Virginia Living Museum Reviews

The Virginia Living Museum is a great place for children and Adults. It has lots of great hands on centers to get up and close to nature and learn first hand about bees, fish etc. There are so many trails to explore outside and many interesting learning centers inside. So if the weather is good or bad there is lots to see and learn.

This place is interesting, but really expensive. There is a small military discount and a huge gift shop with a build a bear, penny press machine, postcards, etc.

This is a great place to take a day trip with children of any age. There are hands on activities as well as a walking trail to see some of the animals in the wild.

We took our 5 grandchildren, ages 2 to 12, to the Living Museum when they were here for Thanksgiving. It has so many different kinds of exhibits - everyone was entertained! There's a "touch tank" where each of the children got to hold a crab and a starfish. There's an outdoor tank where 2 otters swim really fast by the windows in the side of the tank, almost as if they're putting on a show - to the delight of the littlest kids. There are large outdoor enclosures with animals that have recovered from injuries but are no longer able to live in the wild on their own - wolves, eagles, aquatic birds. It's just a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

This museum highlights all of the natural wonders and wildlife found in Virginia. Beautiful displays of many types of habitats, from mountain streams to caves make this place a great place for kids to learn and explore creatures of all types - from snakes to fish, horseshoe crabs to coyotes. Their dinosaur displays and play area are great fun for children. Lots to see and do indoors and out, as well as a planetarium!

Really wonderful visit today and so much to see. Our kids loved it and maybe the most reasonably priced gift shop ever;

I go with my grand daughter about every 2-3 weeks. She loves going so that is all that matters. I've seen it all so not so exciting for me except when something new comes in and I am so ready for the weather to clear up so we can go see the new dinosaur exhibit outside and the butterfly exhibit. Great place to go when weather is bad and fall, winter spring. Will most likely join again when my year is up

Originally started as a project by the Junior League, it has grown to be a regional destination for families and children. The emphasis is on fish and wildlife of eastern Virginia. In the spring it is usually crowded 7 days a week. The fall is a special time, as are the special revolving exhibits.

Love visiting this place. It is perfect for kids of all ages and adults will love it to. Very good summer activity and all year around.

Take your time. There’s lots to see here, bring your cameras and good walking shoes. Ample parking, handicap accessible, snacks and refreshments available. Good fun.

When it comes to our top places to visit as a family...Virginia Living Museum is definitely one of them! We have the BEST time! We absolutely love all of the outside trails and animals to see...but not much tops the dinosaur exhibit!!! We have to practically drag our kids away! The set up inside of the museum is nothing short of amazing! So many things to see and do! This was our second year going and we are already planning our trip back for this new year!

Wonderful place with much to see. However the food cafe was closed but there was supposed to be food trucks. None. We feed a very hungry group with crackers from gift shop. I would make sure there is food available on the day you visit.

The park has experienced quite a lot of growth since my last visit nearly fifteen years ago. They had station set up to watch the eclipse through telescopes, live feed, or through the appropriate glasses that were handed out. There are many pleasant trail and lovely gardens. The only disappointment was that many of the outdoor animals were not visible. The displays of under ground and under water life were interesting.

Since our grandchildren are on the young side (6, 4 and 1 1/2), some of the inside exhibits were more for older children. But they did enjoy the aquarium area and the hands-on area. Outside was perfect as it included just enough animals on a circular walkway. We especially liked the dinosaur area. We probably finished in an hour and a half.

We stopped here today with our 10 yr old daughter. the place has many animals and many hands on exhibits for the kids. The dinosaur exhibit was great too. Very nice place for kids to see animals in their natural habitat. We had lunch at the cafe it was good but a bit expensive.

My family had a great time during our visit. The dinosaur exhibit was pretty neat. Great for kids as well due to several play areas located throughout the area.

Celebrating their 50th Anniversary, the Virginia Living Museum is part zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, planetarium and science center. Native Virginia flora and fauna and hands on exhibits engage visitors of all ages. An animatronic dinosaur collection was on display during our visit and a new Dinosaur Trail with 16 lifelike dinosaurs, a paleontologist camp and dig pit will open in mid October.
The highlight of my visit was the river otter feeding at 1:00pm where the delightful otters enjoy their snack of fish frozen into ice, playing with their food, swimming and diving with such ease and agility. You cannot but smile watching these little mammals enjoying their life. The animals housed at the Living Museum have been rehabilitated and would be unable to survive on their own that is why they reside in captivity. Two majestic bald eagles, red fox, beavers and bobcats live in the outdoor naturalized habitats.
Open daily from 9am-5pm, with late opening on Thursday, Admission is $17 for adults,$13 for ages 3-12 and free for children under 3. If we lived closer we would have bought memberships because multiple visits with children at different times of the year would be an excellent way to teach about the importance of protecting our environment.

Had a couple of hours to kill and stopped at the Virginia Living Museum. What a wonderful place. Our grandson, 1.5 years, absolutely loved looking and touching all of the exhibits. The dinosaurs were his favorite, but the aquariums and other displays were equally enjoyed. Did not see a lot of animals in the outdoor walk path, but that could be that we visited in the late afternoon and they were hiding. Nevertheless, the place is a lot of fun and all of us enjoyed our visit.

We visited this museum because they were offering free eclipse glasses to those who arrived early. The distribution of the glasses was unorganized and unpleasant. That being said, the museum was a wonderful experience, especially with children. It is divided into sections representing different areas of the state.outdoor areas contain native Virginia animals in natural habitats. There are gardens and during our visit there was a Lego exhibit which the children loved. A planetarium is on the premises and offers several programs. We are very glad that we took the children here.

the exhibits were very informational. LOved the live animals and the outdooor portion. It was a little pricy, tho..

