NRA Firearms Museum

[WWGunslinger]

Has anyone gone to this museum?

My father expressed interest in going to it and it's certainly something I would like to check out as well.

I'm wondering how long it takes to go through? Obviously it will take longer if you spend more time looking at certain things. Is it an all day type of thing or could you go through it in about 2 hours or so?

[JohnUSCG]

I took my 12yr old Daughter to the NRA museum last year. It was an impressive place. As you had said, it will take you longer if you linger over certain things ....... But we went through in about 3 hrs ( give or take).

It was a great place and we are looking forward to going again this winter one day.

Hope this helps.

[forddave]

i went there about 3 weeks ago and i spent about 4 hrs going thru it. by the time time i got to the end i was burnt out and over loaded on info.just so much to see and take in. i plan on going again back soon and starting at the end working backwards. it was well worth the trip for me, but my wife didnt get as much out of it. now she knows how i feel when we go shopping and she has to stop and look at everything. lol

[rkrcpa]

I've been a couple times, you could easily spend most of a day there. I'll probably try to go back again in the spring, it's a cool place to visit.

[AcidResGambit]

I worked through it in an hour, but that was only because I was waiting to get a lane at the NRA range. You can make it through in an hour if you just take a quick look at the displays, but it would probably take closer to 3-4 hours if you read everything.

I used to shoot there when I lived in Virginia, so I took it for granted. Now I wish that I had taken the time to look at everything.

[inspector710]

I'd say 2-3 hours. Plan on shooting at the range, though. It's a good one.

[WWGunslinger]

I'd say 2-3 hours. Plan on shooting at the range, though. It's a good one.

Can you rent guns there?

[WWGunslinger]

Got back from the Museum about an hour ago.

My dad and I went together. We left from Newport around 6:30 and got there a little after 10, I believe. We would have been there sooner but we hit some pretty bad traffic between MD and VA.

It was fairly easy to get to, but MD and VA have some odd highways.

Parked right out front, walked in and pretty much had the place to ourselves. I saw maybe 3 other people in the museum besides one of the employees.

The displays are really well done and there are lots of cool guns from all eras. Most of the displays have a plaque or whatever to tell you what the guns are, but some displays have more guns that what is on the plaque. There are several touch screen kiosks around the museum but not at each display, so you'd have to look at a gun, find the #, then go to a kiosk, enter the gallery or display case/#, then the gun number.

I felt they should have a kiosk at each display rack or really close as it was a pain to have to keep going to the kiosk if you wanted to know what a gun was. Or they should have a plaque with every gun listed on it.

They also had lots of accessories, pictures, props, and other info at each display as well, which really added to it.

They had a Hollywood Guns display which was kind of cool, but I liked looking at the "real" guns better.

Lots of amazing, interesting, and ornate guns as well. Saw many that I had never seen before.

I think it took us around 2 hours in the museum. We looked at every display and I looked up more info on the guns that I was really interested in. I'm sure you could spend more time there if you wanted to look up every gun or item in each display case.

We then spent probably 45 minutes or so in the store. Lots of books and lots of variety. I'm sure a lot of the books you can find cheaper online at places like Amazon, if you really wanted them though. I did buy 3 books.

The Illustrated History of Firearms, which is signed by the authors. There were quite a few books there that were signed, which is something you won't get from Amazon, if that matters to you. I think all or most of the guns in the book are from the museum.

NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside the home.

US Infantry Weapons in Combat. Contains stories/letters of personal experiences from WWII and Korea. It was on 50% off and I like military surplus firearms and real life experiences of soldiers.

I also got a poster of the 1911 with basic function and cycle of operation. Kind of expensive but I liked it.

The store is pretty small, but they had other stuff like cups, shirts, knives, cleaning kits, toy guns, airsoft, flashlights, pens, pins, postcards, etc.

Overall I think it was a good trip and I enjoyed it, plus I got to spend time with my Dad doing something we both enjoy.

Definitely worth the trip if you are a firearms enthusiast and best of all, it's FREE!

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

The first thing I thought when I saw this was it's great the so many people have the time & $$ to travel to Whittington Center in Raton, NM to visit the NRA Museum, shoot at the range, etc. I had total brain lock/old timers kicked in and totally forgot the also had an NRA facility in Chantilly, VA. Fifty lash with a wet noodle!

Years ago when I was a member the NRA I made several trips to Whittington for hunts & made use the camping facilities. I myself & family enjoyed every outing to Whittington. If anyone gets close to Raton, NM the side trip Whittington is a must.

[JohnUSCG]

Years ago when I was a member the NRA I made several trips to Whittington for hunts & made use the camping facilities. I myself & family enjoyed every outing to Whittington. If anyone gets close to Raton, NM the side trip Whittington is a must.

Why no longer a member if you enjoyed it so much?