If you’re looking to learn history all while having fun, then Norfolk’s Hunter House Victorian Museum’s summer event lineup is sure to pique your interest.

The Hunter House Victorian Museum is the original home of the Hunter family, where they resided during the 19th and 20th centuries. They very active in Norfolk’s community at the time and attended church at nearby Christ and St. Luke’s Episcopal. Church in Norfolk. The family was also involved in organizations, including Daughters of the American Revolution and the Huguenot Society. The Hunters were a family of five with two girls and one boy, none of which married and stayed in the home for the entirety of their lives.

The museum’s mission is to give guests an inside look at what life would’ve been like during those times. Through tours of the home, educational programs, and special events, guests can look at personal collections of family artifacts that help tell the Hunters’ unique history.

There are three separate events and an exhibit available to attend this summer. On June 5th, the museum opened with Victorian Pastimes: Games of Yesteryear. The display invites guests to view never-before-seen board and card games and puzzles. The inspiration for the exhibition came from the Hunters’ extensive collection of puzzles and games.

“All of the staff at the museum work together to think and brainstorm events and exhibitions. Our collections inspire us in the home; we do new things but also pull things from the past and do some classics,” said Hanna Kirby, Marketing and Events Coordinator for the museum.

The first event was the Gilded Age Garden Party this past Sunday, June 27th. The full-force summer heat made for a sweltering yet still delightful afternoon, as there was a garden party where patrons could sip tea while picnicking and indulging in instrumental music out on the museum’s lawn. Some even came dressed in Victorian-age clothing to enhance the experience further.

Look out for the white rabbit at Alice and Wonderland Tea, taking place on July 11th at 2 PM. This celebration will have participants take a trip down memory lane as characters from the classic 1865 novel interact with guests. Everyone will be eating alongside one another at a long picnic table outside (aka ‘family style’).

The last event of the summer is a circus show tea on August 22nd at 2 and 5 PM. There will be a live speaker teaching the audience about 19th-century sideshows. “This event is going to be a lot of fun and was inspired by an actual paper circus train the Hunter’s had in their family collection,” said Hanna.

Hanna said that it is the museum’s goal to mix things up in terms of events, yet each will strike a perfect balance between fun and education. “When people leave the events, we want them to feel proud like ‘I can’t believe this is in our neighborhood.'”

The cost for all events is $30 for members, $35 for non-members, $15 for children under 13. You can also purchase meals to go as well for $25; pickup available at 1 PM.

Please make all event reservations by calling Hanna Kirby directly at (757)-623-9814 or by emailing [email protected].

To keep track of these and more events, be sure to follow the museum on social media: IG: hunterhousemuseum1894FB: https://www.facebook.com/HunterHouseVictorianMuseumWebsite: hunterhousemuseum.org

Christina Kimbrough

Christina Kimbrough is a writer and content creator. She received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Malone University. She runs a personal blog where she talks about mental health and sobriety. When she’s not writing you can find her running, reading, or cuddling her two cats. She currently lives with her husband in Chesapeake, VA.

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