Cold War Museum
Cold War Museum
4.5
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The Cold War Museum is a 501c3 charity organization dedicated to preserving the stories and legacy of the cold war.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
31 reviews
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Jonathan R
Washington DC, DC1,104 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
We recently visited this museum for the second time. This museum, which is free to visit, contains a great deal of information on Cold War intelligence and surveillance, including pieces of intelligence-community “hardware” and related photographs, maps, and displays. The quality of curating is, in the best sense, amateur, but the docents are friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to give visitors a look at aspects of Cold War history that won’t be found in most conventional museums.
The Museum also is on the same tract as the Vint Hill listening station, another location in World War II/Cold War history which is memorialized in the nearby Vint Hill Winery buildings. Both are well worth a visit (though the Cold War Museum is open on weekdays only by appointment).
The Museum also is on the same tract as the Vint Hill listening station, another location in World War II/Cold War history which is memorialized in the nearby Vint Hill Winery buildings. Both are well worth a visit (though the Cold War Museum is open on weekdays only by appointment).
Written August 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue R
Boonton, NJ498 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
This is our second visit to the Cold War Museum. We were hoping to find it expanded, but not yet. It's not easy to find, since there are no road signs leading to it. It's within a grouping of buildings on one big parking lot, across from the Covert Cafe. Guys who run the museum are filled with very interesting stories about what went on during that era in US history, and they have some pretty unique artifacts as well. It's well worth the effort to find it. It was originally founded by the son of Francis Gary Powers of U-2 fame. The museum is in dire need of funds to be able to expand into an adjacent building. They are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so donations are tax deductible.
Written May 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard D
Mineral, VA200 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
Several retired friends organized a visit to the Cold War Museum at Vint Hill, Virginia. Vint Hill is a former Army base that was turned into a beautiful area of rolling hills and new homes. However, the base left behind many of the existing structures which have been converted into a Brew Pub, Winery, and the Cold War Museum.
All of us are children of the 50s so lived through the Cold War with fallout shelters, drop and cover drills in school, and Civil Defense exercises. The best part of the Museum is the large number of exhibits and artifacts. The worst part is that building is arguably too small for everything that has been collected. The director was there and explained their plans to move into a much bigger building but they are busy gathering up funds to pay for the move.
The museum is organized well enough that you can walk around and see everything which we all did. We also got a docent tour of the two floors of exhibits. The docents were able to bring to life many of the events of the Cold War that we all knew about. However, much about the events of those years have now been declassified so we learned a lot of new information. And even found out somethings that we had wrong over the years.
Our visit was very informative and would highly recommend to those who lived it. But perhaps more, this should be a destination for those younger than us who have no recollection of the world that followed World War 2 and how much it shaped the world we live in today.
All of us are children of the 50s so lived through the Cold War with fallout shelters, drop and cover drills in school, and Civil Defense exercises. The best part of the Museum is the large number of exhibits and artifacts. The worst part is that building is arguably too small for everything that has been collected. The director was there and explained their plans to move into a much bigger building but they are busy gathering up funds to pay for the move.
The museum is organized well enough that you can walk around and see everything which we all did. We also got a docent tour of the two floors of exhibits. The docents were able to bring to life many of the events of the Cold War that we all knew about. However, much about the events of those years have now been declassified so we learned a lot of new information. And even found out somethings that we had wrong over the years.
Our visit was very informative and would highly recommend to those who lived it. But perhaps more, this should be a destination for those younger than us who have no recollection of the world that followed World War 2 and how much it shaped the world we live in today.
Written April 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thomas B
Springfield, va181 contributions
Jan 2016 • Friends
The staff at the museum really know the history of the area. It's interesting to see some of the things we grew up with during the cold war era preserved and respected this way. tehy have alot of interactive 'hands on' exhibits and it really makes that time of history come alive. Alot of the artifacts are from things that most everyday people didn't even realize existed. If you want a peek back into the 'secret lives' of what was happening when the world was really close to destroying itself, this is a place to see! The building is rather small, so i would NOT recommend a busload of kids, but a group of about 10 could really take the time and explore the place.
