile for everything to be seen. The Gift shop has some reasonable prices and staff was very pleasant and nice. If you are a history bluff you have to stop and see this. Children would like it as their are interactive exhibits and the displays have something to see for all age groups. It is very well laid out and is easy to explore, recommend this highly.

Awesome, just awesome! Countless artifacts, creative displays, diorama's, photos, stories, and much more chronicle the history of the 35th state from prehistoric times to modern day. You could easily spend hours here and still might miss something. Great for families and plenty of things to keep little ones interested. If you are in Charleston, you must stop by the State Museum!

Wear comfortable shoes because this museum is large and packed with awesome exhibits. It is laid out so well and there ate some interactive displays along the way. I actually went back a second time to finish seeing it all. Plan on 2- 3 hours to really look at it all. You could take longer. Free and open every day. Parking is a little bit of a walk but not bad. Bring change for the meter.

Firstly I want to state that I can be incredibly hard to please, especially when it comes to museums and cultural knowledge and how it is portrayed for consumption - I am from England where it is common practice for museums and galleries to not only be major tourist attractions but also to be free and accessible for all, in a nutshell - I am spoilt.

I visited this museum in 2019, I forgot to write the review at the time and I've come back to do so because I genuinely can't stop thinking about it and how it was unexpectantly the highlight of my visit to Charlston. I only went in to escape the sun and I spent my full afternoon there absolutely loving it.

For any europeans who are thinking of visiting, I can very easily compare this museum with the DDR Museum in Berlin - both share my number one top spot. The exhibits are interactive and inviting, and bring history back to life.

I was massively disappointed by the national history museum in NY - they should learn from this place.

I would quite easily repeat my 8 hour flight from the UK followed by a 13 hour Amtrak, just to share this museum experience with my family.

This museum gives you a good impression of the history of West Virginia but you will not find information about the fauna and flora of this state. This is not a museum with interactive displays. In some rooms you will find a display that shows a video. This means that you will have to read a lot. The time path is nicely decorated so you will get a good impression what life was like in that particular time period.

Visited WV State Museum with S.Korean visitors and thoroughly enjoyed every minute and display of West Va.'s history

We were meeting a friend from the area and decided to make a quick stop at this museum. First, I must say it was so much more than expected and we needed more than a quick stop to see the whole museum. Second, I loved the set up where you traveled through the timeline of the state. It was so well put together and there were interesting things for all ages to see.

This museum is great! It is free and fun family friendly with a gift shop that has tons of nicely priced local items. I bought two WV made bracelets for $12. U travel thru time from the caveman times to present day. There are maps and also a narrator thru the exhibits. A lot of electronic things and it is very nice. There are also lots of other exhibits throughout that contain WV history items. It is a wonderful experience and my kids love it. It is a great thing to do that is free.

The museum is a timwline of West Virginia history, with optional detours into specific topics. Well laid-out, informative and very interesting.

What a jem!!! My family and I really enjoyed this museum. First off, it’s FREE! Planned on a quick walk through and ended up staying almost 2 hours. The exhibits are well marked and chronologically organized. Tons of cool stuff for a 10 and 12 year boy to explore who have an interest in history.

Of the Capitol, mansion, & memorial all within a couple of blocks. Free parking at night. Easy to walk to handicap accessible. The was a musical playing last night of The Christmas Story.

A most pleasant tour. The layout is user friendly and easy to navigate. We were there early on a Saturday and there were very few people touring. The exhibits are displayed chronologically, making the trip through history easy to follow. Had hoped to see the quilt display but it is only there from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Free attraction that covers the entire history of the state from prehistoric to modern times. We spent about three hours there. Educational and very interesting.

My family over this museum. It gave us a new appreciation for West Virginia. The museum is interactive and engaging. It must be recently redone because it is a quality presentation.

Situated beside the State Capital building, it was also closed Sundays and Mondays.
We took the nice walk along the waterside to visit the State Capital on the Sunday morning, but on arrival to the Capital building we discovered that it was closed!!
So we decided to return the following day.
But it was also closed on a Monday!
The gift shop was open but everything else was closed.
We were only in town for two days so never got to visit it properly, but did visit the outside grounds and surrounding area.

Provides a balanced depiction of the state's history, social and industrial development and decline. Depending on your interest you can skip over some segments of the museum and still gain insights into the people and its culture. Plan for several hours of discovery.

I have been to a lot of museums, and this one is definitely at the top of my list. The main part of the exhibit is a chronological path through discovery rooms. The rooms are labeled and numbered. The path is like a giant timeline including the dates as you pass through history. Many of the discovery rooms are set up like actual places from the past including drug store soda fountains, mining company stores and an actual pioneer cabin that was deconstructed and rebuild in the museum. It was fabulous!

Free Musuem you can view at your own pace. Wonderfully done. Great detail presented objectively. Easily spend a couple of hours there.

Yesterday, we decided to explore the museum. It is located in the Capitol Complex. Metered parking for up to four hours. I guarantee you will need close to this much time to explore the museum and grounds. The Museum is a great and FREE way to spend an afternoon. There are many rooms to explore. Speakers in some areas tell stories as you pass thru. There is even an original cabin set up inside the exhibits. We were there two hours and had to rush thru the final rooms. So definitely will go back and finish soon. The front desk has maps to guide you thru the years. My niece is a teacher and it is a must-do field trip every year with her students. If you are into the history of our great state, then head on over. Happy Learning !

