Clarke-Palmore House Museum is a historic house museum in Henrico County, near Richmond, interpreting life in 1930s America. From Suffolk, it can make a history-focused day trip, but tours are by appointment rather than on a regular walk-in schedule.
- Location: 904 McCoul Street, Henrico, VA 23231
- Visit pattern: Open by appointment or for special events
- Admission: Described as free by the Richmond Region tourism listing
Is the trip practical from Suffolk?
Clarke-Palmore House is a possible day trip from Suffolk, though the distance alone does not establish how long the drive will take. Check your route and traffic before setting out, and arrange a tour before planning the day around a visit.
If you are organizing transport around Suffolk first, the guide to getting around Suffolk, Virginia covers local travel planning.
What is Clarke-Palmore House Museum?
Clarke-Palmore House Museum interprets life in 1930s America through a historic house and its associated farm buildings. The house was built in 1819 as a one-and-one-half-story Federal-style dwelling, then raised to two full stories in 1855. A one-story frame addition with a wraparound porch followed in 1910.
Two brick outbuildings add context to the site: an early 19th-century kitchen and a mid-19th-century smokehouse. In the early 20th century, the kitchen became a barn and the smokehouse became a pump house.
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources describes the house and outbuildings as an intact complex of 19th-century structures that retains the character of an early Henrico County family farm.
The Palmore family donated the property to Henrico County in 1999, and the county opened it as a museum in 2007.
How do you plan the drive and arrival?
Set your destination as 904 McCoul Street, Henrico, VA 23231. The museum is about 67.4 miles from The Nest Hotel Suffolk. Confirm the appointment and directions before leaving Suffolk, since the museum does not operate on a published regular visitor schedule. Allow your route planning to account for the drive rather than relying on the distance alone.
Henrico County gives the site's coordinates as 37.505479, -77.406921, which can help if you use a map app to navigate to the address.
How do tours, hours and admission work?
Visits are by appointment or during special events; Henrico County does not publish regular visitor opening hours on its museum page. The Richmond Region tourism listing says tours are by appointment and describes admission as free.
Call 804-652-1455 or email REC-History@henrico.gov to ask about arranging a visit. Opening details and access can change, so check the official site before you go.
What else can you fit into the day?
Make the museum the anchor of the outing, then leave time for the drive back to Suffolk. The visit centres on the house, porch and brick outbuildings, so confirm how the appointment is arranged before adding other stops to your schedule.
If you are planning time in Suffolk on another part of your trip, the Suffolk city centre guide covers sights in town.
FAQs
Where is Clarke-Palmore House Museum?
It is at 904 McCoul Street, Henrico, VA 23231.
Can you visit without an appointment?
The museum is open by appointment or for special events, and tours are by appointment. Contact the museum before making the trip.
Is admission free?
The Richmond Region tourism listing describes admission as free. Confirm visit arrangements when you contact the museum.