Written January 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SFO45
Virginia730 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
The Cold War Museum is located at the former Vint Hill Farm Station--a Cold War listening post near Warrenton. The museum has a fascinating array of displays. One room is devoted to the former listening site that was active during the Cold War, and other rooms cover Strategic Air Command bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and early recon satellites. This is not a large museum, so you won't be overwhelmed--but the docents are fun to listen to, and many of them have their own stories to tell. A good strategy is to go to the nearby Bust Head Craft Brewery and/or winery, and then sober up at the Cold War Museum before driving home. Having a DD is even better!
Written May 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue R
Boonton, NJ498 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
My husband and I had been wanting to visit the Cold War Museum in Vint Hill, VA, for a long time and finally got there. Vint Hill is a tiny community between Warrenton and Manassas. It took us a while to find the museum, but after asking directions twice, we finally found it in the midst of a group of industrial buildings at the end of Lineweaver Rd. It's a two-floor small building that's packed with lots of interesting and pretty unique memorabilia from the Cold War era, especially from the Cuban missile crisis and the U-2 incident. In fact, Francis Gary Powers, Jr. was one of the founders of the museum.
The curator of the museum, John, showed us through the two floors--John was filled with all kinds of fascinating stories that you would probably never hear about otherwise. Right now, the museum is open on weekends and also by appointment on weekdays. They handle individual visitors and also tour groups. There's no charge but they gratefully accept donations, especially since they plan to expand to a larger facility nearby and be open on weekdays on a regular schedule. History buffs, especially in fairly recent history, will love this place. They also have lots of memorabilia that they give on loan to other museums, especially since their location right now is too small to display all of it.
We are hoping to come back again and bring some of the memorabilia we have from that era to donate to the museum, which they welcome. And maybe they'll be even bigger by then!
The curator of the museum, John, showed us through the two floors--John was filled with all kinds of fascinating stories that you would probably never hear about otherwise. Right now, the museum is open on weekends and also by appointment on weekdays. They handle individual visitors and also tour groups. There's no charge but they gratefully accept donations, especially since they plan to expand to a larger facility nearby and be open on weekdays on a regular schedule. History buffs, especially in fairly recent history, will love this place. They also have lots of memorabilia that they give on loan to other museums, especially since their location right now is too small to display all of it.
We are hoping to come back again and bring some of the memorabilia we have from that era to donate to the museum, which they welcome. And maybe they'll be even bigger by then!
Written May 20, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anonymous.
1 contribution
Jul 2019 • Family
It was amazing. My kids and I loved it. We went around with a tour guide first then alone, all the volunteers answered any questions we had. They were all so friendly and kind. The little museum packed in a lot of good knowledge. My son is learning about the Cold War for fun and he thinks it will really help him. We love to help small businesses and this one is worth helping 🙂. The drive is very pretty we saw some horses. I would definitely go back. 👍👍👍
Written August 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
geraldirons
Minnesota38 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
A very quaint and interesting museum. Located at Vint Hill Farm Station a farm that was converted to a military post in WW2. One of the buildings is now used for this museum. Take the tour in the morning, have lunch at the Covert Cafe next door and then do a wine tasting at the craft winery. Probably not a place for small children.
Written April 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
F105
16 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
It doesn't look like much on the outside, but plan on a couple hours inside because it's packed with a lot of interesting displays and the building is part of the history. The staff will give you a tour that you will get no where else. This is funded only by donations and it has only been open a few years so it will be awhile before they can afford a bigger place. If you like the spy museum in DC, you will like this place.
Written October 17, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doll_Lady
Fredericksburg, VA9 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
This museum near Warrenton, VA covers the era of the Cold War with Russia. It is located on a piece of land that was the sight of a U.S. cryptology center during WWII.
It is a small building with 2 floors. Spying, nuclear bomb drills, Stasi listening are all covered. We were fortunate to go as a group and have docents who knew their stuff. There is a restaurant(Covert Café-what else) located next door. A winery & beer brewery are also steps away. The day we were there a farmers market was also going. The museum is not open every day. They do have some interactive things for kids.
It is a small building with 2 floors. Spying, nuclear bomb drills, Stasi listening are all covered. We were fortunate to go as a group and have docents who knew their stuff. There is a restaurant(Covert Café-what else) located next door. A winery & beer brewery are also steps away. The day we were there a farmers market was also going. The museum is not open every day. They do have some interactive things for kids.
Written September 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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