Really nice place to visit with family specially Childrens.i take my daughter with me she is really happy

Well worthwhile place to visit with the family. Lovely grounds, lots of interesting activities and information. The staff are friendly and informative.

Features all of the criters in Virginia. Does not have recipes for them you got to on line for that. Has a lot of exhibits for kids. Has great parking. Make sure you have lenoug time this is not a 1 hour hit and run soer of place.

We visited with our family, including four adult children, and a three year old and a one year old. It's pricey for one visit, but my daughter has a pass which we upgraded to get everyone in. The pass can be used throughout the US at a good selection of museums. I don't mind paying for a museum like this. I know it's expensive to keep up and this museum is very well done. The volunteers at the touch tank were the best informed I've seen. The outdoor animal exhibits especially impressed us. The animals are below the walk way, so we were close and could easily see them in their natural habitats. There was a good variety of animals native to Virginia. I also appreciated the tree identifications. The dinosaur dig exhibit was the favorite with the grandchildren. We took our time and stayed about an hour and a half. If the children had been a year or two older we could have easily stayed another hour.

My company held a Christmas Party at the museum in 2014. The venue was amazing, and provided a great backdrop to a wonderful event.

We are still checking out places in the Norfolk/Newport News area as we have only been in the area less than a year. This was a great find and we joined so we can return again and again. Nice indoor area- two floors with great exhibits on nature of the area, please touch tank, a "green house" cypress swamp and one on Appalachian mountain cove, world of underground and darkness, coastal display and more. My 2 -year old granddaughter couldn't get enough. Outside is 3/4 mile boardwalk past many rehabbed wildlife. Nice environments for all. Small gardens, children's area outdoors and in, an education center with mini talks and so much more. We were there 5 hours and it was the adults who were tired. There was a special dinosaur display when we were there so there will probably another special display soon. There is a nice gift shop and a small "grab a quick bite" cafe. Food was...just ok. This is W/C accessible and have bathrooms in buildings but not on the boardwalk. Good for hot days as you can be in then out then in etc. Rainy days indoors there is plenty. Go visit.

The Virginia Living Museum was pretty interesting. Perfect for kids, not so much for me. There wasn't any employees or volunteers around the exhibits to share information with us.

There was an indoor and an outdoor section. My favorite indoor gallery was the exhibit of turtles. In addition to indoor and outdoor sections, there were some good interactive exhibits for kids. The kids can participate in a hands on way. The best part of the museum was the boardwalk section. The museum had up close interaction with: Wolves, Bobcats, fox, and even turkey. All in all, it was a fun trip.

This place is nice... and I’m thankful it’s a sanctuary for rescue animals. A ton of things to look and animals.. perfect for kids and adults alike !

It was a rainy day so we decided to go to the Virginia living museum. What a awesome place. We went to the planetarium . The 30 minute presentation was very informative. The dinosaur exhibit was really highlighted when one of the volunteers brought out a giant dinosaur puppet. We will return again with our grandchildren.

Weekend trip with my two girls-9 and 11yrs- to Williamsburg for Busch Gardens. Decided on Sunday to stop in on way back to Delaware as we noticed the sign on interstate. Thought we would stay for an hour or so-we stayed for 41/2 hours! Staff was very helpful and friendly, exhibits were wonderful, animals were out and about. Wonderfully maintained and incredibly informative nature center! Hubby is science teacher so sorry he wasn't with us that day because we all learned a lot. If we lived a little closer, would definitely become members. Its worth it. Usually a coupon for little off in the local magazines, but even without that, it was well worth admission.

We live outside Richmond and have 4 kids. We bought season passes because they paid for themselves in less than 2 visits. There is a lot to do and see and we love the planetarium and the exhibit's

This museum is beautifully designed and so enjoyable to visit. It is obvious that the animals, birds and fish are well loved and cared for. The recent addition of red fox kits have added to the fun viewing. They offer different exhibits throughout the year. My family and I love coming here often. The planetarium is excellent!

Actually, my older kids had a good time here. I thought it might have been to kiddish for them, but they had a good time. We will come back with our grandchild when she is old enough. The display are very good.

Nice living museum with inside and exterior displays. Nice tour for a family or older adults. In addition I attended a wedding there and it was a great site which offered and out door site and inside area for the reception.

Have been to many animal parks and zoos in my lifetime, This place whilst not really a zoo ranks in my top 5. Some great exhibits of local wildlife even the Alligator was found in a Virginian back garden. Very informative and friendly staff. A great day out.

We spent a day here over Spring Break. We have three children that range in age from 8 to 13. They all enjoyed themselves. As a family we enjoyed the walk along the outdoor boardwalk looking at the animals and reading about them. Unfortunately a lot of the animals were asleep as they seemed to be nocturnal. Our younger girls enjoyed the Dinosaur area and digging for bones. We walked around and looked at each of the dinosaurs and read the information about them. We enjoyed the indoor exhibits and learning about the different types of environments. All of our children enjoyed the hands on exhibits such as the touch tank. The museum has a planetarium with different shows. This is an additional charge but we chose a show and went. We all enjoyed it. we found this to be a great place for a family to spend quality time together.

It costs $19-$24 for an adult and $15 for kids to enter. If the inside matched the outside, it would have been a ripoff. However, the inside was pretty good and they had some good exhibits. And there is a hands-on area. I think any child would like it so if you could visit with a discount or on a group price, it would be a win.

I found this to be a very nice living museum which offers over 250 species of animals, reptiles, birds, fish,and more that's found in Virginia. The glass on the aquariums was clean of nose and finger prints which made for good photo taking.

Along with the animals inside they have an outside boardwalk and during the walk you will see different animals that have been rescued and for one reason or the other are not able to be released back into the wild. Since the boardwalk is raised you are looking down on the animals and some were hard to find. It also takes you around a lake.

