The Museum of Culpeper History has over 3,000 gifts and loans catalogued in its collections, including physical objects, photographs and works of art, and some archival material. Some gifts consist of a single item, while others are composed of multiple objects. The museum collection is open to all researchers and we especially welcome historians studying aspects of Culpeper county’s past.

Due to the museum’s limited facilities, researchers must request an appointment at least two weeks in advance to access the collection. The request must include as detailed information as possible on the material to be studied so that our staff may locate and pull the objects from collections storage. The more specific the information provided, the more likely we will be successful in finding the correct material. PLEASE NOTE: The museum does not have any genealogical research materials and does not perform genealogical research.

For researchers who are unable to travel to our facilities, the museum will attempt to answer research questions to the best of its ability with its limited staff and resources. The museum will provide up to 30 minutes of quick reference research. This is generally enough time for us to consult our collections catalog and previously published material on Culpeper history to see if any information is readily available. Detailed research requests cannot be accommodated at this time.

For research questions and for appointments to access the museum collection, please contact our Executive Director at [email protected].

Research at the museum is subject to the following restrictions:

• Research requests must be made at least two weeks in advance. We cannot accommodate drop-in visits or same-day requests.
• Please be as specific as possible regarding the material you wish to access or when making a research request. For example, a good request would be, “I am looking for material on the Slaughter family around Cedar Mountain from 1910-1930,” or “I am looking for images of Culpeper buildings in the 1950s.” A request like “I am looking for material from the Civil War” is very broad and should be narrowed down.
• Photography of any material in the museum collection is not allowed without permission from museum staff.
• Photocopies and scans of museum material may be requested from museum staff for a fee.  Click here for the fee schedule.
• Items from the museum collection may not be published in any format without permission. Usage fees may apply.
• The museum does not have any genealogical research materials and does not perform genealogical research.
• The museum has has very little material that may assist in determining the history of a building or property. Most of this material in the form of deeds, surveys, and tax records will be found in public records at the Culpeper County Courthouse.