Art & History

Explore two spectacular attractions whose locations in Norfolk may seem odd until you learn of their connections to the city. A panoramic drive through Norfolk will set the stage for your historical immersion, as you will pass the city’s sole colonial-era building and travel through the Freemason District, home to numerous pre-Civil War structures. A stop at the MacArthur Memorial will reveal much about the military career of the famed General Douglas MacArthur. His remains are interred in the memorial, a fitting final resting place as MacArthur’s family roots on his mother’s side were in Norfolk. Walter P. Chrysler, son the founder of the Chrysler Corporation, also had deep ties to Norfolk, as it was his wife’s hometown. They moved their vast collection of mostly 20th-century art there in 1971 and as you will discover, it is magnificent. While browsing the Chrysler Museum, you may see Tiffany glass and paintings by Matisse, Picasso and their contemporaries.