Cold War Museum

RoadUnraveled (Atlas Obscura User)

Located in Vint Hill Farms Station, a decommissioned United States Army communications base in Virginia, the Cold War Museum is home to an impressive collection of artifacts and memorabilia from World War II and the Cold War.

The Cold War Museum, and Vint Hill Farms Station by extension, sits on a rare geological formation that simulates a long-range antenna. During World War II, that phenomenon led to an unlikely radio interception, which provided details that contributed to the D-Day invasion plans. The radio listening devices used by the Army are on display as part of an exhibit about the Vint Hill Farms Station.

Visitors will also find exhibits on the Berlin Airlift, the Space Race, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the 1960 U-2 incident that provided the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s 2015 film Bridge of Spies. Other items on display include American and Soviet artwork, international flags, military patches, newspaper displays, donated military uniforms, and even the mailbox used by Soviet spy Aldrich Ames.

The Cold War Museum periodically hosts educational lectures, presentations, and book signings from authors and individuals who have written about or were part of the events featured throughout the museum.

Know Before You Go

The Cold War Museum is open to the public on weekends; its hours are Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can extend their visit (and stick with the museum's theme) with an additional stop at a Cold War-themed winery, a spy-themed cafe, and a Cuban Missile Crisis-themed escape room, all of which are part of the Vint Hill Farms Station complex.