Also outside they have a dinosaur trail that will be fun for kids of all ages. That trail also has fossil huts loaded with fossils and bones which I found very interesting. They also have excavation areas so the kids can dig for fossils and bones.

My grandchildren took me to the Living Museum for Mother's Day to see the dinosaurs and we rocked it! There were animated dinosaurs inside, squirting dino's outside and hidden dino's all around. We had a great time finding them. The archeology sites were a blast. Huge blocks in the "camp" allowed us to build all kinds of structures. Back inside we enjoyed seeing the aquatic wildlife, alligators, turtles, snakes, birds. It was fun for the whole family. We enjoyed it so much that we purchased a membership!

We got to see all the outdoor animals awake except the possums. Even heard wolves howling. The apiary was closed due to bird flu risks. The aquariums could have used a little better signage, but we still enjoyed the indoor exhibits as well. It looked like a great place to bring kids.

Nice family museum, but VERY overpriced admission. No coupons ever offered. Nice taking a walk outside.

We had the opportunity to visit this wonderful museum on a special, $1 admission day. How awesome is that?! The Living Museum...thank you for this price, in celebration of your birthday:)
This place is unique, in that many of the animals are actually outside! It's not just a nature trail out there, there's quite a bit to do and see. We enjoyed the Dinosaur trail portion. It offered a change in scenery and provided interesting sculptures and education sites. There are "fossil dig" sections here, many children enjoyed brushing through the sand, for the hidden skeleton of the dinosaur. If your kid is hands on, dress them accordingly for this.
There was also a climbing portion for kids to stench their legs on, something to climb in, and a scent garden. I'm assuming that is pretty neat in the spring!
We haven't been in a few years, and it seemed like the indoor section had had some improvements. The habitats were extremely well maintained. I appreciated seeing clear glass and clean water, where appropriate. The animals appeared healthy and nourished, which is what's important.
There was a great volunteer...he had a photo of a snake eating a frog I believe, on his phone. It was taken at the museum grounds. I didn't catch his name, but he was very friendly. He treated all children equally, and addressed everyone who came to his station. Thanks sir for your kindness, it definitely stood out!
Everything is neat in this musuem, as it all relates to Virginia. It's an educational opportunity, that offers exploration, fresh air and enjoyment. There is a neat gift shop, many small items less than $10 avaliable. I don't know how often they clearance the t-shirts, but the was a couple marked down. Clearance is great in gift shops, isn't it!?
Hopefully, this museum keeps up the great work and continues to offer special events in the future.

What a wonderful visit we had with our 4 year old grandson & his family. There were so many things to see and touch that ALL of us enjoyed the tie spent there. The Touch Tanks" to the dinosaur trail to the live animals indigenous to Virginia; they were all fantastic. AND IT ONLY COST $20.00 for adults & $15 for kids over 2. We enjoyed the entire visit and HIGHLY recommend it for rain or shine! You will have a GREAT time!

We did a birthday party here and it was so much fun. The children were so elated as well as the parents. So much to see and do. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, the adventure will keep you on the move.

There is much variety at the Virginia Living Museum. It has a lot of exhibits including an Aquarium, Outdoor Wildlife, Petting Tank, and much more, yet it's not to big. I recommend this Museum for all ages. There are outdoor areas so bring some sun screen.

Took the grandkids here and they loved it. Great place in town without having to drive hours. Love the information about the animals. Touch pool was fun for the little kids. Gift shop also available with a variety of items.

This is a great place to take kids and out of town guests to learn all about Virginia's natural habitats. There are aquariums, outside enclosures, hands on activities, a Cafe and even a touch tank! I like that you could spend all day here if you wanted or get through it in just a couple hours.

We love the Virginia Living Museum. There's a lot of interactive displays available within the facility. There are live animals outside. The otters are my favorite! You can visit the planetarium. You can go outside to the dinosaur exhibit. Or you can stay inside and see some of the other displays and animals available the public. If you're looking for an interactive learning experience for your entire family the VA Living Museum is a great place to visit!

Worth the 30 min drive from Williamsburg to check out the animals of the Virginia area. Some you would expect: blue crab, copperhead snake. And some you wouldn't: lobster, tyrannosaurus rex.

The museum is clean, staff are nice, and it's planned out well to make it easy to navigate all the exhibits without having to double-back like in most zoos.

The exhibits are great, and not just geared towards kids like so many nature centers. I love animals and watch every nature/animal show I can, but I learned a few new things while I was there. For example: Many dinosaur tracks have been found in Virginia, but no dinosaur bones have ever been found. Or that the gray fox is the only native fox to Virginia. They have a real gray fox and a red fox right next to each other for comparison. They also have timber rattlesnake there which is the first I've ever seen in person. That was really cool.

My dad and 8 year old nephew accompanied my 22 month old granddaughter and I. We made it just in time for the coral reef show in the planetarium. If your kids like finding Nemo, They will enjoy watching the movie on the dome shaped ceiling in stationary, reclined seats. The sound effects are great! I think they can do a little more work on the Children’s Garden to increase the fun and learning experience. The rest of the museum was amazing to walk through and spend time within the various stations. I enjoyed both the indoor and the outdoor viewing. The kids were well occupied the entire time and were especially engaged in the hands-in activity venues.

I love the VLM. So great that we can see all these lovely animals in this wonderful natural habitat. I love the otters and the beavers. They are so silky and pretty. My children loved the dinosaur exhibit that was here. It was perfect. They will also help w your sick wild animals if you find one. Buy the membership and save. All grandmas love the gift shop, too.

it is avery interesting museum.. there are lots of different areas. the indoor areas have a huge aquarium, touch tank, bird area, also an in glassed fish area like it's outdoors. the outside is a lovely walk around with many spots of different animals. it's got a great area to picnic too. and, it has a planetarium. it can be a little pricey for large families for a day visit.