Amazing what has been put together on the lower level of this cultural center museum. Plan comfortable shoes and over and hour for just that portion of the museum. We ran out of time and were unable to get to the exhibits on the upper floors. The creative and interactive exhibit documenting West Virginia's history will open your eyes, as it did ours (from Pennsylvania), to many aspects of history. Though some of the exhibits would not necessarily interest young children, most would. As a state museum it is free!!

The grounds are lovely and we were there in the heart of winter. We understand that it is so welcoming in the warmer weather when trees and flowers are in bloom and fountains are a flowing.

This museum is situated right next to the Capitol Building. The museum has some really neat artifacts found in West Virginia- including a mastodon jaw with two teeth. That was neat. The museum was very well done. I brought my 3 year old son and he had a great time.

A very impressive presentaiton of West Virginia's history. I have been three times and have learned something new each time. They even hand out search and find sheets for the kids, which mine loved!

The breadth of this mountaineer museum seems never ending. A chronological, immersion experience with at least 26 galleries covering frontier life, mine wars, state exports, glass, pottery, music and arts. Bring plenty of quarters for metered parking and allot at least 1/2 day so one is not rushed.

Spent the night in Charleston on our way to Columbus and decided to kill some time before leaving. This place was awesome and well worth a stop. Spent 2 hours between capital tour 30 Minutes and the about 90 minutes at the museum. Plenty of parking (meters). Very interesting and informative. If you have time to kill or need a break it's worth the stop. Food court available in Capital which is next door.

This was one of most pleasant surprises of our overnight in Charleston. Of course, we are museum people.

The exhibits here give the history of West Virginia and how it became a state separated from Virginia and why. Lots of interesting knowledge to be shared with adults and school age children.

The museum is free and across the quad from the capital building which you must schedule a time for tours.

In this small city, you might thing that not so much of stories going on here!!
The museum shows what happens in this area from the past, especially in terms of sciences and history. e.g. where the native american came from and how they settle in this continent, the story of white settlers and what going on afterwards ,etc.

This museum is next to the state capital. Visit the museum before or after the tour in the capital is recommended.
If you are the person who likes to learn, you should prepare to spend 2-3 hours here!!

We spent a better part of 2 hrs here, the kids enjoyed it and they provide a scavenger hunt for them, it made it that much more fun to visit!

We loved the WV State Museum! So much history in this beautiful state. We really enjoyed the displays for coal mining and the wars.

My husband and I love museums and this was one of the best one's we have been to yet. The building is super clean, the artifacts are well preserved and the history dates back from prehistoric to present. Any history buff/major would regret not visiting this museum if in the Charleston area.

If you are visiting the Capitol the Museum is a must every time I go I always find something new! There is also a Tamarack store on the premises so if you need a great gift this is the place!

Please take your time when you visit here. There are nooks and crannies that have interesting things to see in all of them. Start at the time line. Read the history at each exhibit. Also go upstairs and see the first ladies gowns and the exhibits up there.

We expected a charming little museum. We were so very wrong. This place is excellent!

We budgeted 1 1/2 hours and had to skip over some of the museum to finish before they closed.

The displays take you through WV time from prehistoric until current day. The best parts were the early settlers, Civil War and industrialism including coal mining and salt production.

Their gift shop is even excellent. Each item is WV-made. Their packaged foods are very interesting and we'll priced.

Two bottom lines:
It's all FREE!
Do NOT overstay the time on your parking meter. We got back to our car two minutes late and the meter guy was getting ready to write a ticket. Thankfully he was kind.

If you're in Charleston, make time for this wonderful museum.

Near the capitol building - you could park and visit both - this museum in a basement is arranged on a chronological basis, starting with 300BC. We like to read a good bit of the exhibit material, and in 2 hours we only got thru half of it. Will return again to finish it. A "talking portrait" exhibit was unique to us, and we've been to a lot of museums. Nicely done, and free! Parking is by meter nearby in a lot.

Great museum, really ties the history of the state together in one beautiful place. Recommend taking some extra time, a lot to read and absorb. Museum laid out as a timeline. Scavenger hunt for the kids was engaging. Museum was free and the guides were full of information and couldn't be more welcoming and pleasant. Great part of our trip to WV.

This museum is an incredible collection of artifacts, experiences, and memorabilia of the history and culture of West Virginia form prehistoric times throughout time. The coal mine train trail was very dark. I enjoyed the clothing, music elements, agriculture aspects, and the awesome quilt displays.
Accessible touch pad entry with accessible venue. Great gift shop with educational toys for kids and local souvenrs.
Plan to spend 2 hours here to take it all in. Accessible mens and womens restrooms on each floor with 2 grab bars and 3 ft x 3 ft space.

we picked the wrong day to visit, the museum was partly open that day. The best part was closed............just a bad day for us.

I came here with a group on a service trip and I was pleasantly surprised! There was alot of look at and the museum is awesomely planned out. They even gave us notebooks and activities to do as we walked around the museum. It was very beautiful. Highly recommend stopping by here if you are in the area!

