Virginia is home to a number of museums that are great for children. Many of these museums focus on science, history, and nature. The museums provide young minds with educational programs, interactive exhibits, creative play, and much more.
These museums are great for visitors of all ages, as they foster a lifelong love of learning and growing. Many of the museums feature multi-sensory learning experiences, inspire creative thinking, and spark curiosity.
Below are my top recommendations for children’s museums in Virginia.
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Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
Location
19 W Cork St, Winchester, VA 22601
Hours
- Sunday – Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online.
Description
The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum is located in Winchester, VA, in the Shenandoah Valley. It’s a great interactive museum where kids can explore and learn through hands-on play.
The museum features four levels and 19,000 square feet of exhibit space! Some of the exhibits focus on building, water, Virginia heritage and history, and much more.
The museum also has special events, such as Free First Fridays, which offers free admission on the first Friday of every month for two hours. You can register on the museum’s website.
The museum also has a visiting artist series, sensory-friendly nights (which provide special experiences for children with disabilities or sensory challenges), and sock skating.
Science Museum of Virginia
Location
2500 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Tickets
You can buy tickets online.
Description
The Science Museum of Virginia is located in the state capital of Richmond. The museum is perfect for guests of all ages.
The exhibits focus on different aspects of science, including physics, anatomy, astronomy, nature, and much more. Some of the exhibitions include an exploration of skin, light, and speed.
The museum also features the largest screen in Virginia! You can watch incredible movies there, including Antarctica, Into America’s Wild, Forward to the Moon, and Astronomy Shows. It’s definitely something you don’t want to miss!
Children’s Science Center Lab
Location
11948 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA 22033
Hours
Open on Weekends in 2-hour time slots: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, and 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online. It is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance online.
Description
The Children’s Science Center Lab features a unique setting: it is actually located inside the popular Fairs Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA. This makes it a convenient place to go and allow your children to learn and explore.
The science center features a number of special events, such as Family Science Night and Spring and Summer Camps.
You can also host birthday parties at the science center!
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Location
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA 20151
Hours
Open Daily: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm
Tickets
Free Admission
Description
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is the perfect museum destination for children who are interested in airplanes, spaceships, and outer space.
The museum actually has two locations: the original location is in Washington, D.C. by the National Mall. In 2003, a second location was opened near Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.
The National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center features an open hangar design that is home to numerous air and space craft.
Some of the objects on display include the Space Shuttle Discovery; B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay; Concorde, Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird.
Another bonus of the museum is that there are no admission fees. Smithsonian Museums are free to the public.
Virginia Discovery Museum
Location
524 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Hours
Monday to Saturday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Tickets
Ticket information can be found here.
Description
Located in Charlottesville, the Virginia Discovery Museum is an excellent option for children and families. The museum provides a great educational experience through hands-on activities focusing on science, music, reading, the outdoors, and much more.
Some of the activities include:
- STEM Lab
- Construction Zone
- Literacy Lounge
- Sound and Music Studio
- Discovery Farm
The Virginia Discovery Museum also offers drop-in and drop-off classes, Summer Camps, and Party and Event Rentals for special occasions.
The Science Museum of Western Virginia
Location
1 Market Square SE, Roanoke, VA 24011
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online.
Description
The Science Museum of Western Virginiais located in Roanoke, Virginia. The museum has a number of great science exhibits that give children an opportunity to learn more about the world around them through fun games and hands-on exhibits.
Some of the exhibits include Dino Dig, where kids can learn about dinosaurs and dig for fossils; Fungi Kingdom, which teaches kids about fungi and mushrooms; and Healthy Body, which teaches kids about the human body, including arteries, the brain, and the mouth.
There is also a touch tank, which lets children touch horseshoe crabs, sea stars, and other marine life.
