Virginia Living Museum
add photosMuseum closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day.
Be sure to check out the annual Wildlife Arts Festival in January.
9 Reviews for Virginia Living Museum
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"not that impressed."
I took my daughter to the living museum and when we first went in the line was very short the staff member asked if we were members or with AAA for discounts. She gave us maps and suggested that we started out side first since it was raining a little bit. The outside was a good trail showing foxs, deer, bobcats and bald eagles...etc. it was a neat experience because I was able to show my daughter animals up close and also read to her what the ate and she was able to compare her hand prints to their prints which she enjoyed. The insides were of bats, fish and skeletons of animals. They also had an area of what animals ate and of their fur and prints. I thought it would be more to see and do. My daughter was ready to go before we were able to see the whole museum. But I convince here to stay since I paid 30.00 for both of us. This is very price to me. It has a cafe and store.
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1 family found this helpful
"Virginia Living Museum"
This is a large museum. Don't go expecting to spend a couple of hours. You need to plan to stay for at least half of a day to get the full experience. They have several interactive areas where you can do things like petting stingrays. I don't think I realized how large this museum was when we first got there. It has a wonderful variety of displays and things for the whole family. It is a great museum you won't want to miss.
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"Great family site for kids 4 and older"
Not much to do there with little kids, and I would be sure to go on a warm day. We went several times after purchasing a family membership there. It was a great decision, it gave me and my 2 toddlers something to do on days when my husband works. I plan to purchase another membership this year and hope too
1 family found this helpful
"Great kid-friendly place"
I know that I am not the only mom who took her family to Colonial Williamsburg only to find out that my kids were not as "into it" as I was. In desperation, I searched for a family friendly place to spend one particular afternoon. The Virginia Living Museum was the result. They had numerous hands on exhibits, wonderful displays for the children to see, and an outdoor walking trail (you stay on a boardwalk and look for various animals and plant species. DEFINITELY a must see!!! This seemed to be particularly good for preschoolers and early elementary!
1 family found this helpful
"One of the best we have been to!"
We love to find new museums/zoos/aquariums and the Virginia Living Museum is one of the best we have ever been to. All three kids I had with me, ages 3, 4, and 8, loved every minute of it and I had to constantly remind them to slow down because we had all day. There were art projects to participate in near the entry, there was a touch pool type area with employees that were talking about the animals, there were aquariums, a bobcat, a fox, birds, interactive exhibits and so much more. We spent about 2.5 hours here and saw everything. The kids especially liked the nature walk because as you walk on the boardwalk you would see all kinds of animals! One thing I do recommend is to check out the planetarium schedule as soon as you arrive so you can decide if you are going to watch a show. We decided not to because the one playing for preschoolers wasn't available until after we had already left.
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"Loved it!"
The kids and I always have a great time here. There's always a new critter to see, something new to touch, and always something to learn. If you get the year pass, it helps with the price. It was a great activity for the whole family. Its a place for all ages.
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"New Amazon Exhibit"
I must say the new exhibit was great. A very hands on experience for my little one. It reaches children from 3-15 I believe. They have a little video though about a fish that swims up your uretha if you go potty in the Amazon which was a tad bit on the weird side but most of all the dressing up, the games and all the different textures and textiles were a great bit of fun and education!
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"Great Museum"
Been here for the past 3 yrs. and the kids love it. The added a dinosaur exhibit about a year ago and that was the kids fav. this year. We all taking the nature walk, it seemed so secluded that you wouldnt realize you were at a museum. They had so many different things to see and do. I especially loved the owl:)
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"Fun with the Family"
The exhibits look back at you at this indoor-outdoor museum. Outdoor paths lead you by raccoons, beavers, river otters, foxes, bobcats, deer, a bald eagle, forty species of birds, and many other animals in their natural habitats. Indoor highlights include a living replica of the James River, a touch tank where kids handle sea stars and horseshoe crabs, and an authentic dinosaur footprint made by a kayentapus (measure your foot size against its), plus a planetarium theater and observatory.
The 5,500-square-foot Coastal Plain Aviary has more than sixteen species of birds that can be viewed from an 800-foot boardwalk that takes visitors 11 feet above Deer Park Lake and into the treetops. In the facility experience the cool, moist Appalachian Cove, which has a waterfall, a mountain stream, and a lake filled with mountain fish. The Coastal Plain Gallery features an open beach, a barrier island, and a salt marsh panorama. Transport yourself to the steamy world of a cypress swamp, complete with alligators and snapping turtles.
Kids will be in awe standing underneath the 6-foot-diameter globe showing Earth as it appears in space. Four hands-on discovery centers feature natural specimens that visitors can pick up and touch, ranging from animal skulls and pelts to fossils and minerals. Kids can view endangered red wolves, get close to loggerhead turtles, see moon jellies, and touch live spider crabs.
In summer look for Butterflies, Bugs ‘n Blooms in the butterfly house, where kids will enjoy surrounding themselves with colorful fluttering butterflies and learning how to create a butterfly garden at home. Daily programs include watching aquarists scrub a turtle’s back or feed the nurse shark, and presentations in the Planetarium theater. Check the website for more kid programs.
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