I came across this museum just by chance and thought I'd go see it. So glad I did as it's a great place. The museum is free of charge and will take you awhile to completely visit. The museum is in the basement of the building and there is an escalator, stairs and an elevator. There are many, many different rooms to visit. It's basically a large loop where you follow the path around. It twists and winds through the various exhibits and rooms. Going one direction around you start at the present and work your way back through time. Going the opposite direction you start in prehistoric times and work your way to the present. There are some dark areas such as the short span where you navigate a the replica of a coal mine. There are few places you can sit and rest or just sit and take in an exhibit and/or video presentation. After the museum you can visit the state capital building which is an incredibly beautiful building.

The grounds around the museum are very pretty and there's plenty of seating and things to see.

Be aware all public parking is metered. It cost me $2 in quarters to park for 4 hours and that's about enough time to see most things. The roads around the area are fairly tight so I would not recommend trying this with an RV and I didn't see any RV parking.

This is a nice little museum full of WV history! And it's free. It is not the most exciting or interactive museum I've ever been to, but it's really well done. The style is self-guided and laid back... no crowds here.

Right next to the State Capitol Building and definitely worth a visit. No admission fee and a nice collection of historical artifacts.

This was the highlight of our statehouse tour because it was next door and the rotunda was closed for repair. Excellent chronologic tour with narration and period rooms to display the feel at that time in history. Outstanding collection of artifacts means devote at least 3 hours to take it all in. Not to be missed!

We were floored by this place. We have been to several state museums but this one just blew us away. It was somewhere we spent 90 minutes and our only complaint was that we didn't budget more time for it because we could have easily spent 3 hours there I think. We rushed through several exhibits because we only had 90 minutes parking set aside because some of the reviews here indicated it was boring or small or something- maybe they didnt ride the escalator downstairs to the many many exhibits we did?

The capitol itself is a lovely building with some pictures mounted on the wall and a delightful but a bit overpriced gift shop. But then you ride the escalator downstairs and there are huge exhibits that are interactive and captivated the children we saw there as well as the adults including ourselves. They had such a comprehensive overview of their states history- with some old ancient artifacts, a discussion of slavery and the states' history with abolitionists, beautiful coal mine displays and storefronts where you would use your tickets to purchase things, an old soda shoppe display, music history from state festivals and well known performers, art, interactive videos with tall tales of west virginia, old insects and mammals skulls... art work. It just goes on and on and on. That's what I am remembering off the top of my head and really there are just so many exhibits we could not believe how well kept it was and that it was free. It definitely beat several of the paid activities we did on this trip.

If I could go back in time I would have budgeted all afternoon there (3-4 hours) so we could take our time seeing the war statues outside, the beautiful interior of the capitol building, a slow stroll through the gift shop, and plenty of time for exhibits without worrying about parking running out.

Parking is cheap but requires quarters and a little walk (for anyone with mobility impairment issues) from the parking area to the capitol.

Very interesting exhibits with a history time line on the floor as you walk through. Some of the displays/exhibits are a cut above the run-of-the mill museum exhibits you usually see. It is worth the time and is free to boot!

It is a nice Museum a lot of history knowledgeable guides) lllllllllkhderytgfyibgiogl7othgggthjnhfdrrtjkjyykij7

We enjoyed the displays and history. The coal mining history , pictures and objects were fascinating. Also the stories and pictures about the settlers and the development of the State was very enjoyable.

If you have children this is the place to go. They have an old phone switchboard that will shock your kids. They can see how operators used to transfer calls. It's definitely a dramatic change from cellphones. This museum is free for those on a budget. After you explore the museum they have a really nice gift shop with West Virginia made items. You can then walk over to our state capital and learn more about the history of WV.

Great museum with a fairly comprehensive, but brief history of the state. The exhibits are well done with many interesting artifacts. The video shows are also very well done. Well worth the time to see it.

Wow! We went to see the Capitol and the guide recommended we check out this museum. What a gem!! The West Virginia history exhibit is fantastic and really takes you on a history tour. It is arranged as a walk through history and has many side rooms as well. We easily spent over 2 hours there and could have stayed more. It is definitely a must for anyone in Charleston and is interesting for both kids and adults.

This museum was fantastic. It is set up like you are taking a stroll through WV history. Beautiful layout, friendly and knowledgeable staff, great gift shop.

This museum is worth serious time to appreciate. It follows a time line from 300 million BC to the present era with dioramas, speaking displays, many, many valuable historic artifacts about West Virginia. From geology to Civil War to bottles to cigarette stamps made into a quilt, one can stay occupied an entire day. Free.

a true living history museum, as you go through the different rooms of time periods, it feels alive, many narations and artifacys from specific time periods. You cant help but feel the personal struggles from settlers. THIS IS A MUST SEE! It is also free admission.It is in the complex area that includes the capitol building which you can tour, the war memorial, govenors mansion. This is all within a beautiful brick lined walking path, all within one fourth mile.

This wonderful museum is free and located right across from the state Capitol. What impressed me the most was the diversity of items and films telling the whole story of this great state.

There is a great film telling the story of how West Virginia became a state which is both informative to an adult yet kid friendly.

I also enjoyed better understanding about mining and it's history.

If you are in Charleston - especially since this is free - you really must stop in.

