Science Museum of Virginia facts for kids
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| Established | 1970 |
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| Location | 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia |
| Type | Science museum |
The Science Museum of Virginia is an exciting science museum located in Richmond, Virginia. It opened in 1970 and is part of the state government of Virginia. The museum is housed in a beautiful old building called the Broad Street Station, which was built way back in 1917.
Discovering the Museum's History
How the Museum Idea Started
The idea for a science museum in Virginia began a long time ago. In 1906, the state government, called the Virginia General Assembly, approved money for a simple "exhibits center." This center was meant to show off minerals and timber for the Jamestown Exposition in 1907.
After the exposition, many of these items moved to Richmond's Capitol Square. This place became known as the "State Museum" and opened in 1910. Over the years, it added more displays about nature and history.
Plans for a New Science Museum
In 1942, the General Assembly started thinking about creating an official State science museum. A group was formed, and in 1943, they agreed that a "Virginia Museum of Science" should be built.
However, World War II was happening, and money was tight. This meant the plans for the museum had to wait. In 1946, work on the museum was put on hold until there was enough space and money.
By 1964, the General Assembly looked at the museum project again. A new study was done, and once more, they suggested creating a "museum of science, archaeology, and natural history." But this idea did not move forward at that time.
The old "State Museum" displays were eventually taken apart. Their collections were sent to different state universities. This made many scientists in Virginia want a new museum even more.
Between 1965 and 1967, a group called the Virginia Academy of Sciences worked hard. They convinced Virginia's Governor Mills E. Godwin to support a law. This law would finally create the State Science Museum.
The Museum's Official Beginning
The new law was approved by the General Assembly. On July 1, 1970, the Science Museum of Virginia officially began!
For the next few years, the museum looked for a temporary home. People who supported the museum suggested using part of the old Broad Street Station. The state had recently bought this train station, and it was going to be torn down.
Broad Street Station was built in 1917 by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P). It was designed in a classic style by a famous architect named John Russell Pope. The museum staff moved into the station on January 22, 1976.
On January 6, 1977, Governor Godwin helped open the museum's first exhibit gallery, called The Discovery Room. This event celebrated the rebirth of Broad Street Station. It also marked the end of over 70 years of effort to create the Science Museum of Virginia.
Exciting Exhibits and Features
Early Exhibit Highlights
In 1981, a remodeled and much larger Aquarium opened at the museum. That same year, the world's largest sundial was placed in the museum's parking lot. This special sundial was later listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
In 1982, the museum introduced "Crystal World." This was the biggest exhibit in the world about crystallography, which is the study of crystals. The museum also showed the Solar Challenger, the first successful solar-powered airplane. It had just finished a world tour after flying from Paris to London using only the sun's power.
The Dome: A Journey Through Space
In 1983, the museum opened its new Universe Planetarium & Space Theater, now known as The Dome. This theater had the world's first computer/video planetarium system. It could take visitors on amazing trips through time and space!
The Dome could also show huge 70 mm OMNIMAX films. Its sound system had over 100 speakers, powerful enough to make you feel like you were in an earthquake or a rocket launch! The dome screen itself was 76 feet wide, making it the largest screen in Virginia.
The Grand Kugel Ball
In 2003, the museum unveiled the Grand Kugel. This was the world's largest kugel ball, costing $1.5 million. The original Grand Kugel was carved from an 86-ton block of black granite. It was over 8 feet tall and floated on a base of granite.
Soon after it was installed, the Grand Kugel started to crack. A new kugel ball was put in place in October 2005. The original cracked kugel is still on display behind the museum.
Large Outdoor Displays
The area where trains used to load passengers has been changed. Now, it holds large displays that you can see:
- A Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) steam locomotive and its tender, called Kanawha class #2732.
- The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P) "Car One" business car.
- The Aluminaut, which was the world's first aluminum submarine. It was built in the 1960s and even helped find a "lost" atomic bomb in 1966.
Modern Upgrades and New Exhibits
In 2014, The Dome theater got a new digital projection system. This made the shows even more amazing!
In 2016, the museum opened a new permanent exhibit called "Speed." It features an incredible SR-71 Blackbird airplane hanging from the ceiling. This super-fast plane was moved from the Virginia Aviation Museum.
In 2017, a special traveling exhibit called Da Vinci—Alive the Experience opened. This exhibit showed the amazing art and science ideas of Leonardo da Vinci.
Other Museum Locations
Besides its main location in Richmond, the Danville Science Center in Danville, Virginia, is also connected to the Science Museum of Virginia.
