Richmond, Virginia — The acclaimed Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is the only art museum in the United States open 365 days a year — including all holidays — with free general admission. In keeping with its annual schedule, the museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
“It is the mission of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to make the arts accessible to everyone — that is a big part of why we are open every day of the year,” said VMFA Director and CEO Alex Nyerges. “The holidays are a great time to visit the museum with your loved ones and to be uplifted and inspired by our diverse collection of art from around the world, as well as by our exciting exhibitions.”
The museum boasts free general admission to see thousands of captivating works of art from its permanent collection. Tickets to the special exhibition Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art, which explores the guitar’s symbolism in American art from the early 19th century to the present day, can be purchased online or at VMFA’s Visitor Services Desk. The complete exhibition schedule can be found at www.VMFA.museum.
VMFA’s dining and shopping venues will remain open during the holidays, ensuring a full VMFA experience for visitors.
On Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, the museum’s casual eatery Best Café will be open. Reservations for memorable Christmas Day dining experiences at Amuse Restaurant are still available, while Thanksgiving Day reservations are fully booked.
Visitors can find unique gifts, including fascinating exhibition catalogues, beautiful jewelry, stylish decor, fashionable t-shirts and cheerful greeting cards, in the VMFA Shop. A gift that keeps on giving, museum memberships are available for purchase at the Visitor Services Desk and online.
To make plans to visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts over the holidays, visit www.VMFA.museum.
Storied Strings Exhibition Ticket Information
Regularly priced tickets to VMFA’s special exhibition Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art are $16 for adults, $12 for seniors 65+, and $10 for youth 7–17 and college students with ID. Eligible Museums for All participants can purchase admission at the reduced price of $2 per ticket, with a limit of four tickets, with their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and ID. The exhibition is free for VMFA members; children ages 6 and under; Commonwealth of Virginia employees and preschool and K–12 teachers (public and private). As a participant in Blue Star Museums, VMFA provides free admission for all active duty, National Guard and Reserve military personnel and their immediate families.
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States. VMFA, which opened in 1936, is a state agency and privately endowed educational institution. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art, and to encourage the study of the arts. Through the Office of Statewide Partnerships program, the museum offers curated exhibitions, arts-related audiovisual programs, symposia, lectures, conferences, and workshops by visual and performing artists. In addition to presenting a wide array of special exhibitions, the museum provides visitors with the opportunity to experience a global collection of art that spans more than 6,000 years. VMFA’s permanent holdings encompass nearly 50,000 artworks, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside of Russia, the finest collection of Art Nouveau outside of Paris and one of the nation’s finest collections of American art. VMFA is also home to important collections of Chinese art, English silver, and French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, British sporting and modern and contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing I after a transformative expansion, previously the largest in its history.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has begun its more than $190 million expansion and renovation project led by the international architecture firm SmithGroup. Tentatively scheduled for completion in 2027, the project consists of adding a new wing of nearly 170,000 square feet and renovating 45,000 square feet of existing spaces, while maintaining four acres of green space in the Sculpture Garden. Visitors will experience a seamless journey through the collections in the new wing, which will house contemporary art, African art, American art, a new suite of galleries for rotating special exhibitions and a special-events space. The expansion and renovation will enable the museum to display more art, welcome more visitors and provide more enjoyment.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the only art museum in the United States open 365 days a year with free general admission. For additional information, telephone 804.340.1400 or visit www.VMFA.museum.
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Media Contacts
Jan Hatchette | 804.204.2721 | jan.hatchette@VMFA.museum
Amy Peck | 804.773.1791 | amy.peck@VMFA.museum
Kyla Coleman | 804.204.2702 | kyla.coleman@VMFA.museum
200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23220