The museum is free for entrance, but give yourself at least half day to go through it. You learn a lot about the history of WV and Civil War. There is Too much to know and to learn. Since I had only two hours to spend in the museum, I have to take pictures and google search the related history events after I came home. I will definitely visit the museum again if I have a chance! Appreciate the staffs who are working there!

I went with my son on his class field trip, it's kinda neat, I enjoyed learning some of the history of my state. Could be better lit in certain places.

They have some pretty neat exhibits

First, there is no charge for this museum. The exhibits are all top notch and well organized. There is a lot to see, so you can spend as much or as little time as you want. The timeline is laid out in chronological order, then there are side areas dedicated to sports, industry, trade, etc. You don't have to be from WV to appreciate all of the wonderful exhibits. Definitely worth a visit.

Great! Must visit if in Charleston. Residents and visitors would find the museum interesting and full of history.

When going to the museum of course u must checkout the state capitol the river and the veterans memorial! Plan on around two hours to see everything. The museum goes through West Virginia history set in different areas and has an amazing gift shop as well. Down the road is an amazing view from the airport. Stopped by the farmers market too.! Ate breakfast at first watch and was simply amazing!!

I have lived in West Virginia for over 25 years and didn’t know this place existed. Took my kids and WOW was I surprised. What a great place. You can spend hours there going through the exhibit on the lower level. A great way to learn about history. A MUST SEE!!!

One of the best state museums we ever visited. So very well done, entertaining and educational. We spent three hours here and throughly enjoyed our visit.

The W. Va. State Museum is an excellent facility located next to the beautiful state capitol. These should be visited in tandem and they are both free. The W. Va. State Museum building also incorporates the W. Va. Cultural Center. The museum is downstairs and is really nice. A visit to the Capitol Complex should be in your plans if you are ever in Charleston, W. Va.

The museum takes you through multiple eras of local history from prehistoric to current. There are multiple scenes with actual artifacts to models and animated characters narrating the events. Excellent display of history and to beat all entrance is free. Defintely worth the time to explore.

While this is only a museum about the small state of WV, I thought it was perhaps the most well presented museum I've ever been in. They said it was done by Smithsonian people, and it shows. And it's free. Parking is easy-cheap meters in the lot--bring change. I'm from VA, and WV was part of VA for many years, so it was interesting to me from a VA history point of view. It starts in prehistoric times and takes you through the centuries. My fav parts were the old stores where you could see the old boxes and cans of Food and medicines. They have quite a collection! If you're traveling through the lackluster town of Charleston, WV, this is a must see.

I could go into this place every second of the day and still it would never get old. I moved away year's ago and when I come here it just makes me remember why I am proud to call myself a West Virginia Hillbilly. Yes I said it :) There is just so much pride and comfort and everything that makes this place Almost Heaven.

We drove 2.5 miles south from our Holiday Inn Express and followed the Visitor Parking signs to the metered parking (4 quarters for 2 hours) at 1708 Washington St E, and walked 1000' to this 1976 museum building. After meeting with the entry docent (temperature & Covid questions), we perused the huge hall's vast quilt-covered walls. A nearby elevator accessed the 2nd floor's glass display of 1st ladies dresses. Returning to the main hall and down an escalator, we entered the long winding path (with 26 side rooms of exhibits) following the historic timeline of the state. It began with prehistory that included a slice of the 1358-1938 Mingo Oak, the largest White oak in WV. Early man (12,000 BC) with stone tools and a 69' burial mound at Moundsville, a room on the 1700-1865 Slavery era, early farming tools, 1861 movement to succeed from VA to 1863 Statehood, Civil War, Timber/Railroad boom 1870-1920, Coal 1880 to 1947 peak production and on thru more modern times.
Videos and audio explanations supplement the excellent visual display of artifacts, making this a 1st class museum and well worth a 2 hour visit.

We were visiting family in Charleston. We decided to go to the museum. It is so well done. You follow a trail taking you from prehistoric time through present day. There is a reconstructed log cabin from the 1840's done by the Barnwood Builders. Highly recommend it. Also, it's free!

This is a great museum. It is very educational and beautifully done. Definitely a great place to go if you like history, especially our state history.

The West Virginia state museum is on of the cooler things I have ever done. The exhibits were visually stunning and packed full of information. I really appreciated the replica mineshaft and the interesting information on how the coal miners of West Virginia helped to provide the fuel that powered our young and blossoming nation. The staff that worked there were very friendly and on top of everything else it was free! A museum like this would usually run you 20 bucks minimum. I left the place feeling like an honorary member of the mountain state! 10/10 would recommend.

The primary exhibition is a walk-thru display highlighting the geological process of coal formation and the industrial process of mining this valuable commodity. Throughout the display the impact of coal on the history of the state is chronicled. The exhibit is a little dated and lacks the interactive elements that make contemporary museum displays more responsive to viewer's individual interests. That said, it is still well worth the hour or so it takes to view the display.

The museum is very interesting. The facility was very nice, and the items and artifacts very professionally displayed. Considering the quality of the museum, it is especially nice that it is provided free to visitors. Anyone spending time in Charleston should take an hour or two to visit!

I spend a lot of time in Charleston for business, but I frequently have the kids with me. We visit this museum many times a year and learn something new each time!

