Maymont: One Wonder-Filled Place
The story of Maymont began in 1893, when a wealthy Richmond couple,
James and Sallie Dooley, completed their elaborate Gilded Age
estate on a site high above the James River.
Upon their deaths and according to their wishes, Maymont—including
its architectural complex, the splendid, 100-acre landscape, and
a collection of exquisite furnishings—was left to the people of
Richmond. Over the next 75 years, additional attractions were
thoughtfully added, culminating in a one-of-a-kind showplace.
Maymont has broad appeal to a general audience, yet enthusiasts
representing a great variety of interests seek out the extraordinary
and diverse facets of Maymont. We are sure that there is something
special at Maymont for you. In fact, it's likely that once you
see Maymont, you'll feel compelled to return again and again.
Maymont House Museum
This magnificent, 33-room mansion with sumptuous interiors represents the luxurious lifestyle of the Gilded Age. Restored to reflect its original splendor, the residence and its furnishings give a remarkably intact depiction of high-style taste at the dawn of the 20th century. At the same time, the belowstairs exhibition “In Service and Beyond: Domestic Work and Life in a Gilded Age Mansion” in the basement introduces the lives of the Dooleys’ employees. Visitors can examine an era of dramatically changing household technology and learn the historical context of domestic service in Gilded Age Richmond, the South, and the United States.
Nature & Visitor Center
Opened in 1999, this state-of-the-art attraction interprets the
natural environment of the James River. A 20-foot waterfall cascades
into the first of 13 giant, linked aquariums that are home to
playful river otters, turtles and fish of all shapes and sizes.
Interactive galleries complete this memorable river experience.
Also housed in this building are the Visitor Center, a Maymont
history exhibit, the Maymont Shop and the Maymont Café.
Gardens
Maymont's gardens reflect the Dooleys' interest in foreign travel.
The Italian Garden, with its stone terraces, pergola, and formal
beds and plantings, is a popular place for a stroll or even a
wedding. The ponds, bridges and carefully-trained trees and shrubs
of the Japanese Garden create a landscape of serenity and beauty.
Also found on an exploration of the grounds are the Herb Garden,
Daylily Garden, Butterfly Garden and other specialty gardens.
Carriage Collection
Maymont's Carriage Collection is one of the largest in the country
still housed in an original estate carriage house. A variety of
19th and early-20th-century vehicles demonstrate both everyday
and luxury transportation. Carriage rides and carriage tours of
the park are available throughout the year.
Wildlife Exhibits
Venture down into the valley and discover native Virginia wildlife
presented in an extensive, 40-acre wildlife park. Maymont's Wildlife
Exhibits are carefully designed habitats that are home to a variety
of species now or once native to Virginia—including bison, elk,
deer, foxes, bears, bobcats and many types of birds.
Children's Farm
The Children's Farm features domestic animals raised on Virginia
farms. Here youngsters can touch and feed goats, sheep, chickens,
cows and even some rare breeds. The Farm offers all visitors insight
into the farm-life experience and food production.
Arboretum & 100-Acre
Park
The Dooleys developed a collection of more than 200 species of
trees and shrubs representing six continents. They were all carefully
placed throughout Maymont's 100 rolling acres to allow for optimum
future growth. Now, more than a hundred years later, see the Dooleys'
collection as they could only imagine it.
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