The Science Museum of Virginia has been delighting and entertaining visitors since it opened in 1970. Today, there are five different zones to explore, where you can get a chance to learn more about people, the world around us and beyond! Live science demonstrations take place in the theatre, and there is even an IMAX cinema where you can experience the world on a massive scale.
“The Body Human” is a great place to start your day. Here, you can learn about what makes us, in some cellular exploration, find out how to best look after your own body by being healthy and even investigate crimes. See how what you’ve just discovered about humans works in the animal kingdom at the “Creatures” exhibit. Meet the basketball-loving rats and find out how they were trained, and get up close to tiny animals as you peer at them through a microscope.
To do things on a much larger scale, head to “Out of this World” where you can find out how to identify the stars in the sky, explore the weighty world of gravity and visit other planets in a space capsule. The Science Museum has a big focus on ecology, and the “Question Power” exhibit looks at how we use energy and new ways of generating energy, as well as giving tips on how to reduce energy usage at home.
The “Idea Factory” gives kids the chance to put what they’ve discovered into practice, taking them through a world of inventions and discoveries and building on creativity and design. If you have time, catch one of the Live Science demonstrations. Or sit back in the IMAX cinema and be transported to another country, or even out into space.
The Science Museum is situated in the Museum District, northwest of central Richmond. It is open Tuesdays to Sundays. Free parking is available on site, or buses stop at Broad & Robinson. Ticket prices vary according to the attractions you want to see.
