The Woodrow Wilson Museum

Staunton, VA Museum and Restored Home Show Woodrow Wilson's Beginnings and Achievements

Within sight of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a 15-minute drive from the north tip of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. The hill-crowning residence, where the Rev. Joseph Wilson and Jessie Woodrow Wilson brought their son "Tommy" into the world, had its own beginning in June 1846.

The ladies of the Staunton Presbyterian Church held a fundraising affair to complete the purchase of a lot for the future home of the church’s pastors. By the end of May 1847, the handsome townhouse was sufficiently complete to receive its first occupants.

Today it is restored to its Civil War era appearance. The home offers an authentic picture of family life in the Shenandoah Valley just before the Civil War. From its kitchens to the children’s room, the servant’s room to the dining room, the home comes to life through period furnishings, the Wilsons’ household belongings, and guided interpretation.

Historic ornamental gardens surround the beautiful and stately townhouse.

The 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson was one of the nation’s greatest Presidents and its first international leader. When America helped bring World War I to an end, he was the most popular man on the planet. His pursuit of world peace and security has now been taken up by many.

The Woodrow Wilson Museum houses the only permanent exhibit in the world which spans Wilson’s life as author, scholar, university president, governor and statesman. Rare artifacts and photographs help to narrate the story of Wilson the man and Wilson the leader.

Wilson’s birthplace is a National Historic Landmark, the highest historical recognition the U.S. government gives.

Time-Travel to Pre-Civil War Days

A fascinating glimpse into the Shenandoah Valley’s pre-Civil War days can be taken by visiting both Wilson’s birthplace and the American farm at the Museum of American Frontier Culture. Both dwellings - one in the city, the other in the country - depict life in the 1850s .

At the Woodrow Wilson Museum, the model of the farm where Woodrow Wilson’s grandfather lived looks just like the Museum of American Frontier Culture’s Scots-Irish farm. In fact, the farm at the Museum of American Frontier Culture comes from the same county where grandfather Wilson lived in Ireland.

The birthplace and museum are open year round, seven days a week. Hours are 9 to 5 through November. Information: 1-888-4WOODRO.