Maymont

Maymont is a 100-acre Victorian estate and public park in Richmond, Virginia. It contains Maymont Mansion, now a historic house museum, an arboretum, formal gardens, a carriage collection, native wildlife exhibits, a nature center, and Children’s Farm.

Prior to it being declared a public park, it was a 100 acre mansion belonging to James and Sallie Dooley. In 1925, the Maymont estate was gifted to the government, turned into a public park and is now the most visited attraction in Richmond. 

Location: 2201 Shields Lake Dr., Richmond, VA 23220 (approx. 1 hr. from Fredericksburg)

Hours: 10am-7pm (Apr-Sep) 10am – 5pm (Oct-Mar)

• Carriage Collection: Tue-Sun 12-5 pm On exhibit at the Carriage House
• Farm & Wildlife Habitats: Daily 10am-5pm

Cost: $5 suggested donation

To learn more about Maymont, click HERE.

Click HERE for a walking map of Maymont.

The Robins Nature Center is currently open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am-5pm. Online advance reservations are recommended. Tickets can be purchased HERE. If you get a chance, the Nature Center is very interesting. The center does a good job of showcasing animals of the James River and Chesapeake Bay. The river otters really are a highlight. My kids could spend hours watching them. Unfortunately, during our most recent visit, the nature center was not open.

$8 (ages 13-64)
$6 (ages 3-12 and seniors 65+)
Free for children ages 2 and under

Maymont Mansion and the Farm barn remain closed.

We love Maymont! There’s so much to see and do. The gardens are fascinating and the animals are fun to see. My kids are always most excited to see the bear, owls and farm animals. They love walking around the gardens especially the Japanese Garden.

They love the Maymont Farm. They could spend all day watching, petting, and feeding the animals. There are goats, sheep, chickens, domestic rabbits, donkeys, cows, pigs and horses.

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The gardens are peaceful. Our favorite is the Japanese Garden. Did you know that it’s the oldest public Japanese Garden on the East Coast? The Arboretum includes more than 200 exotic species of trees and plants imported by the Dooleys.  The Italian garden is magnificent—it features exquisite stonework, gazebos, fountains and, of course, beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees.  There are several specialty gardens as well.

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We easily spend 2-3 hours here. There’s so much to see and do, and the gardens are always changing.

Maymont has three entrances. We prefer The Robins Nature Center Entrance. The Nature Center is closed during the week because of Covid, but you can still park there. Just enter the park through the gate on the right of the building.

Historical Estate Entrance: 1700 Hampton Street, Richmond, VA, 23220
This entrance provides the easiest access to Maymont Mansion, the Herb Garden, Italian Garden, Garden Hall, the Carriage House, Stone Barn, Garage, and Coop.

You can also park at the Children’s Farm at 1001 Spottswood Road, Richmond, VA, 23220. This entrance is closest to the Maymont Farm and paths to the wildlife habitats.

After your visit to Maymont, you can check out Belle Isle. It’s less than 10 minutes from Maymont.