Virginia Museum of Natural History facts for kids

Fossil displays at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. In the foreground is a large Thrombolite-stromatolite. In the background, the skeleton of a theropod dinosaur.

Closeup of the enormous fossil Thrombolite-stromatolite above, found in a quarry in Bedford, Virginia in 2008.

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is a cool place in Martinsville, Virginia. It's the official natural history museum for the state of Virginia, and it opened in 1984. This museum has won awards for its books and is connected to the famous Smithsonian Institution. It holds over 22 million amazing items! One of its most special treasures is a giant fossil called a stromatolite. It's the first complete one found in Virginia and one of the biggest in the world, measuring over 5 feet wide and weighing more than 2 tons.

Museum History

The museum started in 1984. It was first called The Boaz Foundation, named after its founders, Dr. Noel T. Boaz and Dr. Dorothy Dechant Boaz. At first, it was a private museum. But on June 2, 1985, it opened to everyone with its current name.

In 1988, important leaders, like A. L. Philpott, helped the museum become an official part of the state of Virginia. This meant it got support from the state government. The museum also got a special approval called "accreditation" from the American Alliance of Museums in 1994. This means it meets very high standards.

On March 31, 2007, the museum moved to its current, bigger building. In 2010, it was "re-accredited" by the American Alliance of Museums. This is a big honor, as only a small number of museums get this approval again.

Explore the Exhibits

The Virginia Museum of Natural History has awesome exhibits that are always changing. Some exhibits travel to other museums and parks across Virginia. This lets more people see the museum's cool items!

Special Exhibits

The museum often has new, temporary exhibits about different topics. These exhibits are only around for a short time. For example, a past exhibit called Exploring Virginia showed how archaeologists study the past. Another popular special exhibit was Dinosaurs, which opened in July.

Permanent Exhibits

These are the exhibits you can always find at the museum. They cover amazing topics from ancient life to how our planet works.

The Harvest Foundation Hall of Ancient Life

This is the first exhibit you see when you enter the museum. You'll be greeted by a huge Allosaurus dinosaur skeleton! A 14-million-year-old whale skeleton hangs from the ceiling. You can even peek into the museum's labs to see scientists at work. Besides the Allosaurus and whale, you can also see a Pteranodon and that giant Stromatolite fossil.

Uncovering Virginia

This exhibit shows you how scientists explore Virginia's past. It has recreated six real research sites from around the state. These sites cover a huge amount of time, from 700 million years ago to just 300 years ago! You can explore the sites, look at fossils, and use tools just like real scientists. Videos bring ancient plants and animals to life.

How Nature Works

This gallery teaches you about the powerful forces that shaped Earth. You'll learn how energy from deep inside the Earth and energy from the sun created the world we live in today. You can interact with exhibits to understand these amazing processes.

The Hahn Hall of Biodiversity

This hall opened in 2010. It features an amazing collection of African mammals. These animals were collected by Dr. Thomas Marshall Hahn Jr., who used to be the president of Virginia Tech. He gave his collection to the museum so everyone could enjoy and learn from it.

Fossil Overlook

The Fossil Overlook is a new exhibit about prehistoric life. It has many different fossils, detailed models, and interactive computer programs. It's located on the museum's upper level and is fun for all ages.

Hooker Furniture Discovery Reef

This is a special, interactive play area. It's designed for younger children, aged 8 and under, and opened in 2010.

Three Cultures, Three Stories

This is an online exhibit you can find on the museum's website. It teaches you about the cultures of three Native American tribes: the Pueblo, Powhattan, and Lakota.

Research and Collections

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is well-known for its scientific research. Scientists here study many things, like ancient animals without backbones (Invertebrate Paleontology) and ancient animals with backbones (Vertebrate Paleontology). They also study modern insects, spiders, and other invertebrates, as well as archaeology, mammals, marine life, and Earth science. These researchers use the museum's huge collection of over 10 million cataloged items or specimens.

Education Programs

The VMNH has many fun programs for students and teachers. Throughout the year, the museum offers activities, games, and crafts for children. You can even have sleepovers or birthday parties at the museum! Children can also join the museum's Boys and Girls Scout program.

During the summer, the museum has exciting Adventure Camps for young students. The museum also helps the community by working with the MHC After 3 Program. This program gives children a safe place to go after school and helps them improve their math and other skills.

Through its outreach program, museum educators visit schools and community places. They bring natural history to students with hands-on activities. Teachers can also get special training from the museum in programs like VSSI and GLOBE.

See also

In Spanish: Museo de Historia Natural de Virginia para niños