Museums
Here is the scoop on visiting Richmond area museums with kids.
The Children’s Museum of Richmond (CMoR)
• 2626 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Phone: 804.474.CMoR (2667)
• New Short Pump location! 2200 Old Brick Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060, next to Whole Foods.
Voted Richmond’s Best Museum for Families, the Children’s Museum’s goal is to bring out the potential in every child. There are all kinds of interactive activities that will not only amuse but also educate children ages one year (crawling) through nine.
Here's what you can find at CMoR Central:
• A Pretend Play Grocery Store, Bank, Classroom, News Station and Garage
• A Backyard with a giant sandbox and other fun outdoor activities
• An Art Studio for painting, coloring, gluing, and cutting all kinds of artwork
• A Dinosaur Dig and Block Building area
• A special gated farm-themed play area for children under 3 years of age
• A water play area
Pictures of CMoR Central:
Here's what you can find at CMoR Short Pump:
• A Jungle Safari Train
• A storybook themed Castle, climbing/slide Beanstalk, Pirate Ship, & Farmers' Market
• An Art Studio for painting, coloring, gluing, and cutting all kinds of artwork
• A special play area for crawlers
• An Island Sandbox where kids can dig for treasure.
• A water play area
Pictures of CMoR Short Pump:
* Become a museum member and enjoy special Mondays when the museum is open to just members. You will also receive free reciprocal admission to museums within the Association of Children’s Museums.
See the website or call for details on admission, fees (children under the age one are free), hours and membership.
Parking: Free parking is available at both museums.
The Science Museum of
Virginia
2500 West Broad Street, Richmond VA 23220 Phone: 804.864.1400
At the Science Museum of Virginia your child can enjoy hundreds of unique hands-on exhibits that encourage your child to have fun while exploring science. There are permanent exhibits related to aerospace, life sciences, electricity, chemistry, astronomy, sound, computers, and cell phones. In addition there are ever changing traveling and seasonal exhibits. Don't miss the exhibits in the lower level designed for the youngest visitors - 'Science Unplugged' teaches kids about basic scientific concepts with hands-on fun! Another favorite - Rat Basketball!
The Science Museum is also home to Virginia’s largest movie screen where you can experience IMAX® films and multimedia shows. For show information visit the website and click on 'Now Showing'.
See the website or call for details on hours, admission fees, and membership.
Parking: Free parking is available in the lot in front and to the side of the museum.
5701 Huntsman Road, Richmond International Airport, VA 23250 Phone: 804.236.3622 Info hotline 804.864.1400
The Virginia Aviation Museum is a division of the Science Museum of Virginia. It features 30 historic aircrafts- civilian, military, and Wright Brothers reproductions. And a SR-71 “Blackbird” reconnaissance aircraft.
Kids can fly a computerized flight simulator, investigate the forces of flight, find out how jet and piston engines generate power, watch aviation films and lectures and view aviation art. There is also a Wind Trainer, a flight simulator that uses a wind tunnel to fly a model plane in the draft.
For the littlest visitors there is a play area and a bright yellow full size airplane that kids can climb into. The Aviation Museum also offers guided group tours and an activity designed for preschool and kindergarten students (reservation and fee required) and summer story times.
See the website or call for details on admission fees, membership and hours. Science Museum of Virginia members get in free.
200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220 Phone: 804.340.1400
VMFA has an extensive collection of world art. The museum offers programs designed for children, teens, and their families. Through the Children's Studio, children of all ages can participate in a variety of art programs and exhibitions (most require pre-registration). The museum also sponsors family open houses and community events, program details are available under Education and Outreach.
Black History Museum and Cultural Center
00 Clay Street, Jackson Ward, Richmond, VA Phone: 804.780.9093
Founded by Carroll Anderson in 1981, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center moved to it’s current location in 1991. The building, originally purchased by Maggie L. Walker in 1922, became the African-American branch of the Richmond Public Library in 1932. In 1991 it was converted to a museum dedicated to preserving visual, oral and written records and artifacts commemorating the lives of African-Americans from their arrival in Virginia in 1619 to the present day. Art, photographs, artifacts, videos, and historical documents are used to highlight the achievements of African-Americans. See the website or call for details on admission fees and hours.
2000 E. Cary Street, Richmond, VA Phone: 804.257.5400
The Virginia Holocaust Museum tells the story of the Holocaust and its victims. The museum is located in a renovated tobacco factory in Shockoe Bottom where visitors walk through time and experience the Holocaust through many exhibits including a concentration camp, a cattle car, a ghetto, and a hiding place. The museum is recommended for children 9 years old and up due to the mature nature of the displays. Free, although donations are accepted.
Richmond Civil War Visitor Center
470 Tredegar Street, Richmond, VA 23219
The Richmond Civil War Visitor Center is a free museum operated by the National Park Service in the Pattern Building of Tredegar Ironworks. It is the anchor location for the Richmond National Battlefield Park and features programs and exhibits related to the story of Richmond during the Civil War and the area battlefields. There is a Junior Ranger Program where children ages 4 -13 can complete varied age related activities and earn a certificate with patch or badge for completion. Free.
490 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219 Phone: 804.780.1865
Opened in 2006, The American Civil War Center is located in the Old Gun Foundry of Tredegar Ironworks. This museum interprets the Civil War from three perspectives - Union, Confederate, and African American. The exhibits present the story and legacy of the Civil War through film, timeline, and interactive displays. There is an admission fee.
