National Museum of the Civil War Soldier

The Piedmont


West of downtown and inside the privately run Pamplin Historical Park, the excellent National Museum of the Civil War Soldier illustrates the hardships faced by soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Visitors are given an audio player with a headset and assigned a specific Civil War soldier, adding a personal perspective to the visit. Daily events include rifle demonstrations, films and guided tours.

The entrance is off Boydton Plank Rd/Rte 1.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Piedmont attractions

1. Petersburg National Battlefield Park

8.01 MILES

Several miles east of town, Petersburg National Battlefield is where Union soldiers planted explosives underneath a Confederate breastwork, leading to the…

2. Shirley Plantation

16.33 MILES

Built on the banks of the James River, this is Virginia's oldest plantation (1613). It retains an original row of brick service and trade houses – tool…

3. Berkeley Plantation

19.02 MILES

Dating from 1726, this plantation on the James River was the birthplace and home of Benjamin Harrison V, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence,…

4. Belle Isle

23.95 MILES

A long pedestrian bridge leads from Tredegar St (just past the national park site) out to this car-free island. Once a quarry, power plant and POW camp…

5. Poe Museum

24.31 MILES

Contains the world's largest collection of manuscripts and memorabilia of poet and horror-writer Edgar Allan Poe, who lived and worked in Richmond…

6. St John's Episcopal Church

24.33 MILES

It was here that firebrand Patrick Henry uttered his famous battle cry – 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death!' – during the rebellious 1775 Second Virginia…

7. Historic Tredegar

24.4 MILES

Part of the multisite American Civil War Museum, this fascinating exhibit – housed inside an 1861 iron works that at its height employed 800 free and…

8. Canal Walk

24.41 MILES

The 1.25-mile waterfront Canal Walk between the James River and the Kanawha (ka-naw-wha) and Haxall Canals is a lovely way of seeing a dozen highlights of…