Enjoyed this museum tremendously, going thru the the exhibits was fun. All the children seemed to enjoy the playroom they could explore as a vet. Walking on the outdoor path was very peaceful. The touch tanks very nice to feel the creatures. My daughter loved watching the employees feed the animals.

A place to learn about local wild life, astronomy, outdoors adventures and Hampton Roads. Family atmosphere, good for school excursions and activities.

My 4yr old son and us had a nice time walking around. He liked seeing all the different animals. We werent planning on going there, just happened to come across it. It was a nice visit though and would definitely go back

I’ll preface this by saying that my son hopes to become a wildlife biologist and if I were to do things over again, probably would, too. So perhaps it’s no wonder that we took a fair bit of time to speak with the (very knowledgeable and friendly) staff and to thoroughly examine all the exhibits. It is very family friendly museum with a couple areas which provide younger visitors some hands on education. In addition, they house a wide variety of animals and, because we visited during the middle of a weekday, there were very few visitors - so we could observe the animals as long as we wanted, without inconveniencing anyone. The walkway outside was well done and we were thrilled to have had the opportunity to see a red wolf. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon at the Virginia Living Museum!

I loved this place, especially the outdoor trail. It's about a mile long and is all in the shade. Plenty of animals are out and about, and information about them is provided. Really kid friendly too. Upstairs they have a huge telescope. The staff is super nice, and there's plenty of parking.
A lot of the animals at the exhibit are either old or have been injured in the past, so they can't survive in the wild anymore.. it's nice that they now have a place where they are taken care of. Also that they are not purposely kept in captivity for the sake of the exhibit.

Been several times. It's like the first time all over again for my 2.5-year-old son each time we go.

What a great day! Easy to find location, free parking, fair pricing and a welcoming staff started our day off right. AAA members, be sure to show your card for a discount. The museum was much larger than we expected both inside and out offering something for every age group. Outdoors a broad walkway winds above the ground, through the trees so that you can observe the animals mostly below or some at eye level like the magnificent bald eagles. All the animals are rescues! And, they live happily in the climate that Virginia offers. The walkway is broad and made of smooth Trex decking material making it very accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. It is also naturally shaded by the tall trees above. This is a low stress trip for parents that happily includes the totally awesome dinosaur area where kid size tents, dino bones, blocks, small exhibits and photo ops will keep the kids busy while you can rest on a shaded bench.The museum also has a planetarium, gardens and an outdoor theater. The only criticism I have is the cafe is absolutely awful--really, really bad. However, you can leave the museum for lunch and come back later simply by showing your receipt.

The Virginia Living Museum is a fun place for everyone. Our visit was on a beautiful day in early February and we spent a good part of the day exploring and learning about the region and the living history of it. The displays were spot-on with variety, signage, and set up. We learned so much. There are 2 major areas that highlight the Appalachian region and the Cyprus Swamp. Each has critters from that area--fish, snakes, turtles,etc. We passed through Virginia Underground that featured life below the surface and the World of Darkness where we saw critters who are elusive and active in darkness. The non-permanent display was called "Wolf to Woof" and that was fascinating. I really learned a lot about wolves and how the domesticated dog evolved from them. The interactive components of the entire museum were so well done. We saw children of all ages enjoying their visit and learning. The is a planetarium also inside the main building that has programs that require an additional ticket. Outside has trails with additional displays like a regular zoo that lets you see typical animals like turkeys, wolves, etc. Also there is an aviary, plant garden, greenhouse and amphitheater where special presentations are given. We didn't attend the show about ground hogs, but it was Ground Hog Day! We also had lunch at the cafeteria and it was typical and acceptable. Please put this museum on your list of things to do in the Williamsburg area!

Just loved this place - it has all the things which a kid/family would love - a mini zoo, aquarium, natural history museum type exhibits and lot of other information. It is one of a kind and loved every moment of our time here.

We loved it, our 4 year old granddaughter loved it. It is hands on with loads of live fish, birds, and animals. They feed the stream and lake otters and you can watch. They let you touch hermit crabs, and star fish and live horseshoe crabs. Bald eagles, foxes, and much , much more. There are two spectacular dinosaur exhibits. And it's a habitat place not a zoo and it's all about Virginia.

Great place for kids. We came here for the afternoon. Loved the veterinarian play area. Great way to end the day. Also a great little zoo and children's garden.

Love this place! Great for families in particular but also good if you just want to commune with nature. The staff is wonderfully welcoming, and it is obvious that they take good care of their charges. It's a quiet spot right off a busy area of Newport News, but you forget all about the hustle and bustle as you watch otters frolic in the water or suddenly spot an animal secreting itself behind foliage. It's one big adventure!

My family and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the Virginia Living Museum. They have both indoor and outdoor exhibits. There is something there for people of all ages, and I loved the concept of focusing on the habitats of Virginia. I especially fell in love with the bald eagles.
There is also a planetarium there. I do wish the planetarium shows were included in the price of admission. They are only four extra dollars, but admission is already pretty steep, especially for a family.

This is a wonderful experience for the whole family. Indoor exhibits, nature walks, educational and feeding tours, and so many native eastern animals in their habitat.

On a recent trip to Newport News, VA we decided to check out the Virginia Living Museum. My husband, 11 year old daughter and I very much enjoyed ourselves. Lots of different animals to see. Museum is spacious and well organized. If we're in the area again, we would definitely return for another visit. We went on a Sunday morning and it wasn't overly crowded. Very easy to get close to each exhibit.

