Planning Your Visit
Visiting the West Virginia State Museum and Capitol Complex
Exploring the Museum
To help make your experience more enjoyable, we ask that you follow a few guidelines:
Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing. The surface of the show path changes, and the temperature and lighting are low to help preserve the artifacts.
Please do not touch the artifacts and scenic elements.
Please be respectful of others; no running or rowdy behavior.
No food, drink, or use of any tobacco product is allowed in the State Museum.
You may take photos; however, please no flash photography. Photos, videos and other reproductions of any kind for commercial purposes are strictly prohibited. (Only school groups engaged in museum-designed educational programs using museum-approved recording equipment are permitted to record via video)
Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Want to plan ahead? View our museum map: Museum Map (English) and Mapa del museo (Spanish)
Time Allotment for Your Visit
The West Virginia State Museum features a central show path, 26 Discovery Rooms and two Connections Rooms. Visitors who follow the show path from prehistory to the 21st century will spend approximately 45 minutes to an hour in the museum. However, visitors that take the time to enjoy each of the Discovery Rooms will spend about 1 to 2 hours in the museum.
Hungry for even more information? Plan to stop by each Connections Room to do further reserach as you travel through the museum. Visitors that include stops in both Connections Room can plan to spend around 3 hours (or more!) on their visit to the museum.
No matter how long you stay, you'll discover that you want to return because there is just so much to see!
Did You Know?
If a visitor reads every display and watches every documentary in the museum, the entire tour would take 26 hours!
Museum Accessibility
The West Virginia State Museum understands the needs of the general public and offers a variety of services to ensure the accessibility of the Museum and its newly renovated exhibits.
Escalators and an Elevator are available in the Culture Center.
Large print and Braille versions of the museum floor plan and select brochures are available at the Guest Services desk.
Guide dogs are welcome.
Transcripts of the audio program are available in large print upon request.
Seating is available along the way to rest when needed.
Complimentary mobility devices are available at the Guest Services Desk. They are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum has special flooring and some space limitations along the show path. If you have your own mobility device, it should have pneumatic wheels, a short turning radius, and be no more than 38" in length.
Capitol and Governor's Mansion Tours
Tours begin on the first floor Rotunda at specific hours. Any group of 10 or less is welcome to join a regularly scheduled tour without a reservation. Groups of more than 10 are best served by making a reservation ahead of time. It is highly encouraged to make your reservations 48 hours in advance. Please call for reservations at 304-558-4839.
Monday through Friday
Tours start every half hour
9:00a.m. till 12:00p.m.
1:00p.m. till 3:00 p.m.
*Tours of the Governor’s Mansion are currently unavailable.
Getting Here & Parking
Located at the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, the Culture Center is home to the West Virginia Archives and History Library, West Virginia State Museum, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), Arts Office, Library Commission Library and Tamarack Museum Gift Shop. We are located in Building 9, directly across from the West-Wing of the Capitol building's public entrance.
Driving Directions:
If travling on the Interstate, take Exit 99 (Greenbrier Street/State Capitol Exit) onto I-77/64, one mile east of the I-64 and I-77 junction in Charleston. The Culture Center is located along Greenbrier Street, just beyond the intersection of Greenbrier and Washington streets.
Public Transit Information:
Visit The Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority website at (rideonKRT.com) for more information regarding routes and fares.
Culture Center Parking:
Visitors are welcome to be dropped off and picked up in the bus loop located near the entrance of the Greenbrier Street parking lot or may utilize any of the parking options outlined below:
- Greenbrier Street Parking Lot: Metered Visitor Parking
- Enter at the corner of Washington Street E and Greenbrier Street
- Parking is $0.25 per half-hour (max. 4 hours)from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends and state holidays, there is no charge for parking in these spaces.
- Designated metered Accessible Parking spaces are available in this lot.
Please Note: Vehicles must display proper Mobility Impaired or Disability parking placards or signage. - University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field (Lot A and Lot B):Additional Free Public Parking
- Take Exit 99 toward WV-114S (Greenbrier St/State Capitol Exit) and keep right at the fork. Turn right onto Elizabeth Street and continue straight to Lots A and B.
- Laidley Field is located about two blocks from the Capitol Complex
- The Capitol Shuttle is available on weekdays from 6:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. This shuttle is free and may be used by both employees and Capitol visitors. It runs every 15 to 20 minutes.
Museum Hours of Operation
Operating Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
***Closed Sundays and Mondays***
Closed all National Holidays except Memorial Day weekend
Admission is free
For more information call: (304) 558-0220
Dining Options
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History does not have a dining facility and is not permitted to recommend any particular establishment. However, there are many options to choose from in the local area. Here are the options near the Culture Center per TripAdvisor.