Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Neighbourhood: Northeast Virginia Beach
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
108 reviews
Excellent
58
Very good
32
Average
14
Poor
2
Terrible
2
dml240
Greencastle PA84 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This is a very well done museum. The second floor is very informative about the building and it's history. Has a short video to watch. The first floor had a carver working on a decoy. They have a wonderful gift shop with a nice variety of items.
Written May 18, 2024
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.
🥳 🎉 🥳 Keep Life Simple 🥳🎉🥳
Pittsburgh, PA127,426 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
You can not miss it on the boardwalk. It's. Very beautiful and stunning building on the boardwalk. Take a look at the beautiful pictures I took. 5 stars
Written August 26, 2020
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.
AmeliaHorseman
Galway, Ireland105 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
There's nothing in here. It's a gift shop and a carving studio... I don't really know why they call it a museum! it's not even really a hunting club shack. The only thing to see in it are the carved birds for decoys used in hunting.... and they want you to buy those. So...yeah, if you like wood carvings, it's not bad. Just... the name is misleading... there's really nothing in there. But it is free...so if you need a short break from the sun, here you are. Oh. No bathrooms.
Written March 23, 2014
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.
pky_pook
hpt497 contributions
Sept 2019
Ok, in an attempt to find some unique things to do over the weekend, we tried this museum on for size.
It's a small FREE parking lot near the gift shop. Once inside you will see straight thru to the back door and the ocean waves :-)
We looked around and admired some of the beautiful trinkets and then headed upstairs and in the side rooms to see all of the fowl abound.
One of the wood carvers was presesnt during our time there. He was quite empassioned and helped deepen our appreciation.
The owner - was a keen business man who had a huge family and left a great impact in VB.
No hard entrance fee - however they have a donation box.
It's a small FREE parking lot near the gift shop. Once inside you will see straight thru to the back door and the ocean waves :-)
We looked around and admired some of the beautiful trinkets and then headed upstairs and in the side rooms to see all of the fowl abound.
One of the wood carvers was presesnt during our time there. He was quite empassioned and helped deepen our appreciation.
The owner - was a keen business man who had a huge family and left a great impact in VB.
No hard entrance fee - however they have a donation box.
Written September 9, 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.
Chrisjazz
Washington DC, DC197 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
On a rainy day (closed MO, TU), come visit this historic building, the first one built on Virginia Beach in the 1880s. The volunteer hosts tell you a bit about the first Mayor of Virginia Beach, about the builder and his family who lived here.
Most of the downstairs is devoted to waterfowl hunting, hand-carved duck decoys, also for sale, and other local specialties.
In an adjacent room sits a master-carver, and it's really nice watching her carve or paint her newest duck decoy. There are many historic decoys on the exhibit shelves, too. The carver and the ranger are happy to tell you more about their usage, their styles, and the history of local duck hunting.
Upstairs, you get a better sense of the architecture of the house, with its extra-thick brick walls which have withstood many a hurricane on Virginia Beach. The rooms have nicely preserved interior wood panelings, and the whole design has "good bones," built along classic lines.
There is a little video running, narrated by an old Virginia Beach resident (probably a hundred years old by now), which gave me an appreciation for the history and development of the entire region over a whole century. -- No mention is made at all about the Jim Crow era, and not a single African American person is visible in the old images. A serious oversight. Black History is American History, and it should not be relegated to just "Underground Railroad" historic sites. I encourage the curators to step up to the plate and bring the narrative up to date with courage and honesty.
Still, I recommend that you spend a quiet hour in this historic building.
Most of the downstairs is devoted to waterfowl hunting, hand-carved duck decoys, also for sale, and other local specialties.
In an adjacent room sits a master-carver, and it's really nice watching her carve or paint her newest duck decoy. There are many historic decoys on the exhibit shelves, too. The carver and the ranger are happy to tell you more about their usage, their styles, and the history of local duck hunting.
Upstairs, you get a better sense of the architecture of the house, with its extra-thick brick walls which have withstood many a hurricane on Virginia Beach. The rooms have nicely preserved interior wood panelings, and the whole design has "good bones," built along classic lines.
There is a little video running, narrated by an old Virginia Beach resident (probably a hundred years old by now), which gave me an appreciation for the history and development of the entire region over a whole century. -- No mention is made at all about the Jim Crow era, and not a single African American person is visible in the old images. A serious oversight. Black History is American History, and it should not be relegated to just "Underground Railroad" historic sites. I encourage the curators to step up to the plate and bring the narrative up to date with courage and honesty.
Still, I recommend that you spend a quiet hour in this historic building.
Written November 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.
Linda S
Sarasota, FL52 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
Immediately turned off when we entered the front door of the gift shop where we saw right away the signs on the doors to the gallery saying $2 admission. Not a lot but why is there still a big FREE sight on the outside of the building? It is free to walk in to visit their gift shop. Bait and switch. Bad, VB
Written June 28, 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.
bap2015
Seattle178 contributions
Nov 2013 • Solo
I visited the Heritage Museum on a weekday afternoon in November. Decoy carving is a distinctive American folk art, and this museum is one of the bet places to see it. The museum includes antique decoys from the Chesapeake Bay and Carolina sound and modern decoys crafted by local carvers. The best part is the opportunity to watch local carvers as they change a block of wood into miniature or full-size ducks and other waterfowl. The carvers are very friendly and like to talk about the work; don't be shy and be sure to ask them questions. Admission is free and donations are appreciated. In the small store you can buy modern carvings at very reasonable prices
Written November 9, 2013
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.
Jonny Favarro
Hampton, VA7 contributions
Jan 2022
Beautiful location and so much interesting history and stuff to explore packed into a quaint museum right along the boardwalk. Don't miss this.
Written February 20, 2022
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.
Catherine S
Underhill, VT332 contributions
Oct 2021
If you are strolling along the Boardwalk, consider stopping to visit this small yet interesting museum about the house and Atlantic wildfowl. The staff is very helpful and there is even a charming gift shop!
Written October 14, 2021
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.
Annaline
Park Ridge, IL7,180 contributions
May 2019 • Solo
Such a pleasure to see that this building stayed here and was not demolish to clear space for another tall and boring hotel at the boardwalk.
A former residence donated by owners to the city for the museum.
I came to late so I was not able to get inside but it still was lovely to walk around it and to read all the educational/historical displays.
A former residence donated by owners to the city for the museum.
I came to late so I was not able to get inside but it still was lovely to walk around it and to read all the educational/historical displays.
Written May 19, 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.
How can I find the daily schedule of your duck carvers? Wonderful museum!
Written January 15, 2019
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