Virginia Museum of Transportation
Location
303 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Tickets
- Adults: $8.00
- Children (Ages 3-11): $6.00
- Seniors (60 and up): $7.00
Description
The Virginia Museum of Transportation is located in Roanoke, VA, and is conveniently located near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
As the name suggests, the Virginia Museum of Transportation has exhibits devoted to many forms of transportation. It is an especially great destination for children interested in trains, planes, and classic cars.
The museum’s collection includes classic locomotives, trains, and airplanes. It specializes in many items from the railroad industry, though it also features vintage automobiles and truck exhibits. It offers an excellent lesson in the history of transportation.
There are many automobiles on display ranging from the early 20th century all the way up to more modern cars. Special exhibits in the past included Hollywood Star Cars, which featured famous cars from television and movies.
Danville Science Center
Location
677 Craghead St, Danville, VA 24541
Hours
- Wednesday to Saturday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday: 11:30 am – 5:00 pm
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased in person or by phone.
Description
The Danville Science Center is located in Danville, VA, which is located in southern Virginia near the North Carolina border.
One special attraction at the science center is the Digital Dome, which is a 40-foot screen where visitors can watch movies like Dinosaurs of Antarctica; Superpower Dogs; and Earth, Moon, and Sun.
The Design Zone is a cool space where kids can design a maze video game, design a skate park, and make music.
National Children’s Museum
Location
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Hours
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday to Monday: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online.
Description
The National Children’s Museum is located a little further afield in Washington, D.C., but it is easily accessible from Northern Virginia, and it is definitely worth a visit.
The museum focuses on the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM).
The museum has created a fun environment for kids young and old. Some of the special exhibits include Dream Machine, which lets kids explore the clouds and go down a fun slide; Little Dreamers, which is specifically designed for infants and toddlers; and Art + Tech, which is presented in conjunction with popular Nickelodeon shows.
There are also exhibits covering subjects as diverse as engineering and emotions.
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Location
21 Starling Ave, Martinsville, VA 24112
Hours
- Sunday and Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tickets
- General Admission (ages 18 – 59): $10.00
- Ages 3 – 17, Seniors, and College Students: $5.00
- Children Under 3: Free
- Museum Members: Free
Description
The Virginia Museum of Natural History is located in Martinsville, VA, which is found in southern Virginia near the North Carolina border.
The museum has a fantastic natural history collection, and so it is a great destination for kids who are interested in dinosaurs, plants and animals, rocks, and much more.
Some of the major exhibits include The Science Of Flight, which takes a look at how birds, insects and other animals are able to fly; Hall of Anicent Life, which features immense fossil displays of prehistoric animals like the Allosaurus and flying Pteranodon;
Other exhibits include Ice Age, which has recreations of a saber-tooth cat and and giant beavers; and The Hidden Life of Ants.
Frontier Culture Museum
Location
1290 Richmond Ave, Staunton, VA 24401
Hours
Open Daily: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online.
Description
The Frontier Culture Museum is a unique living history museum located in the Shenandoah Valley.
The museum features actors in period costume who provide demonstrations and recreations of life in early Virginia, including the life of Native Americans and early European settlers.
There are also craft demonstrations where you can learn about the work of blacksmiths, woodworkers, tailors, and yarn spinners.
The museum allows you to walk around historic replicas of frontier villages, homes, shops, and more. Some of the unique exhibits include a 1740s English Settlement, 1820s American Farm, 1700s West Africa, and an 1840s Schoolhouse.
Roanoke Pinball Museum
Location
1 Market Square SE, Roanoke, VA 24011
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday to Saturday: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Sunday: 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Tickets
You can purchase tickets online.
Description
For children of all ages, the Roanoke Pinball Museum is a great nostalgic trip back in time, celebrating the pinball machine!
As you can image, the museum has a large number of pinball machines that are fully playable. This makes it a great fun destination for kids and adults alike. The museum celebrates the art, science, and history of the pinball machine, which dates back to the 1930s.
The museum has over 70 historic pinball machines that you can play. They have many pop culture favorites including Ghostbusters, The Beatles, Addams Family, and KISS. Some of the machines date back to the 1930s!
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