 The city is home to several points of interest in the historical , scientific , and visual / performing arts areas , and has become a popular tourist destination in recent years . The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art features regularly changing exhibitions in a variety of media . Exhibitions feature painting , sculpture , photography , glass , video and other visual media from internationally acclaimed artists as well as artists of national and regional renown . MOCA was born from the annual Boardwalk Art Show , which began in 1952 and is now the museum 's largest fundraiser . By operating at a national standard , MOCA received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2010 . 