Took my family and parents in June. We had been here before and it seems like every time we go the price just keeps going up and up. It was fun for my kids but they are young and don't have a big attention span. The new dinosaur park was great. Parking is always easy and everyone was very helpful. We ate at the cafe and the grab and go cooler was pretty empty with no prices listed. Prices were more than I was expecting at the cafe, but we were running late and didn't feel like we could stop somewhere on the way back to get lunch.
Tip: military and AAA discount

Had a great time. We would definitely take our grandchildren here so good for kids and even adults. Place is super clean even inside the exhibits and aquariums. A recommendation to go to if your in the area.

Looking for something a bit different? Go for the late night laser shows. Cool shows to great music. We saw Metallica and Pink Floyd: The Wall and really enjoyed both.

If you have little ones and you are planning a trip to the area you should definite stop in here!
The outdoor area is beautiful. Do it first while it is cool and all the animals are out. The dinosaur area is really great with lots of things for kids to do. My kids loved the vet center and the aquariums. Cafe is very affordable. My favorite part was the beautiful aviary.

Had a great time and the exhibits were top of the line and extremely interesting. Well worth time to visit whether you are a lical or a visitor

A nice place to visit, however, many of the exhibits were under renovation, not a smart idea in the middle of summer when a lot of people would visit.

What we did see, we enjoyed, we spent several hours here. Very informative.

Despite the extreme heat, we were able to take in most of the outdoor exhibits and of course the air conditioned inside exhibits. Our favorite was the feeding of the birds; we thoroughly enjoyed watching the pelican devour the fish tossed by the handler. She made sure the smaller birds got their fill as well. She was knowledgeable, informative, interesting. Try to catch some of the feedings when you go.

good show Kelly Howard impressed me and my friends.I would highly suggest a visit to VLM when you are in town.

Have been trying to get to this museum for years. Nice visit. The living history of Virginia . A nice blend of history, science nature and dinosaurs. Two floors of inside exhibits including mountain cove, Virginia caves, cypress swamps, touch tank, and world of darkness. Outside trails include waterfalls, live animal exhibits, lots of fish tanks, dinosaur trail, and an aviary. There is an indoor maze, and a planetarium. You will see snakes, bobcat, foxes, beaver, otters, and a huge coyote. A very fun way to spend the afternoon. Gift shop and cafe are available. Kids will love this museum.

I've heard rumors but it's still surviving. This is an okay visit. It's like a very small zoo/aquarium/kids area and park combined. Small place to eat inside. Very well kept inside and out. Very peaceful here and worth a day there. It has wolves and a couple other small animals and the small aquarium has some interesting fish. A small place for the kids to see and touch things. Even though not a full anything, it's something to do and a peaceful trip. Kids like it.

Any quality museum is going to be a little pricey. This showplace is top notch for family fare. In addition to a pair of looping pathways outside, there are really nice showcases and aquariums inside. All animals that can be found in Virginia's wild lands and along the waterways are present in this one location. Come early as temperatures coupled with humidity sure can be the better of you in the afternoon. For families with preschool and lower primary boys and girls, the VLM offers nice discovery boxes, nice touch opportunities and a kid friendly staff.

I went to this several times with my grandkids. They enjoyed it and so did I. Family membership is great if you live close enough to use it. Lots of hands on things for the kids to do and learn about the critters that live around the Virginia area. Some live animals, birds, reptiles. Dinosaur area. An outside area too if the weather is good for it.

The Virginia Living Museum had such a cool variety of plants and animals. I learned a lot about VA's wildlife. Indoors, each region of VA had its own area with small animals and plants. I particularly enjoyed the sea creatures of the Tidewater region. Outside, there were larger animals from all over VA, such as wolves, foxes, and eagles.
I went during the dinosaur exhibit, which was very well done and entertaining for all ages.

Visitor or Local? Young or older? You MUST include a visit to the Virginia Living Museum especially if you have children aged toddler on up. I would especially plan a day when the weather is pleasant. Check out the many ticket options even if you're from out of the area where a season pass may give you reciprocity for other museums in your travels. You could spend 2-4 hours or more depending on the weather and level of interest. The outdoor exhibits were phenomenal, beautiful, state of the art and relaxing. Take in the planetarium and the observatory when scheduled. Indoor and outdoor exhibits incorporate interactive experiences. We hadn't visited in awhile and new to us was the special Lego exhibit (only for a period of time) and the dinosaur play area with life-sized dinosaur figures. The outdoor real animals may be sleeping during your visit which is common in the afternoon, but you can't argue with nature. You can explore marine life, some bird life, geology, amphibians, mammals, plant life and featured eco displays in the indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as astronomy in the planetarium and observatory. There is a play veterinarian clinic area where children can be creative. It's fun, interesting and educational. There is a café with some ready to eat and made to order items which can appeal to different diets. Tables are plentiful indoor and out on the patio, so lunch doesn't have to interrupt your stay. All of the staff were helpful and courteous whether at the front desk, café, around the museum, planetarium and observatory. Again, if you are visiting from out of the area and looking for something fun and educational for your children especially, I would highly suggest including this on your itinerary. Consider a pass as you'll want to visit again and again, for as children grow even a few months, they become alive to new exhibits and experiences. Even adults would love this museum as a great place to explore, learn and perhaps just relax.

My family has been a pass member for two years and we love it. The living museum is constantly creating new exhibits and areas to allow the kids to experience something new every time we visit. There is a great indoor areas including touch tank, children's play area, and of course all of the exhibits. Along with that there is a fun outdoor area that has many animal exhibits but also includes a recently opened dinosaur area in which kids can dig fossils, climb on dinosaur skeletons, build with giant blocks, or simply learn about the dinosaurs.

