Andalo's Clubhouse
add photos3 Reviews for Andalo's Clubhouse
17
00 families found this helpful
"Andalo's Clubhouse"
We visited Andalo's Clubhouse after visiting the "Courthouse Gallery of Lights" during Christmas. This was included in the price as the Andalo's Clubhouse is in place while the Children's Museum is under renovation. My children (8 yo and 5 yo) had a lot of fun at this clubhouse. My 8 year old had fun doing the scavenger hunt and reading/getting some books to take home. My 5 yo really enjoyed the train room. This room was set up with tons of Thomas train tables and trains and the kids could just sit and play for as long as the wanted. Everyone was so nice and it wasn't very crowded making playing that much more fun.
Send a Message 
Send a Compliment
It's helpful
1 family found this helpful
"Good for 2 hours of filler"
Andalo's Clubhouse is the temporary facility while the Children's Museum of Virginia is being renovated (slated to open in Feb. or March 2011). As a previous reviewer noted, the fee is $5 per person (not per child), and adults aren't going to get a whole lot out of this. However, you can receive a 50-cent per ticket discount by showing your AAA card.
The Clubhouse is very, very small (about 2,000 square feet). It consists of several areas that combine play with learning. For example, there is a "bank" where your child can operate a calculator and count play money. In the next room, he can use the same fake money to "pay" for groceries (fake tomatoes, empty egg cartons, boxes of mashed potatoes, etc.) or "ring up" another child's groceries on the cash register. There is a room where you can build things out of foam blocks, an exhibit that lets you play organ pipes with the foam of an old flip-flop, a beach ball that continuously stays in the air from wind, etc.
The displays are a little "weathered" and beaten up, but if you have very young children, they will enjoy it. There is a special area for 3 and under. I am told the new museum will be 60,000 square feet and will probably be fantastic. So until that opens, I recommend Andalo's Clubhouse as a good "filler" activity if you need to fill 2 hours or so, or if it is raining or a zillion degrees outside. Historic Portsmouth is also nice to walk around and shop and eat (try the Montgomery Grill -- incredible, yummy "comfort food" like mac & cheese, meatloaf, fried green tomatoes, etc.).
'10, '11, '12
2 families found this helpful
"Fun for the little ones, but costly."
We headed to Andalo's Clubhouse after I found out that the Children's Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth was closed for renovations until 2011, but this clubhouse was opened. It is next to the Courthouse Galleries and when you purchase a ticket for the clubhouse you get admission into the Courthouse Galleries. Entrance into Andalo's Clubhouse is $5.00, which for what you get is a little pricey. They charge everyone. I paid $5.00 to sit on a bench on watch my kids play. I understand charging adults admission into a children's museum, but I didn't feel like it is set up for adult interaction with the kids. The exhibits that are available are clean, but there are not many and there were a couple that didn't seem to be working. There is a section for children under 3 but we didn't go in there since I had a 3, 4, and 8 year old with me. I probably wouldn't go back because it cost 20 dollars for four of us and we only stayed about an hour. However, all that being said, if we lived here, I might look into purchasing a membership so that we could go on a regular basis if they were available because all three kids did enjoy themselves. Also, I applaud the children's museum for having something available for children while the museum is closed for such a lengthy time.
What's Nearby? Hotels » Activities »
Find Hotels near Andalo's Clubhouse »
Find Activities near Andalo's Clubhouse »
Find Restaurants near Andalo's Clubhouse »
Get the inside scoop from parents who have been there!