We went in without expecting much and ended up spending close to 2 hours in this museum. It was very interesting and educational for both our kids and us. It’s set up like a timeline that you travel through, so you really feel the essence of a particular time period. There are speakers that tell the story as well as movies/skits that play in some of the rooms. Not sure how it feels with the crowds, but we were the only ones there and it was nice to follow along to the narratives. It’s absolutely free to both residents and visitors. Overall, great museum to explore and learn about West Virginia history.

We are looking for something to do to breakup the trip. So worth the stop even more so since it's Free! We spent 2 hours and could have stayed longer. Staff friendly and helpful. Facility top notch, updated and interactive- Smithsonian level quality. We have seen the best from NYC to The Historic Triangle Williamsburg VA. FamilyTime well spent.

I am not a fan of museums, but this one was fantastic. Interesting. Hands on. KIDS LOVE IT; my grandkids insisted on staying for two hours longer than the 30 minutes planned. While absolutely great for West Virginia history, non-Mountaineers will also have a great time, get a great education, and find unbelievably artifacts of general interest. Just do it. You will be glad you did.

This museum has it all from the fine arts and crafts of the people to their way of life. I loved the time frame and themed exhibits. I wished that my feet were in better shape because I wanted to see every inch of this place and I think I covered it all. We had just toured the Capitol Building and walked across the yard to this building. I remember the animated gold fish in the floor in one time area and my girlfriend and I got startled by the motion activated soldier when he began to talk. Each section tells what life was like and the events of that period. Watch out for the motion activated rattle snake! There is also a display of the New River Gorge that we would see the next day as well. This place is a place of learning and it appealed to us.

I learned so much about West Virginia history at this museum. We had the place nearly to ourselves on a chilly Saturday morning. We were warmly greeted by staff and screened for COVID illness with temperature checks. Our kids were each given a scavenger hunt they could complete for a prize. This kept us all motivated to explore sections of the museum we might have otherwise skipped over.

There is a main “highlights” trail to follow in chronological order through history, with side rooms that provide much more detail if desired. Our family spent about 1-1.5 hours here, but you could easily spend longer if you didn't have kids rushing through.

The gift shop was the best of our trip, with a wide range of West Virginia made products to choose from. Admission is free, and parking is free on weekend (metered during the week).

My dad, boyfriend, and I were staying in the Huntington area for a family reunion, and we decided we wanted to do something different (since we've visited that area many times). We were not disappointed!

We arrived at the Capitol building around 3 on a Saturday afternoon and headed straight to the museum, as it closes at 5. I thought this would be a small museum about West Virginia. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The Cultural Center, Capitol Building, and the State Museum are all in the same location, so this is a great place to spend the day. It couldn't be a more beautiful background overlooking the river with trees all around.

This museum was full of expansive history starting from the prehistoric era. There is honestly something for absolutely everyone. There are exhibits about each war, different important persons, coal, clothing, music, life before statehood, boats, trains, and more. I could have spent the entire day here! I was honestly disappointed to leave, because there was still more to see! Don't miss the little inscriptions in each written history that tell you cool places to visit in West Virginia! I have so many things to do next time I'm here!

Overall, what a wonderful experience! Friendly staff (a guy walked around and periodically asked how we were enjoying it), great views, and very informative. You will learn more than you imagined at this museum! It's a must go!

If you liked my review or found it informative, please click the "helpful" button below. It would mean a lot to me! Thank you! <3

Its a great place to spend a few hours, its even free. The displays do not change much. It has a great deal of WV History displayed.

This was a wonderful way to get to know this wonderful state. It's free and takes you through the history of WV. Love the coal mine area. Would take anyone there!

We moved from WV almost 3 years ago and were back in Charleston to visit family. We decided to take our boys, 18 and 5, here to refresh their memories and ours of this great state. We were not disappointed! This is an awesome museum. We completed the scavenger hunt as we went through the exhibits and that helped keep our 5 yr old engaged.

The kids ages 9 and 11 really enjoyed the museum. When we first arrived we grabbed the museum's scavenger hunt and after that we did the geocache hunt. I think the geocache hunt is what got my 9 year old really into the exhibits. The exhibits are beautifully done, but he likes to find treasure at the end. He said he felt like a detective. I think there was only one other person in the museum while we were there. There was a lot of staff present. The place is sparkling clean. We spent almost all day here.

This museum is amazing! It is definitely a must go to for any West Virginian. There isn't any entry fee and it has so many great things to see! I definitely learned a lot about WV during my tour. They have a great little gift shop with so many nice items. I got a few Christmas gifts for my family while I was there! The staff were very friendly too!

Many nice exhibits, plenty of parking when the government is not in session. Easy walk from parking lot and next to the state capital. Great place to spend the day, enjoy a walk around the capital grounds, walk along the river after viewing the WV exhibits inside the museum. There are several War/Military memorials on the grounds that are a must see. Be sure to check the website for special events and show.

Well done displays. Very pleasant experience. My wife and I joyed the immersive designs of the time periods.

Plan to spend a couple of hours in this museum. It is an excellent and interesting history of the state.

Not sure young children would enjoy, but for free, give it a try.

Parking is metered, 25 cents for 30 minutes.

