Visit to NRA Museum

[BSA1]

If you don't think this is the most gun related topic ever I will fight you.

Well ok. I edited that line from The Anchorman.

I am going to be a spending a week in Virginia and Maryland and a visit to the NRA Museum is on my places to visit list. I am surmising that since they have a lot of firearms and accessories on display focusing on areas of more interest than others will make the most of time spent.

For those of you that have visited the Museum can you give me a idea on how it is laid out? Is it possible to visit the entire museum in one day? Are there any must see exhibits?

My interests start with flintlocks so there are a lot of firearm history to cover.

 

[g.willikers]

The museum has an excellent web site that explains it all.
They actually have three museums around the country.
http://www.nramuseum.org

 

[BSA1]

I read their website. Maybe I wasn't clear. I plan on visiting the museum at the NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. I am looking for comments from those that have been there and what parts they found most interesting.

 

[BullRunBear]

The museum is set up, sort of, by themes. One section has an historical progression from the early hand cannons going up to modern. So flintlocks are grouped together as are Civil War long arms, etc. Then there are sections about firearms and famous movies (I can look at the "Quigley Down Under" Sharps for a long time trying not to drool), or classic African big game weapons or dioramas for various wars. I don't know what's online but the museum provides floor plans about the layout. If you want to see everything, plan for AT LEAST a full day. Even if you're selective, there's a lot to see.

While the hand cannons are of historical interest there isn't much to look at: displays of corroded metal and worn wood. Also, the first 25 Civil War muskets are fine, I don't need to see over a hundred. (Although I never get tired of the flintlocks.) The Museum does give a chance to see one of a kind guns, such as from movies/TV or custom made for famous folks, and to examine some of the finest decorative work on firearms that has ever been done.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[Sergei Mosin]

They have lots of everything! It's been several years since I visited so I don't know exactly what is on display currently. The Marine Corps Museum in Quantico is another good one in the area with lots of historic weapons, among many other exhibits and artifacts. It's federal property though so no carry there.

 

[bannockburn]

I was there a couple of years ago and thought it was outstanding. Lots of great firearms on display and a number of special exhibits as well (when I was there it was guns used during WWII). Also nearby in Virginia there is the United States Marine Corps Museum. Incredible life-like displays representing key moments in Marine Corps history.

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Yeah, they have everything..even guns dating back to the 1600's. Prepare to be there for a while!! I particularly enjoyed the old west and Beretta exhibits.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Initially it's set up chronologically, then it becomes theme oriented (WW II, famous collections, Western).

 

[Neo-Luddite]

We went last June as a part of our 'big' family trip to DC to see the museums & monuments with the kids. It is flat fact true that the museum has almost everything--the breadth is impressive. It is definitely a self-guided place--they turn you lose and you're on your own. If anything that is the museum's one failing--a lack of guides or staff to answer questions and interpret. But of course, that's the deal going in by design. I liked the Hollywood Guns exhibit myself, and the many art guns displayed are eye-popping. It is a low key deal as although it is comprehensive, its placement in NRA HQ makes it feel somewhat tacked on. Still a great bucket list item.

 

[rondog]

Please do go! And enjoy yourself! I lived in Fairfax for awhile, then in Herndon for awhile longer. I drove by that museum many times, "one of these days I'm gonna stop there". But then I got transferred and it never happened. We never went to any of the tourist stops in DC either.

But I can heartily recommend the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, MD, the J.M. Davis Firearm Museum in Claremore, OK, and the 45th Infantry Museum in Oklahoma City! All outstanding museums.

 

[g.willikers]

There's also the NRA shooting range there for when you're done looking at all those neat guns and want to shoot some.
http://nrahqrange.nra.org/

 

[Deanimator]

It's the best museum I've ever visited.

I didn't see a SINGLE error.

 

[zoom6zoom]

I can heartily recommend the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen, MD

I believe that's all pretty much been moved to Ft Lee, Virginia at this point.

 

[BSA1]

There's also the NRA shooting range there for when you're done looking at all those neat guns and want to shoot some.
http://nrahqrange.nra.org/

That looks like a really nice state of the art indoor shooting range but I have decided not to take any firearms with me. It just isn't the risk to me to run afoul of Maryland's strict gunlaws.