Science Museum of Virginia Review

by Micaela

Science Museum of Virginia, official press kit, Credit: ©Michael Waine Photography

My family and I decided to spend my birthday weekend taking a day trip to Richmond to enjoy the Science Museum of Virginia.  If you haven't been, this is a massive, breathtaking science museum with so many hands on opportunities for kids.  It wasn't our first trip to the museum, and it won't be our last. The museum is a venue that can grow with families from tots to teens, and we recommend it as one of the best museums in the entire state for families!

The Science Museum of Virginia website does a wonderful job describing the exhibits, which contain many components and sub-exhibits.  Here are some highlights:

* The Idea Factory:  Kids just adore this exhibit with building fun, physics, sound and light experiments, and an imagination playground.

* Out of this World: Learn about planets and the atmosphere on a screen that is a giant sphere at "Science on a Sphere." Explore gravity, pressure, the earth's rotation and more at many, many hands-on exhibits.

* The Body Human: From healthy eating, to the human mind, DNA, and more. This section of the museum focuses on the science of people.

* Creatures:  Interact with real animals and enjoy presentations with creatures. (See museum's daily schedule for details.)

*Boost: My family's favorite part of the museum! Upon entering, everyone gets a card with a unique QR code and this giant exhibit has tons of interactive components from mind games, speed, music, strength, balance, and more. It is a lot of fun with a lot to see and do.  Be patient and expect to wait your turn. 

Other traveling exhibits and films in the exclusive "Dome" rotate throughout the year.  Check the museum website for the latest details. 


More photos: 

Credit: Kid Trips Northern Virginia

Credit: ©Michael Waine Photography

Credit: ©Michael Waine Photography

Credit: ©Michael Waine Photography

Quick tips:

• Go early…traffic on I-95 can get heavy, but early on a Saturday morning, it is an easy ride.

• Consider leaving for lunch and returning or just have a "snack lunch."  The only eating option is a small cafe which has gourmet hot drinks and some sandwiches, chips, and desserts.  We opted to grab a quick bite here and then went to the fun, vibrant Carytown neighborhood for a very, very early dinner at 4:30 before heading back to Northern Virginia.  We recommend just forgetting about your schedules (if your kids allow it.) 

• Take advantage of one of the free, live science shows.  We saw Rat Basketball and the kids loved it! The show features live rats playing their own version of basketball while their "trainer" explained behavior and basic psychology. 

• Go outside!  The museum is based in an old train station.  Tracks and some old trains are available to explore outside as well as Aluminaut, the world's first aluminum submarine.

• For tips on things to do in Richmond and a more comprehensive review, we highly suggest visiting the website Richmondmom.com

Details:

Science Museum of Virginia
2500 West Broad Street
Richmond VA 23220-2057

Hours of operation:
Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30 am – 5 pm
Sunday, 11:30 am – 5 pm
Admission Info