If you are interested in history, this is a one stop shop to learn about West Virginia. Children friendly.

This was one of the nicest free museums we have ever visited. We would have gladly paid an admission to see the museum. Besides for the great exhibits inside, the museum is on the capitol grounds which has the capitol building, governor’s mansion, and Veteran’s memorial. This is a must see in Charleston.

Admission is free and includes rotating exhibits as well as the WV history. Currently, a quilt exhibition is featured along with excellent examples of glass artistry from WV artists. The museum is easy to follow and accessible for all, with various accommodations based on needs.
The exhibits feature rare and unique fossils, native artifacts, as well as colonial, settler, and early state history. The exhibits also include sobering insights into the various difficulties and disasters as well as industry and development. Excellent attraction.

This museum is a one minute walk from the state capitol. Both the State Capitol and this museum are free to enter. The photos are Jennifer Garner and Don Knotts, I never knew that they were from West Virginia.

My husband and I have been to many museums and this was one of the best. We spent hours and could have spent more, but I was starving!! So much to see and very well organized. The docent was very attentive and helpful. Just a top notch museum in every way!

Free museum with a great gift shop. That was my down fall, nice refrigerator magnets and MARBLES (I collect them among many other things. The bottom floor starts at prehistory and walks you through the states history. Nice presentations and one could spend considerable time there.

Recommend the basement history walk through with the kids who can do scavenger hunt just stop by front desk as you enter. Fun couple of hours

Yes, we loved it. Charleston is beautiful. Before, we stopped near Bridgeport at the West Virginia State Civilian Conservation Corps Museum. Both were wonderful.

An excellent presentation of West Virginia history. Though a large building, exhibits creatively broken down into smaller rooms and units as you explore things along a timeline. Plan plenty of time and make sure you put enough quarters in the parking meters unless you want to rush or take a long walk back to your car. Free and very worthwhile.

The displays were great and well labeled. we really enjoyed the walk through time that started at 300 million BC to the present. So much to see. A great way to get familiar with the history of the state.

My two sons 17 and 21 and I thoroughly enjoyed this museum.
It’s free but worth an admission. We enjoy museums and history and this museum is what you expect in a state history museum set up to follow a timeline. What made this museum better than most is that in addition to the artifacts and information they designed the place to create the feel of being in the place (ie a coal mine or a highway or store or at Harpers Ferry) so if feels like walking through time as opposed to walking from exhibit to exhibit. Well worth the visit. Cost about $1.50 to park at meter for 3 hours.

Loved going through the "coal mine". Sound effects and all. As a WV native, visiting the Capitol Museum is one of our top things to do when we "go back home".

I went on a Thursday with my daughter and grand daughter. WE HAD A BLAST!! The information online doesn't come near to doing justice to this place. We allotted 90 mins for the visit and only got through 1/2 (the downstairs). We went at breakneck 4 yr old speed and still only saw a fraction of what is offered.
There is stuff to watch, stuff to listen to, and stuff to touch. The only cost is the parking meter, 25 cents for 30 minutes. There isn't a TON of parking, but I can't imagine when they might be so busy as to have no parking. There is also a pretty impressive War memorial outside, so be sure to step in and feel the powerful message it conveys. There's a good sized gift shop with lots of items local made.

This is a very good state museum on the capitol grounds in Charleston. Be sure to check out the unusual capital dome and the statues on the grounds. The museum gives you a good taste of West Virginia history in a well-done manner, with a focus on military history. Although there are no interactive exhibits, the whole presentation is modern and up-to-date and gives you a lot to look at. My personal preference would have been more cultural history -- particularly on immigration history and city versus rural areas -- but you will learn a lot about the state. You can study the exhibits or walk through quickly to see what catches your eye. Don't miss the photo op against a scene of the New River Gorge Bridge!

I was not impressed with the people who staffed the front desk on the main floor -- they seemed disgruntled when I asked for a museum brochure and one was quite snide when he saw me looking at the brochure "I told you the museum was one floor down" (I was looking at the brochure while waiting for my husband).

My goodness this was a wonderful museum! Free of charge, covering all the history of this beautiful state. Great exhibits, a few short films, interestingly laid out . I would highly recommend it. I would highly recommend a visit. Right next to the state Capitol which has the highest dome of all the state capitols by the way. Great. Gift shop. Super friendly security guards . Parking not too far. Bring quarters. Beautiful memorial to WV soldiers who fought and died in all our wars. Sobering moments. Don’t miss it if you are in Charleston.

FREE ! West Virginia history and future all in one place. The Culture Center is located on the Capitol Complex grounds in Charleston, West Virginia. Exit 99 off Interstate 64/77 at Greenbrier Street.

It was an unplanned visit for us and we enjoyed learning a bit about the regions history. It was a free and nicely maintained museum.

I should have known that most museums throughout the country are closed on Monday.
But our state capitol tour guide recommended that we stop in anyway and I am glad we did. There was an exhibit of West Virginia's role in World War One with displays of photos and artifacts. It was well put together. The lobby of this building is quite impressive, a tribute to the people of West Virginia. While most of the building was closed, the gift shop was open. The shop is filled with crafts and creations by West Virginia artists. We bought a number of items go take home to friends. The staff was friendly and helpful . On my next trip back I hope to see the entire museum. If you are trig the Capitol and the Governor's Mansion, be sure to stp here.

