CHINCOTEAGUE, VA - The VA250 Mobile Museum Experience visited Chincoteague on Wednesday, as part of its effort to highlight Virginia’s role in the nation’s founding ahead of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
VA250 was established by the state General Assembly in 2020 to commemorate the semiquincentennial of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States.
The transitory exhibit is titled "Out of Many, One."
"We wanted to ensure that every Virginian saw themselves in this museum and saw where we've come from and how far we've come both as a country and as a state,” VA250 Program Coordinator Erin Smith said.
The interactive tour is self-guided, tracing key moments in Virginia’s history against the backdrop of America’s founding.
Organizers told WBOC one of the museum’s goals is to bring untold stories to light.
"Women, people of color and Native Americans. You're also going to see the smaller, rural areas and communities in Virginia at the time and today represented in the museum,” Smith said.
One of the exhibit’s touch-screen, interactive elements highlights important figures in Virginia’s history. On Wednesday, those from Accomack County were displayed at the top.
"American history is so important and everyone should know about it,” visitor Jennifer Harrison said. “I learned a lot about Virginia's history and slavery and that really touched me and hit me hard.”
The museum packs up into a 53-foot-long trailer, weighing upwards of 78,000 pounds. It takes a team of fewer than 10 people about 2 hours to set up.
“Our goal right now is to go to every middle school in the Commonwealth,” Smith said. “We are so excited to be right on track with that.”
The VA250 Mobile Museum will open for a second day on Chincoteague, Thursday from 10 AM to 5 PM, before hitting the road for a packed schedule traversing Virginia for the remainder of 2026.