Children's Museum of Virginia facts for kids
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | 221 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Type | Children's Museum |
The Children's Museum of Virginia is the biggest children's museum in Virginia. You can find it in Portsmouth, at 221 High Street in the historic Olde Town area. This museum offers a planetarium and two floors filled with exciting exhibits. It also has one of the largest collections of old toys and model trains on the East Coast of the United States.
Some of the cool things you can see and explore at the museum include a real-size tugboat and house. There's also a real bus from Hampton Roads Transit, the front part of a real fire truck from the Portsmouth Fire Department, and a real motorcycle from the Portsmouth Police Department.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
How the Museum Started
The museum first opened its doors in December 1980. It was originally called the Tidewater Children's Museum. Its very first home was in the basement of the Portsmouth Public Library. Later, the city of Portsmouth took over the museum. They changed its name to the Portsmouth Children's Museum.
New Homes for the Museum
In 1984, the museum moved to a new spot. It went into the 1846 Courthouse building. This building is at the corner of High and Court Streets. Then, in 1994, the museum moved again. It found its current and much larger home.
Exciting Museum Renovations and Growth
Major Expansion in 1994
The Children's Museum of Virginia got a big upgrade in 1994. It reopened on December 10, 1994. The museum doubled in size, offering over 60 exhibits. It grew to 27,000 square feet. This made it the largest museum of its kind in Virginia.
Adding More Exhibits in 1998
Just a few years later, in 1998, the museum expanded even more. Over two dozen new exhibits were added. The museum also gained another 63,000 square feet. A special gift helped it grow again. This was the Lancaster Antique Train and Toy Collection. It included 5,000 personal toys and trains.
Modern Makeover in 2009
In 2009, the museum closed for a big renovation. The entire building was emptied out. This was to make way for a more modern museum. All new exhibits were planned. Over 9,000 more square feet were added during this time.
Grand Reopening in 2011
The Children's Museum of Virginia reopened its doors on May 26, 2011. It now covered a huge area of 72,000 square feet. This made it even more impressive for visitors.
Museum Operations During 2020
In 2020, the museum was closed for most of the year. This was due to the COVID pandemic. It reopened when it was safe for visitors to return.
Explore the Museum's Fun Exhibits
First Floor Adventures: My City
The first floor of the museum is one big interactive area. It's called My City. Kids can explore a street named Beazley Way. This street has many themed exhibits. You can visit a Port, a Market, a Bank, and a Library. There's also a Museum section. This area hosts different traveling exhibits.
The first floor also has the Beazley Planetarium. Here, you can watch different shows every month. A very popular exhibit on this floor is Bubbles. You can have a lot of fun with bubbles of all sizes!
Second Floor Discoveries: Art, Science, and Nature
The second floor of the museum is all about learning. It explores art, science, and nature. There are three large themed exhibits here. CreARTivity is where you can get creative with art. Dr. Forces Traveling Energy Extravaganza teaches you about science. Finally, My Backyard and Beyond helps you discover nature.
