Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum

We had the most fantastic persinal tour. Our guide had so much information and was an absolute joy to be around. 100% recommend everyone spend an afternoon learning a neat piece of our nation's diverse history

Stopped in to mose around and ended up learning a lot. A very knowledgeable volunteer gave us a brief tour of the museum. Then we took our time browsing around.

An awesome free museum with an array of Virginia and Coast Guard history of the area. The staff was nice and gave great additional information as well. I loved the ghost stories. They are pet friendly and had a bowl of water out front for my guy to get a drink on the hot day. The rocking chairs were also a great addition to take a break while talking to the staff.

The HRMHS, a history society, before the museum even opened, offered donations of appropriate and interesting items, and volunteered to help man the museum and give talks. We emphasized the history of lifesaving in Seatack and offered souvenirs for display. We were absolutely snubbed and the woman in charge refused to even speak to us other than to solicit cash and a truck.

The name of this place undersells it. The subject matter, while surf & rescue for sure, is more complex than the "baywatch"-esque themes that spring to mind just passing by it. This museum covers the long history of shipwrecks in the Cape Henry area of Virginia and how the US Lifesaving Service served the crews of those ships - but it also covers the Lighthouse Service, the Coast Guard (including their role in WWII), U-boats along the Virginia coast, Maritime disasters, the Weather Service (predecessor to NOAA), and actual surfing. It's easily accessible from the oceanfront on foot. The main exhibit is on the first floor, which covers shipwrecks, surfing, and the Lifesaving Service. The second floor is undergoing a redesign of sorts, but with docent escort they'll let you up there on request. That was my favorite floor - everything up there was about the Coast Guard, Lighthouse Service, and the impact of World War II. In a nutshell I'd say the first floor is for the lightly interested visitor, the second floor is for the more serious maritime enthusiast. Access to the actual watch tower is restricted to special events. The one thing that this museum could benefit from is artifact-level interpretation - there are lots of interesting items on shelves that have their manufacturer's mark (i.e., gyroscope) so the viewer can generally tell what it is, but the history of the item (i.e., ship it came from, era, how the museum came to have it) would go a long ways towards instilling the importance of the artifact. As constructed, there are anchors and timbers and lanterns and all sorts of instruments that are grouped together to make aesthetically interesting displays about a topic, but as an artifact-phile, I was constantly wondering the history of those items themselves. A special mention is warranted for the macro artifacts on display outside - those are really neat. There are a couple WWII-era navy anchors (wonder what those have seen!), a freighter steering wheel, a life car, a couple capstans, a WWII USCG propeller (probably off USCGC Cherokee), and then multiple anchors, a boiler, and a buoy lantern salvaged from the ocean. And don't forget - the building itself is an artifact! The historic lifesaving station, while not particularly rare, is increasingly an uncommon sight and is very well kept. I spent an hour and a half here, pouring over every item, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended, and tip of the cap to the folks who keep this place running. No admission fee, but donations can be given at the desk and they give you a receipt for tax purposes.

An awesome little museum that is free! I learned a ton about lifeguards, the origins of it, as well as lots of stuff about the ocean. I love the chart showing all the ships that have gone down and the exhibit on surfing.

I love this place..so much information from the early days of Virginia Beach up thru current times..I remember taking my grandkids there one time for a children's program on pirates..also a nice gift shop thete.

Such a nice hidden gem right along the boardwalk. Past it quite a few time before we finally visited, but so happy we finally stopped. We walked around without a tour guide, but you can also get a guided tour. Price was very reasonable about $5-$10.

Is this museum going to blow your socks off? No, but the entrance fee is a dollar and you'll learn a little bit about the history of VB as well the area hotels and fashion throughout the decades. I spent about 20 minutes here alone, but if I had kids with me, I could have spent longer since they had photo opportunities and coloring stations. For $1, you just can't wrong!

I paid for a tour last night and a woman came out and started yelling at us. There was no reason to handle the situation that way. Likely just an unhappy person. The tour had made me want to visit, but after that encounter I don't. Our guide was chill, kind, and professional with a solution oriented attitude. Where as this woman from the station was mean and bitter. Clearly, you know who I like better. Knowing our government, I'm sure this lady is higher up the chain which is horrible to know for this place. I won't be spending money here.