The State Museum is definitely worth visiting if you are interested in the history of West Virginia. The path through the museum travels through time, from the prehistoric age to the present.. As one journeys along the path, there are artifacts and pictures. To further enhance the experience, the museum uses lighting and sounds like water dripping in the mine or fighting during the Civil War, In the end, they play Country Roads. I know I feet quite proud to be a West Virginian when I leave. I have taken school groups here, too. There are several programs available if you schedule them in advance. There are scavenger hunts or the use of cameras which are then linked with computers. For me, it takes about an hour to go through the museum. In other places, you would have to pay to get into such a quality museum, but this one is free.

When we approached the museum area, there was no parking available. So here is our best hint--tell the guard that you want to visit the veteran's memorial. There is a dedicated parking spot for the memorial. The memorial is adjacent to the museum and the parking spot is probably seldom used Now you have an hour of parking. That is all you will need to enjoy this inventive and interesting museum. This hint is not ours-- the guard himself directed us to this spot and we greatly appreciate his help.

Really enjoyed seeing the exhibits of WV coal and the history of WV was great had alot of great things to see the self tour is great you can take your time and really enjoy the exhibits great place.

Great museum that is fun for all ages. Wish they had more stuff that little kids could touch, but the displays themselves were still fun and engaging regardless. Staff were super friendly and the building is easy to access if you’re visiting the Capitol, so it’s easy enough to park once and visit both in the same trip.

This was an informative museum. I learned some interesting things: Did you know the term "redneck" is from WV? It was a side bar to one exhibit about mining and labor unions. I recommend this museum as a great way to learn about this lovely state. When you are done, go to "Ellen's" coffee and ice cream shop which is on the main drag downtown.

I love to visit the Capitol museum. I love the atmosphere, the people and the history. When guests come into town that is a for sure place I always take them to.

We planned our trip to Charleston around the museum. We were there on a Sunday. The website and the phone # both said they were open every day. However we were there on Sunday and it was closed. We went into the capitol, which was great and I asked the guards who told me the museum was closed on Sunday and Monday. We has to leave on Monday, so we were unable to enjoy the museum. They should update their website and phone message to include these days off as it was very disappointing.

The state museum does a great job telling the story of our state. Love the way it is set up to show state progression over time. Is interactive and fun for kids and adults of all ages. So much to see you can go numerous times and always enjoy finding something you didn't see before.

Great glimpse of history. It was so honorable what our heros have done in the past. It is motivating to revisit those times in mind.

Great place to visit. Extensive collection of artifacts of West Virginia. Spent 90 mi minutes - wish we could have spent 4 hours. Extemely educational.

This museum was better than expected! The layout is very creative and keeps your interest. I really enjoyed the variety of exhibits; nature, history, politics, art, and sports. My visit was about 2.5 hours long but I could have stayed longer if time permitted.

I'm in town visiting from Washington DC for the holidays. I was super amazed that this museum is just as wonderful as I would see in DC. I love the interactivity and the sounds. I was engaged and very interested to see what I would discover in the next room. I definitely recommend a visit!

I visit the museum every time I visit Charleston, WV (at least once a year). I enjoy the displays and especially the quilts. Great gift shop.

This place is so beautiful and has alot of things to interest the young and the old. There are alot of visual and audio things to help you learn more about WV. Very much worth a visit and its free.

Loved all the history! Great way to spend a couple of hours. Grounds are impressive, with several memorials, including to war veterans; coal miners; and women military.

I'm not a huge history person, but this museum clearly exceeded expectations for a history museum. The exhibit was free admission. This was a self guided tour that started 300 million years ago and quickly progressed to 1700's and on to present time. I loved the sound bites everywhere and the interactive exhibits. The wall portraits started talking to you (and each other) at some points which reminded me of Harry Potter. Mostly you go in chronological order through history. There were some decision points along the path which I thought was cool. They had a lot of great stuff in here and interesting facts.
Plan for at least 1-2 hours in here. The state Capitol building is next door and probably takes like 5-10 minutes.

We really enjoyed all that was available at their state museum. We were there about 1.5 hours and that wasn't enough, but our meter was going g to expire. This place was in the basement of the library building and was packed with information and interesting visuals. They included interesting links to other towns that were mentioned in their displays. Free and a nice gift shop at the end.

This large museum covers the history of West Virginia from the time that the coal was being formed to the present day. It has been upgraded since my last visit with animatronics, talking pictures on the walls, and a scavenger hunt booklet for kids that my son LOVED. When you walk through the section about the river, the floor looks like it has fish swimming through it. If you step in the "water", you hear a splash. There's a ton of great information and it's presented in a very engaging format. The museum is also FREE.
Our only disappointment with the museum was that it took us longer than we had expected and our parking meter had run out fifteen minutes before we came out. We already had a parking ticket. So, put a couple extra quarters in the meter and save yourself a $5 fine.

The WV State Museum has done a wonderful job with creating a wonderful exhibit to show the history of the state. The walking exhibit takes you through the different phases of the history of WV. Each area has artifacts to help tell the story of how WV became a state and the accomplishments of its people. It is free and is located on the State Capitol grounds which in itself very beautiful.