This museum is wonderful for children of all ages. It introduces them to native wildlife with some wonderful exhibits ranging from jellyfish to salamanders. There is a working beehive which can occupy children for a long time. There are inspiring fish tanks, bat caves, and an outdoor area. You can't fail to have an amazing visit.

This place was super awesome. Went there about a month ago in Match during reptile weekend or something. It was my first time there. A lot of cool exhibits to look at. Loved going outside to see the red wolves and the bobcat. The huge tanks were super pretty to look at as well. My favorites were the fox, wolves, eel, giant ispod, and the lion fish. The gift shop has pretty good prices and cool items to buy. Overall a 5/5 experience will be going again :)

This is like a little zoo and museum all in one. All native species, frequently active. very friendly, knowledgeable staff!

We decided to check out the Virginia Living Museum because it was part of the ASTC group. I wasn't sure what to expect when we arrived because it looked small, but we were pleasantly surprised! We took the outdoors walk (about 3/4 of a mile) around to view the animals and exhibits. We were impressed at the natural habit areas for each animal. At one of the stops, a volunteer took time to share more information with us. She was very friendly and knowledgeable.

We decided to have lunch at the Wild Side Cafe before continuing our exploration. We were again surprised by their choices of items and pleased at the prices too! After a tasty lunch, we checked out the exhibits inside. My boys loved seeing the indoor habitats as well.

Downstairs they had an area where the children could be keepers and veterinarians, and my younger boys loved that! They had at least ten different types of stuffed animals to "tend" to along with a feeding area, medical station, and other activities. I was glad for the chance to sit and rest! :-)

My only disappointment was that as an ASTC member with a 6 person pass, only 4 of us could get in under the pass and we had to pay for the additional 2 members. This wouldn't have prevented me from going, but I was disappointed that the membership I paid for was not valued the same here.

Overall, this was a great place to visit. I think we were here for 5 hours!

This is a great destination for families with children and adults alike. There are nature trails to see the wildlife. An aviary to walk through. A dinosaur trail which the children love. A variety of enjoyment for everyone.

My son kept getting a brochure for the Virginia Living Museum during a recent hotel stay. I was skeptical but pleasantly surprised! We had an amazing time and loved the interactions with animals. We watched a beaver build his damn for almost an hour. The Sea Otters would come to the glass and do twirls. It was an amazing time. Great place to wonder around.

Indoor and outdoor living exhibits, based upon reproducing and interpreting wild habitats rather than simply displaying animals.

This is an informative enjoyable 'habitat' for many of the local species, animals are on display also. They put on a number of events, dances & such. I always have a good time when we go.

A must for people who love animals or want a quiet place to spend time on a trip. Not a particularly cheap attraction, but this small zoo (native animals only), has wonderful boardwalks through the woods, where happy animals are often playing as you watch and really nice two story wings inside with places to sit or lean on. Good for kids also.

We have a membership here and we just love it! Clean and always busy! They change their exhibits often and have some cool stuff going on. The Lego displays were my fave! My son loved the dinosaurs and the wolf exhibits. It's a must for kids. The food is also good, reasonably priced and they have a friendly staff. Will renew our membership even through we live 65 miles away

Was a wonderful experience and would recommend this to anyone. Definitely a great place take family.

We love this place! Take a respite from the rich history of Williamsburg and visit the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. The museum is well-planned and full of great exhibits of all the biomes represented in the great state of Virginia--from the coastline to the piedmont to the mountains and everywhere in between. Organisms are readily identifiable and easily viewed some of which are rare or extremely difficult to view in the wild. We particularly liked the noctural and cave exhibits. Don't miss the bee exhibit which is absolutely fascinating! Outside you will continue to find larger animals native to the state including aquatic mammals like the otter and beaver as well as an impressive aviary. The new outdoor dinosaur discovery section is great. Check out the dino-exhibits in the small buildings which house an wide assortment of real and replica fossils. Great for a morning or afternoon visit but plenty to see for the entire day if you take your time and enjoy.

Had so much fun with my kids and their children. The facility has lots to entertain out 4 and 2 year olds. The biggest hit was the Vet area where my granddaughter (4) played until we had to drag her out. I suggest going early before the crowds build up.

We had a wonderful afternoon at the Va. Living Museum. The exhibits were awesome. We braved the cold to see the outdoor animals. This is a place that all ages can enjoy. They do a great job! A must go. It is better to visit in the warm season. Keep up the good work!

Had a great time visiting the Virginia Living Museum. Excellent exhibits, lots of animals, fish, and birds to see inside and out. Especially enjoyed the walking trails outside, perfect for an early Spring day. The dinosaur area was well designed and fun. We spent several hours at the museum and felt it was worth the money. Small cafe on site for lunch (burgers, wraps, etc). Only warning is that, as you might expect, there were a number of school groups visiting, and wow, those kids sure can yell and scream! If you want to avoid the big crowds of kids, maybe visit on the weekend. But their presence did not spoil our time here.

Visited on Labor Day, nice crowd. The VLM has a variety of live animals, fish, reptiles beautifully presented, with lots of hands-on opportunities for kids of all ages.

I especially liked the outdoor trail, very well maintained elevated walkways, chance to get pretty close to the animals. Very fine stuff inside, lots of amazing fish too.

This living museum offers both hands-on water animal experiences and observation of outdoor living animals. This is NOT a zoo so you don't have throves of animals. However the brown fox and the 2 bald eagles are something. The dinosaur exhibit is PERFECT for kids to interact and touch. We have been twice in the past 4 months and each time (once in summer and once on a very cool fall day) my grandkids (2yr old triplets) had a great time.

There is an outdoor lego exhibit that has animals and things in nature (flower, butterfly, bird) made out of legos. There are huge monster-sized lego pieces for kids to play with.

