Harrisonburg: History, Museums and Markets

If you consider culture, city history, and local topics when choosing a destination, Harrisonburg offers several distinct areas of interest. The historic district provides insight into the city’s development; museums explore regional religious history, transportation routes, minerals, and firefighting, among other topics. A planetarium, an arboretum, and a farmers market add further subjects to explore. You can plan your visit around the places and interests most relevant to your stay.

City History and Regional Heritage

The Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District includes 164 contributing historic buildings. They represent nearly every aspect of the city’s development—from the establishment of Court Square in 1779 through 1955. This broad time span provides a concrete framework for exploring the district’s history: it begins with an important point in the city’s founding and extends into the mid-20th century.

Tours at the Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center offer a different historical perspective. They tell stories of the Brethren and Mennonite faiths in the Shenandoah Valley. Tours are offered daily Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Mondays and Tuesdays, they are available by appointment. If you are planning a visit, check the schedule again before you go.

The Valley Turnpike Museum is located in the Hardesty-Higgins Visitor Center and traces the road’s history: from its beginnings as a buffalo trail through Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign and the turnpike era to the development of the Interstate Highway System. The changing history of a transportation route is the focus here. This differs from the tours at the Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center, which share stories of faith in the Shenandoah Valley.

Museums and More to Explore

At James Madison University’s John C. Wells Planetarium, free public shows are offered on Saturdays from early September through May, except during JMU breaks. If you would like to include a show in your plans, check the current schedule before your visit: both the season and the exception during breaks are part of the schedule.

The JMU Mineral Museum is internationally recognized and displays minerals from 39 countries and 24 U.S. states. The information about their origins conveys the geographic range of the specimens on display. By contrast, the Explore More Discovery Museum emphasizes hands-on participation, offering interactive, multisensory learning experiences for young people.

Those interested in firefighting history can find uniforms, medals, old alarms, photographs, and equipment from the Harrisonburg Fire Department at the Larry W. Shifflett Fire Museum. Exhibits may change. The museum has a different focus from the Mineral Museum: here, the emphasis is on objects and memorabilia from the local fire department; there, it is on minerals from many countries and U.S. states.

The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum at James Madison University also offers its own way to explore nature. It includes a living laboratory of woodland, natural areas, and gardens. This mix differs from the museums’ historical and collection-based focus, giving the arboretum its own character.

Food and the City’s Character

Food and crafts are also among the things you can discover in Harrisonburg. The historic downtown is home to Virginia’s first Culinary District. The Harrisonburg Farmers Market gives the public access to fresh, nutritious, locally grown agricultural products and high-quality crafts. These two highlights reveal different sides of the local offerings: the Culinary District’s unique distinction and the market’s access to regional products and crafts.

The city’s varied attractions can help you choose experiences in Harrisonburg that suit your interests—from historic buildings and regional stories to minerals, learning experiences, and the arboretum’s living laboratory.

Explore more destinations: Hampton, Lexington, Martinsville, Danville, Waynesboro

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