The WV State Museum has a great collection of artifacts. They have some award winning quilts and exhibits of the areas mining and industrial history, If your coming to Charleston, this is a must see, not crowded and you can go through as fast or take as much time as you wish.

For information on the history of West Virginia and exhibits about West Virginia, this is an outstanding place to go. Many exhibits including paintings, quilts, antiques, and history are all beautifully put together in various settings and rooms. Plan to spend some time here to enjoy it.

Here, free of charge, you learn about West Virginia history and culture in a way that is accessible for elementary school children and adults. There is an excellent gift shop as well. Highly recommended.

The children were intrigued and weren't bored. We spent hours looking at everything and signed the museum's birthday board as well.

The Museum is conveniently located right beside the State Capitol. The exhibits were very good. If one is in Charleston, they should not miss this museum.

Took a large group of teens to this museum. Was a walk through on your own pace type of museum, and was really informative about the culture and history of West Virginia. Many different exhibits with displays and audio and some video stories of the history of the people, the area, the coal mines (companies, workers etc).
I learned a lot and really enjoyed it.
The teens took about an hour to go through it. I would have taken about 2 HRs to dive deeper into more of it.
Very informative and worth the walk through.

It is right next to the capital building in the capital complex, but the museum is t the easiest to find within the complex. So plan an extra 10 minutes and a few extra steps to allow yourself to get there and find it amongst all the big buildings. It is worth it.

This attraction is great for all ages. You could visit many times and not see all the exhibits. Truly a "diamond" for West Virginia.

Very nice museum leading you from prehistoric days to the present. The quilts upstairs are outstanding. When you first walk in there is a craft room hidden on the left with WV related activities mostly for kids- coloring, painting, weaving, Lincoln logs, etc. Very interesting exhibits about WV history. We were there more than 3 hours. Nice gift shop too!

I'm usually not a huge fan of museums, but after reading a few reviews of this State Museum, my husband and I planned a stop here on our way from Alabama up to Canada, and I'm so glad we did. Walking the corridors was truly stepping back in history, and for once I really enjoyed the history "lessons". The presentation is world-class and left me wanting to learn more on my own. And, not having to pay any admission for this gem was the icing on the cake. Well worth it!

We had taken a scenic drive to Charlston, we ended at the Capitol building and then found this museum. It is a very nice museum, we spent several hours, out of the heat, exploring the museum and it's free. We have teens and they enjoyed it. The staff is very friendly. Would recommend it, if in the area.

We were expecting something small to do while at a stop in Charleston. This museum is worth few hours of your time. Nicely set up as a walk through West Virginia history. Kids and adults will enjoy the experience.

I love this museum! It is FULL of West Virginia history. Plan to spend a few hours here, there is just so much to look at and read. The museum downstairs follows WV from prehistoric times to present day. Great artifacts and exhibits. Adults and children both will enjoy this!

So if your driving through Charleston headed someplace else and need a break you may be pleasantly surprised if you take Exit 99 and drive to the Capitol parking lot a few hundred yards away and park in Culture Center Visitor Parking area where it will cost you a whole quarter to park for 30 minutes. Visit the museum in the basement of the Center and I think you will not only enjoy a great little museum but you may even leave with a new found respect for the State of WV and its people. Like any museum you can spend a little time with a quick look or a lot of time if you want. Great exhibits from WV history and very well laid out.

We loved this wonderful, free museum that had a little bit of everything. There was a coal mine, stories and pictures of the Hatfields and the McCoys, dresses from the various Miss West Virginia Beauty Pageants or the ball gowns from wives of the various governors, so much interesting history like the story of John Brown's Raid. This is a must see place to go and you might want to return a couple of times in order to see it all.

This is an amazing gem of a cultural center with a museum as good as any other I've seen. We spent literally hours walking around reading the exhibit signs and enjoying the winding path through the centuries and history. There is no way you can do it in one visit so plan to go back the next day too. I wish they were open on Sundays.The gift shop is full of quality items, many of them hand made by WV artisans. They also have things like apple butter, jelly and chocolate.
If you're spending a few days in Charleston, don't miss this. It's on the Capitol grounds just a few steps from the Capitol building.

This is a fun place to visit, particularly if you are visiting the New River State Park on a rainy day. The exhibits are amazing and two hours will go by without you even realizing you have been touring the museum for that long. Once you finish touring it, do stop by the capitol building and enjoy its grandness.

I grew up in WV but I left 20 years ago. I have made many visits to museums around the world and FINALLY I have found one on West Virginia. It reminded me of many of the facts that I learned in WV history. Most of all, it made it me proud to be a West Virginian. I enjoyed the set-up of walking through time - beginning with prehistoric to modern times. It was also a nice cool, place to be on a hot day and even my 3 and 5 year old boys enjoyed the "tunnels" which represented the mines. The staff was friendly and very helpful. This was the best place we went to in Charleston.

Attended a live taping of Mountain Stage in the auditorium. Very nice venue with better than average acoustic. Leo Kotke was outstanding

We were in town for a few days, and everyone was up early and wanted to get out of the hotel. The State Museum was open at nine, free, and kept us entertained until almost lunch time. It was a great way to start the day in Charleston.