The otters (I'm pretty sure there's only two) are always fun to watch.

The animals present have been injured and are unable to return to the wild. So, sometimes it's quite sad but so interesting at the same time.

Indoor offers a really nice observation aquarium. You really have to take the kids to the walk-up exhibition tank. The staff and guides on hand are always very eager to let the kids (properly) touch the animals and explain more about their composition.

There is a science/veterinarian area that allows the kids to x-ray different (stuffed) animals and diagnose and treat them. It's really a lot of fun.

My family and I visit this place frequently. They have several exhibits both inside and outside that are good for the entire family. What sold my wife and I on a membership is the dinosaur exhibit. Our lil guy loves dinosaurs and this permanent exhibit is is a must see. I recommend a membership because it just makes sense if you're going to visit more than once, and they have a few membership options to choose from. I highly recommend visiting and getting a membership because you won't be disappointed.

Stopped here and spent a couple of hours. Bonus was the spiders and scorpion display that happened to be here. The museum is nicely laid out and easy to move through. The outdoor boardwalk is really nice. The boards are in good shape and easy to walk. Liked the view of the animals and birds. The Eagles, wolves and foxes were easy to see. Great for families.

Had a great time here lots of information about Virginia’s wildlife! Would be appropriate for all ages, I often see a lot of families visiting with children.

We spent several hours here exploring all the exhibits. My daughter loved the aquarium exhibits, while my son enjoyed the animal exhibits. Half of the exhibits are inside, and half are outside, so if you are visiting, make sure it is a warmer day so you can see everything. The price is a bit steep and the reason I rated it a 4 was for the high price and the planetarium. We watched a show on the upcoming solar eclipse. I would have liked to have more "space/solar system" in the show, including more about stars and planets. The planetarium costs extra so if we went again, we would skip that part. We traveled about 2 hours to come here and we had a great time.

We thoroughly enjoyed our family day at the Virignia Living Museum, especially the aquariums. Thye outdoor areas were beautiful.

Great indoor and outdoor exhibits. Displays show various ecosystems found throughout Virginia. The boardwalk allows you to walk through different habitats and see a variety of animals. The outdoor dinosaur exhibit looks like great fun. Clean, educational, a little pricey but worth it.

I’ve been before and still a great day out in VA. Enclosures are well maintained. Lots of seating around the attractions. It can get hot walking around so my advice would be to visit in the morning during summer. Large range of animals.

I was not sure what to expect coming here, yet they managed to exceed my expectations!

There is an indoor museum with aquariums and other animal / spider / insect exhibits (including a section for nocturnal creatures and even cave animals). One of the indoor exhibits was interactive - two staff were showing crabs and other sea life. They were pretty knowledgeable and able to answer many of our questions.

In addition they had designed an indoor area to resemble outdoor habitats for some larger animals, including a large snapping turtle and an alligator.

And finally there is a huge outdoor section of the museum with animals found all over Virginia. Many of these creatures were brought to the Living Museum because they were unable to live in the wild (orphaned, injured / rehabilitated, etc.). There is even a dinosaur exhibit which featured some fossils found in and around the Hampton Roads region.

The staff were all friendly and had stories to tell about the animals at the museum. I would definitely recommend this site for children, the young at heart, and anyone who admires nature and living things or just wants a deeper appreciation for the state of Virginia's wild side.

your family will enjoy this great location . Truly is a place for Kids of all AGES!! Be sure to viist when your in the area

My husband and I went with our kids and the entire family had a wonderful time. The museum had a perfect mix of live animals and other displays. We all learned so much and had a great time. The ladies at the touch tank were so friendly and happily answered all of our questions. We spent about 4 or so hours and would definitely recommend this museum.

Wonderful for adults and kids a like. If you love the outdoor and animals its a great way to spend a morning or afternoon, beautiful walkways that allow you to view wildlife, touch tanks, dinosaurs, planetarium.

We spent about three hours here on Sunday with the grandkids. They had a great time. There is a lot to see and do. Certainly good for kids 10 and under. They have a gift shop and a cafe. Worth a visit But not cheap. Three kids (2,4,&8) and three adults cost $90.00.

After living in the area for more than 20 years decided to take the grandkids here. What an amazing place. The kids loved everything about it from the indoor outdoor areas. The wildlife and dinosaurs were an added perk

Very doable space in a morning or afternoon. Enough to see, but not too much that you feel you missed something. Outside space is well designed and easy to traverse. Not all animals were out when we were there. Child centric and several field trip groups there when we were, but adults will find it interesting too. Friendly staff.

I had not been to the museum since my kids were little. It was great then but it is absolutely amazing now. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a membership!

Worth seeing. Beautiful setting, wonderful exhibits. Our enjoyment started at the ticket booth. James explained what we get for the admission price and other exhibitions with an additional minimal fee along with the benefits of becoming a member. Beautiful exhibits with explanations of what each fish, shark, snake, etc., was. You could pet some and touch other aquatic wildlife with the help of the guides. Very informative. We did not have time to go to the Planetarium. From what I understand, they do vary exhibits periodically. There was a family having a birthday party for their little girl on one of the patios. So refreshing.

This is a great place, and we will definitely return. We all enjoyed the planetarium show, & seeing all the animals at this museum.

The VLM is a treat for both kids and adults, always something new to experience! The next one will be a new Dino Trail thru the woods. It will let visitors experience the thrill of seeing dinosaurs (some life size, some scaled down) in a "wild" habitat. Spotting an 8' tall lizard with gleaming yellow eyes peering at you from the trees is good fun!

