The Barrier Islands Center seeks to preserve and perpetuate the culture and history of Virginia’s Barrier Islands through education and the collection and interpretation of artifacts.

The islands were once home to vibrant fishing communities, with rich waterfowl and sea life that attracted people from up and down the East Coast to elegant hotels and exclusive gentlemen's hunt clubs. A series of major hurricanes in the 1930s forced the islanders to relocate to the mainland, but many of the old stories and traditions still echo in life on the Eastern Shore today. Founded in 1996 and opened to visitors in 2002, the Barrier Islands Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to highlighting Virginia's unique coastal history through free admission to exhibits with over 7,500 artifacts artfully displayed to tell the stories of the men and women who lived, worked and played on the barrier islands.