Celebrating 250 years of independence doesn’t stop on July 4, 2026.
Bring your VA250 Passport to the Shenandoah Valley to collect more stamps, more knowledge, and more memories.
It’s undeniable that Virginia had an immense presence in the founding of America. In fact, “America. Made in Virginia.” is the slogan for the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission.
“From its founding ideals to its leading figures, more of what made America happen, happened here in Virginia. Which makes Virginia the ideal place to learn about our nation’s beginnings, no matter what state you call home.”
Collect VA250 Passport Stamps in the Shenandoah Valley
From north to south, plan to collect VA250 Passport stamps at these Shenandoah Valley sites:
- Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester
- The 1794 Glen Burnie House is the centerpiece of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and sits upon acreage surveyed and claimed by James Wood, the founder of the City of Winchester. The associated 50,000-square-foot Museum houses Julian Wood Glass Jr.’s collection of 18th- and 19th-century art and furnishings, as well as ancestral items passed through the generations. He was the last owner of Glen Burnie, a property that had remained in the Wood and Glass families until the creation of the Glass-Glen Burnie Foundation in 1992.
- Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown
- Home to President James Madison’s sister, Nelly Madison Hite, and her husband, Major Isaac Hite, the grandson of a pioneer who used enslaved labor to grow his 483 acres to 7,500 acres. Union General Phillip Sheridan headquartered at Belle Grove in 1864 during the Battle of Cedar Creek in the Civil War Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
- Rocktown History in Dayton
- The caretakers of the history of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia, Rocktown History was established in 1898 as the Rockingham County Historical Society. “Rocktown” was the informal name of the area. “Transforming rock from obstacle to resource has reflected and shaped the human cultures of this valley.”
- Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton
- Nearly two miles of walking paths meander around the 188-acre Frontier Culture Museum, the Valley’s largest open-air museum. There you’ll find costumed interpreters prepared to show and tell you what life was like “back home,” in their native countries before voluntary or forced migration. Recreated (and some authentic) buildings portray 17th- and 18th-century England, Ireland, Germany, West Africa, and early American settlement.
- Rockbridge Historical Society in Lexington
- There is much to tell about the history of Rockbridge County, from the founding of Lexington in 1778 to its namesake, the Natural Bridge. Rockbridge Historical Society tells the stories of entrepreneurs, explorers, educators, and many more who have lived in, worked in, and shaped the communities of Rockbridge County.
Belle Grove Plantation. Photo by Monty Aerials. Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation.
How to Get a VA250 Passport
Obtain a free VA250 Passport at any of the 12 Virginia Tourism Welcome Centers, the VA250 Mobile Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Monticello, Mount Vernon, or the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
In the Shenandoah Valley, passports are most easily obtained at these Virginia Welcome Centers:
VA250 Mobile Museum Experience
How to Use a VA250 Passport
Each passport location offers a unique passport stamp. Show your passport and get stamped. After your first stamp, receive a 15% discount on admission at all of the rest. The single-use discount is only available to the passport holder. There are 70 VA250 Passport locations to explore.
VA250 Passport Prizes
Passports with at least 5 stamps can be validated at a Passport site, and your entry card can be submitted to win prizes. All entries must be received to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture by December 1, 2026.
Prizes:
- Family Membership to Select Sites (20 winners)
- $250 Cash Prize (10 winners)
- $2,500 Cash Prize (1 winner)
Header Image: Natural Bridge State Park. Photo by Sam Dean. Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation.
