The Virginia Discovery Museum is the place to be for families with young children. With the immense exhibits and events, there is fun for the whole family!
About the Virginia Discovery Museum
The Virginia Discovery Museum is an exciting world of education and fun for children and their families. The Museum has two exhibit spaces: the Back Gallery exhibit, which changes every six months, and the Museum’s Front Gallery, which is full of interactive exhibits about science, history, and the arts.
The Museum features a historic Carousel featuring six painted aluminum horses that have been beautifully restored. The horses are a 1910 Mangell’s casting from a Marcus Illions carving. This is the last known kiddie carousel of its kind in the United States. Like a typical, carousel it revolves, but the horses do not move up and down. This carousel was a generous gift donated by Fred W. Scott Jr. of North Garden, VA.
While the Virginia Discovery Museum is closed most holidays, it is open Monday – Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and often open when schools close due to Snow Days. Entrance to the museum costs only $8 per person, but the Virginia Discovery Museum offers many opportunities for discounted or free admission. If your family really enjoys the Museum they also offer an option to buy a membership which includes free annual admission.
The museum was the 2014 winner of the Charlottesville Family Favorite Award and was voted Best Children’s Museum and Favorite Rainy Day Location by the readers of Albemarle Family magazine.
Current Exhibits
New Exhibits
Little C’ville
Little C’ville resides in the Back Gallery and was constructed to offer local learning to children. This exhibit focuses on reflecting the state of Virginia.
Panera Bread
Sponsored by the tasty restaurant, Panera Bread, this exhibit offers a miniature version of one of the restaurants. This exhibit features everything from cash registers to Panera aprons and toy versions of Panera food. Children are free to host any role such as chef or server in this exhibit and many children often do both!
Pollination Station and Bee Hive
With a recent face-lift, the Bee Corner sponsored by Charlottesville Family Magazine holds a larger beehive. Visitors are able to watch the bees as they work learning just how important bees are to daily life!
Paramount
With a small stage and dressing room filled with costumes, visitors are able to buy a ticket and some popcorn and enjoy a show on the stage accompanied by a beautiful Ron Paris mural!
Post Office
Here children are able to play mailman where they can pick up and deliver different postcards and letters in mailboxes throughout the museum.
Hallway
Adorned with Virginian ABCs and 123s children are able to push buttons throughout the hallway to hear sounds of the alphabet and fun facts about the state of Virginia.
Front Gallery
Pipe Organ
On the museum’s new pipe organ visitors are able to learn songs by note or color. Whenever a correct note is played the pipe organ lights up!
TreeHouse Room
In the TreeHouse Room visitors are more than welcome to bounce around on the mats or take a break, grab a book and curl up in a comfy corner to read.
In Charlottesville, Virginia at the Virginia Discovery Museum there is fun for the whole family! After spending a long day learning and having fun, complete your trip with a stay at Prospect Hill. Check out our vacation guide for more information on planning your trip to the beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia.
Photo Credit: Todd Wickersty / Flickr