©F. Dyan/Michelin

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Recommended

An eclectic gem, the museum and its worldwide collections sprawl through four wings that reflect different periods in the museum's history (built between 1936 and 1985). The collection has grown from its original 100 objects, donated in 1919 by prominent Virginia judge John Barton Payne; today it includes more than 23,000 pieces that span 5,000 years. Arts of China, Japan, Africa, Ancient Egypt, Classical Greece and Rome are well represented, as is a fine collection of Indian, Himalayan and Islamic religious art. There's also a strong collection of American art.