Museums Virginia
Science

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Amazement Square, The Rightmire Children's Museum
Lynchburg, Virginia

Art, Children's, Nature Centers, Science

At Amazement Square, Central Virginia's first multidisciplinary, hands-on children's museum, we believe that play is one of the most important ways children learn and grow! Climb, slide, and discover as you make your way through four floors of exciting, interactive exhibits, activities, and programs that explore global and regional topics, arts and humanities, and science and health-related themes. To allow people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to take advantage of the museum's unique learning opportunities, Amazement Square provides a variety of outreach events and offers a Sponsored Admission Program for undeserved youth to experience the museum at a free or reduced rate.

Blandy Experimental Farm, UVA
Boyce, Virginia

Nature Centers, Science, University

Blandy Experimental Farm is a 700-acre University of Virginia research facility situated in the northern Shenandoah Valley,about 10 miles east of Winchester and 60 miles west of Washington, D.C. Blandy Experimental Farm is also the home of the State Arboretum of Virginia, displaying more than 8,000 trees and woody shrubs. The collections include more than half the world’s pine species, the Virginia Native Plant Trail, the Boxwood Memorial Garden, a spectacular grove of more than 300 ginkgo trees, an herb garden featuring culinary, medicinal and ornamental herbs, and much more.

Cape Henry Lighthouse
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Nature Centers, Park, Science

The first federally funded lighthouse, was built to guide maritime commerce at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It is standing near the “First Landing” site where English settlers arrived in 1607. It has stood sentinel since it was completed in 1792. Authorized by George Washington and overseen by Alexander Hamilton. Designed by New York architect John McComb. In active use for nearly a century before being replaced by a new cast iron lighthouse still standing nearby. It is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the United States.

Chesapeake Planetarium
Chesapeake, Virginia

Nature Centers, Planetarium, Science

The planetarium has programs on humankind's placement in the Universe and telescope sessions on some clear nights.

Chippokes Farm & Forestry Museum
Surry, Virginia

Culture, History, Nature Centers, Park, Science, Specialized, Zoo

The museum no longer operates as a educational facility.

Danville Science Center
Danville, Virginia

Children's, Natural History, Science

Located at the historic Crossing at the Dan, the Danville Science Center delights all ages with its hands-on exhibits, natural history collection and special programs that make science fun for everyone. During butterfly season (April-October), visit the Center's Butterfly Station and Garden - one of only a few butterfly greenhouses in Virginia. The Science Center is a division of the Science Museum of Virginia.

False Cape State Park
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Nature Centers, Science

The park is an isolated paradise nestled between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Since no vehicle are allowed, access is by bike, foot or boat.

Grand Cavern Regional Park
Grottoes, Virginia

History, Nature Centers, Science

The caverns offers rare cave formations in the country's oldest show cave along with Civil War history. A component of the Upper Valley Regional Park Authority

Green Spring Gardens Park
Alexandria, Virginia

Historic House, Nature Centers, Science

The park has demonstration gardens, a nature center, a greenhouse, and an 18th century house. Operated by the National Park Service.

Health Focus of Southwest Virginia
Salem, Virginia

Science, Specialized

Display of medical artifacts from civil war period until 1950's. Equipment, instruments with some photos. Plans for expansion displaying items currently in storage, traveling exhibits and greater involvement with schools.

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Art, History, Nature Centers, Science

The museum is located in the Dewitt Cottage, which was built in 1895 and is listed on National Register of Historic Places. The Museum's goal is to preserve, promote, perpetuate, and exhibit historical wildfowl artifacts, the wildfowling heritage of the region, and to actively promote interest in the wildfowling arts. Visitors enjoy a seaside garden.

Camera Heritage Museum
Staunton, Virginia

History, Science, Specialized

The Camera Heritage Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which houses and displays over 4500 cameras and accessories.

Center in the Square
Roanoke, Virginia

Art, History, Nature Centers, Science

The Center in the Square supports the arts and sciences by providing free housing, utilities, maintenance, marketing, and custodial services for seven cultural organizations.

Children's Museum of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia

Art, Children's, Nature Centers, Science

Adventure and entertainment abound as children learn through interactive play - sit in an eagle's nest, explore a cave, tinker in the inventor's lab, and more. SOL based and great family fun.

D. Ralph Hostetter Museum of Natural History
Harrisonburg, Virginia

History, Nature Centers, Science, University

The D. Ralph Hostetter Museum of Natural History, was established in 1968. It is available free to the public on select Sundays. It houses more than 6,000 items, including anthropology artifacts; botanical specimens; fossils; marine life; minerals; crystals and gems; rocks, fluorescent rocks and minerals. It also has mounted heads of American and African game mammals; East African birds; Virginia birds, nests and eggs; Virginia and international insects.

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

Arboretum, Art, Botanical Garden, Nature Centers, Park, Science, University

The only arboretum and botanical gardens located on a Virginia state university. Beauty awaits visitors to botanical gardens found within the EJC Arboretum. Included in 16 exhibit gardens along over 3 miles of trails through 125 acres of mature Oak-Hickory Forrest, are rare and unusual, or geographically specific species protected at the arboretum. See a shale barren rich with white-haired feather flower, spike moss, hairy lipped fern, and shining sumac. Browse the bog garden. Stroll paths redolent in the bloom of spring bulbs, native azaleas including the rare pinxter flower and flame azalea. See a luxurious display of trailside wild phlox and Virginia bluebell. Breathe deeply while climbing the terraced herb garden.

First Landing State Park and Chesapeake Bay Center
Virginia Beach, Virginia

History, Nature Centers, Science

The new Chesapeake Bay Center features aquariums and a wet lab operated by the Virginia Marine Science Museum. There are educational displays and historical exhibits about First Landing State Park. Parking fee.

Great Falls Park
Mc Lean, Virginia

History, Nature Centers, Science

Great Falls Park, a site that is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, is an 800 acre park located along the Potomac River 14 miles upriver from Washington D.C. The park is known for two things, its scenic beauty at the head of Potomac River fall line and the historic Patowmack Canal.The center features exhibits on the Falls, the area's history and its geology.

Gulf Branch Nature Center
Arlington, Virginia

History, Nature Centers, Science

The center has an interpretive nature center, a log house, a blacksmith's shop, animal displays and educational programs offered year round. The park is 40 acres with a stream, pond, wooded trails and access to the Potomac River.

Jefferson Planetarium, Richmond Public Schools
Richmond, Virginia

Planetarium, Science, Specialized

Jefferson Planetarium, Richmond Public Schools in Richmond, VA is operated by the Thomas Jefferson High School staff. Please contact then directly for more information concerning public programs available at the school.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email [email protected].

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email [email protected].

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