The Virginia 250 Passport will offer prizes and discounts to historic sites and museums,
encouraging individuals and families to explore and experience history together.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The Fredericksburg Area Museum is featured as a destination
in the newly launched Virginia 250 Passport. This collaborative, statewide initiative —
organized by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC), Colonial Williamsburg,
George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF) and
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello —encourages Virginians and visitors to commemorate
America’s 250th by engaging with the Commonwealth’s foremost historic sites and
museums. The project is supported by the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission
(VA250) and the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).
Beginning Nov. 11, 2025, Passports will be available free of charge at signature sites —
VMHC, Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, Monticello and the JYF’s Jamestown
Settlement and American Revolution Museum at Yorktown — as well as at the VA250
Mobile Museum, select VA250 events and all 12 Virginia Welcome Centers, each located
at gateways along interstate highways. A total of 250,000 copies will be distributed.
“This statewide partnership between some of the finest history institutions in the nation is
an example of how, when we work together, we can create engaging, meaningful
experiences for our fellow Virginians,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of the
Virginia Tourism Corporation. “We encourage you to pick up your passport while supplies
last and spend a year with us traveling around our great Commonwealth.”
The Virginia 250 Passport serves as a travel guide, discount book and keepsake. The 64-
page commemorative booklet features descriptions of the 70 participating museums and
historic sites across five regions of the Commonwealth: Central Virginia, Northern Virginia,
Shenandoah Valley, Southwestern Virginia and Tidewater.
Governor Glenn Youngkin published a video announcement for the program.
“America’s 250th anniversary is a once in a lifetime opportunity to come together, reflect
on our shared past, and recommit ourselves to the continued progress of our nation. And
Updated November 11, 2025 VirginiaHistory.org/250Passport
there is no better place to do this than right here in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said
Jamie Bosket, President & CEO of the VMHC.
Travelers can collect unique stamps while visiting each passport site. Once they have
secured a stamp in their passport, they can receive up to a 15% discount at future
participating locations that charge admission. Collecting at least five stamps makes them
eligible to enter the prize drawing. Prizes will be drawn in December 2026 and include
yearlong museum memberships and cash awards up to $2,500.
“We’re thrilled to be part of the Virginia 250 Passport and to welcome travelers to
experience Fredericksburg’s remarkable history,” said Clarissa Sanders, Acting President
of the Fredericksburg Area Museum. “This program not only celebrates our nation’s 250th
anniversary but also encourages our community to explore the stories that make
Fredericksburg, and Virginia as a whole, so special. We hope residents and visitors alike
will join us in honoring the past while discovering something new along the way.”
The Virginia Department of Education will be partnering with superintendents across the
Commonwealth to ensure that schools and teachers are aware of the passport, and are
sharing it with students and families statewide.
“The Virginia 250 Passport is a wonderful tool that can be used both inside and outside the
classroom to inspire curiosity, learning and civic pride as it makes history come alive
across the Commonwealth,” said Aimee Rogstad Guidera, Virginia Secretary of
Education. “By exploring the people and places that shaped our nation, young Virginians
and their families can connect more deeply with our shared story and gain a greater
appreciation for the ideals that continue to define the Commonwealth and our country.”
The Virginia 250 Passport program runs from Nov. 11, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. More
information, including sweepstakes rules, is available at VirginiaHistory.org/250Passport.