Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History

Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History offers changing and permanent art and history exhibits; lectures; and education programs.
(2)

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire community cohesiveness and facilitate impactful education through the advancement of art and history
in the Dan River Region. The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History's mission is to inspire community cohesiveness and facilitate impactful education through the advancement of art and history i

n the Dan River Region. The museum has an extensive permanent collection of antiques, decorative items, historic documents, and art by 19th and 20th century artists. Most noteworthy are the Camilla Williams Collection, the Kennedy-Revell Collection, and the Stratford College Collection. Art Classes
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History offers art classes for all ages. Please see our website at www.danvillehistory.org or contact the museum at [email protected] or 434-793-5644 for more information on current and upcoming art classes. Rentals
The mansion and auditorium can be rented for meetings, weddings, birthdays, and parties. The museum auditorium includes a stage and a preparation kitchen. A grand piano is available as well as audio-visual equipment. For more information on renting the auditorium or the museum, please contact Cathy Eggleston by emailing [email protected] or calling 434-793-5644. History
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History traces its history to the 1950s when Dr. James Jennings organized the Danville Art Association. In 1963, the Association merged with the Danville Chapter of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The Chapter held many cultural events, workshops, lectures, plays, exhibits, and programs in various places around Danville, including Stratford College, Averett University, George Washington High School, and the Wednesday Club. The Sutherlin property was an urban plantation built ca. 1857-59 on 4 acres and included the main, 2-story, Italian Villa-style house, a separate kitchen, carriage house, stable, and at least one other accessory building. It holds a significant amount of Danville history — including tobacco production, railroad history, the Civil War, and Civil Rights. The house accommodated Jefferson Davis and remnants of the Confederate government for eight days after they fled Richmond at the end of the Civil War. It was at the Sutherlin mansion that the last Confederate cabinet meeting was held, and Jefferson Davis wrote the last Confederate proclamation. The residence was saved from destruction in 1912 and in 1928, became the whites-only Danville Public Library. In 1960, during the Civil Rights Era, a group of Danville African American high school students attempted to study at the library, but in response, the library closed. As a step toward integration, a sit-in was also staged at the library. In response, the city closed the library entirely. After a new integrated library opened in Danville, the city council passed a resolution giving the Danville Chapter of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts authority to use the Sutherlin Mansion for a fine arts and history museum in 1971. The museum officially opened to the public in the Sutherlin Mansion on October 15, 1974. The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History became an independent museum in 1978. The museum is designated as a Virginia Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is on the Civil War Trails and is one of three places in Virginia listed to the National Civil Rights Trail. https://civilrightstrail.com/

05/28/2026

As we move into the summer’s VA250 festivities, don’t forget to visit the Danville Public Schools Student Art Exhibit: VA250 and Danville History, on display at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History through July 12.

DMFAH will be providing bus transportation from Danville to Sharswood's Juneteenth Celebration again this year. Tickets ...
05/26/2026

DMFAH will be providing bus transportation from Danville to Sharswood's Juneteenth Celebration again this year. Tickets must be reserved in advance. See the Eventbrite link for Tickets:

Hop on the bus from the Danville Museum to Sharswood for a fun and educational Juneteenth celebration!

DMFAH had a surprise guest today! Thank you to Virginia’s First Gentleman, Adam Spanberger, for visiting the Danville Mu...
05/15/2026

DMFAH had a surprise guest today! Thank you to Virginia’s First Gentleman, Adam Spanberger, for visiting the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History and touring the current Danville Public Schools VA250 Student Art Exhibit.

We were honored to showcase the rich art and history of the Dan River Region through our Civil War, Civil Rights, and Camilla Williams exhibits.

Announcement! The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History will be having two Summer Art Camps in June. To register, ple...
05/10/2026

Announcement! The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History will be having two Summer Art Camps in June. To register, please call the museum at 434-793-5644. For more information see https://danvillemuseum.org/education-classes/ -art-classes-camps

Oodles of Doodles
June 16-19, 2026

Elements of Art
June 23-26, 2026

DMFAH had some great guests today having their Virginia 250 passports stamped! DMFAH is happy to be a part of the VA250P...
05/02/2026

DMFAH had some great guests today having their Virginia 250 passports stamped! DMFAH is happy to be a part of the VA250Passport initiative that encourages exploration of Virginia's rich history in celebration of America's 250th anniversary. The passport allows you to collect unique stamps at 70 historic sites, receive discounts on admission, and enter to win prizes.

Pictured is Allanna and Cailean with their mom, Deserae, who have visited 38 different historic sites to get their passports stamped. https://www.va250.org/passport/

Don't miss Porchfest tomorrow!
04/24/2026

Don't miss Porchfest tomorrow!

This Saturday! See you all there.

04/23/2026

“VA 250 and Danville History” showcases students exploring local stories and Virginia’s 250th through their own creative lens.

On view NOW! Exhibit dates: April 23 – July 12.

For more information, visit: www.danvillemuseum.org

We’re proud to highlight the incredible work of our Museum Educator, Karan Johnson, whose passion and creativity continu...
04/14/2026

We’re proud to highlight the incredible work of our Museum Educator, Karan Johnson, whose passion and creativity continue to inspire young minds throughout our community.

Through programs like Art Smart and Crazy Quilts, Karan brings art education and encourages creativity and self-expression directly to hundreds of local students, including over 750 Head Start children last year.

At the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, we believe every child deserves access to the arts, and thanks to Karan’s leadership, we are making that vision a reality every week. Thank you, Karan, for all that you do to enrich the lives of our youth!

Check out some of what we've been up to lately and don't miss our upcoming exhibits and events!
04/11/2026

Check out some of what we've been up to lately and don't miss our upcoming exhibits and events!

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and HistoryWhat we've been up to latelyApril 2026

04/11/2026

City clears historic Lynn Street building to boost redevelopment prospects

Address

975 Main Street
Danville, VA
24541

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+14347935644

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category