My love for nature draws me to places I can have a "hands on" experience. Virginia Living Museum offers many such opportunities. There is an area where children can see and touch the work of a vet hospital. There are many displays of animals, fish, birds, reptiles and such. The Museum offers shows and demonstrations. There is a planetarium, which is presented for children to learn about the planets, stars and Virginia Skies. There is a quiet walking trail, where various live animals may be viewed safely. Overall, the Virginia Living Museum provides a lot of wonderful experiences for friends and family.

We've been going to this museum for years and it never disappoints. So much care and thought has been poured into the exhibits. The annual pass is definitely the most cost-effective way to go, and definitely worth the money for local families. In addition to the excellent standing exhibits they rotate temporary exhibits throughout the year.

We found out about this where we were staying and thought this would be a break in the week. This is part museum, aquarium and zoo. There is something that interested everyone in our family. There are displays, aquariums and an animal touch are inside. There are displays outside as well as small zoo area for animals. The zoo are has animals native to the area. Unfortunately the weather was hot so the animal were sleeping or hiding in shade. There is a small eating area and a gift shop. We could have stayed longer but the kids were sleepy and it was naps for the 2 year old. We will be sure to include this in the next visit to Williamsburg. This is a great break to the amusement parks.

We took our two kids, 3 & 7, and they loved it, from the exhibits and interactive stuff inside to the raised walkway through the trees to the dinosaur area, it was loads of fun. It's a good combination of kids museum and zoo/aquarium. We used our reciprocal membership from our museum and were able to get in for free, so it was doubly worth it.

This place is great for any age. Sharks and sea turtles in a mid-sized aquarium were the highlight of my visits!

Plenty for a 3-year old to do and enjoy. Quality museum with plenty of great exhibits. Dinoland was a hit!

I’m sure your not looking this place up for lunch however the food at the cafe was awesome, not your typical options and the quesadillas was amazing with homemade pico I might go back tomorrow just to eat. The museum was cool, much more than I expected I have a 5 and 15 year old and they both enjoyed it. I would suggest going on a day where is not raining we missed some of the outdoor trail and exhibits because of the rain. All he animals they have are native to Virginia, the staff was all knowledgeable and friendly they had two touch tanks and several areas where kids could interact hands on.

So.... Wednesday (7/15) my husband and I set out to go to museums.... (or that was what we thought). We try several different museums with no luck. And then my husband found the Virginia Living Museum! WHAT A FIND!!!

Great for children of all ages (1-100)! Great information and live exhibits. I really enjoyed the outside portion through the "swamp/marsh" area. Part museum, aquarium and nature walk. LOVE IT

Lots on hands on stuff for young kids, lots of exercise and nature for them too in a safe environment. Second year being members.

We visited the VLM today with our Newport News City Ambassador pass (free admission for City residents January 3-8). It is a great museum for children. Lots of hands-on displays and "touch tank" opportunities. Its also fun for adults. All sorts of information/exhibits. Great walking trail to see outdoor animals. They also have a gift shop and planetarium (extra fee). Seemed to be advertising many children's programs and a new exhibit called "Woof to Wolf" (about dogs) that opens soon. Seemed like a good way to entertain an active family.

The museum focuses on wildlife history of Virginia. While there are many children in the Museum, the place is large enough where everyone can spread out. 50% of our time was spent indoors and 50% outside. The exhibits are a brief read and well done. The museum also has volunteers stationed to point out sleeping rescued animals or we were fortunate enough to touch a snake.

The Virginia Living Museum is a fun place to experience some local wild life; though I feel the price to be a little steep to see a Raccoon; but it's a fun interactive place for kids. If you go solo or as an adult couple you can easily find yourself shelling 40 bucks to finish the place in less than an hour.

Good 3 hours to occupy Kids. Don't know why the Cafe is still closed, stupid. No masks, thank goodness. Very clean and informative. Dinosaur GIANT exhibit and outside was great. Gift shop has good selection. Parking and access are easy.

We took my 3 year old grandson here and he loved it. The dinosaur exhibit us a must see. Not sure how long it will be there. My grandson had a ball digging and seeing all the different dinosaurs in an outdoor habitat and the auto-anamatronic ones inside. Even my 1 year old granddaughter liked seeing things snd running around .There are animals to see too on the outside boardwalk footpaths. The price is very reasonable. It was a hot day, even in the shade but there are dinosaurs that spray you and there was a misting station. There is also a cafe to eat in with prices comparable to McDonald's. Food was tasty. We bought our daughter and son-in-law a family pass so they can bring the grandkids back anytime they want. That was not much more than a day pass for 3 adults.

I go to the Virginia Living Museum often and it never disappoints. Great way to spend a day with your family. The planetarium show is a great way to relax in the middle. Then we grab a bite to eat and stop by the gift shop on the way out. I think everyone should go at least once.

The living museum is fun for all ages. My only recommendation is that you do not visit in the middle of the day. If you want to see the animals in their natural habitats from the trail, go when it's cool in the morning or late afternoon. Most of the animals stay in the shade and nap during the middle of the day.

They advertised they were open until 8:00 pm on Thursdays, we arrived at 4:00 pm and barely made the walk through the woods. All the movies had started and ended at 5:00. The Waterways Exhibit was being used as a reception for donors. What could have been a great experience was average. If you are open at 8:00 pm, then your exhibits and films should be open too.

On a brutally hot Wednesday, Ben and Mrs Too were so very glad we had included in our sightseeing itinerary this air conditioned indoor attraction. Granted, part of it is out of doors along a picturesque and informative boardwalk, but it is for the most part sheltered and cool.

It was immediately evident that some very many skilled and educated individuals, backed by some deep pockets, labored long and hard to put together this gem. To catalog the exhibits, whether alive and kicking or fossilized zillions of years ago, would be most inappropriate in length for this publication.

Suffice it to say that if any part of it, from the observatory, to the enormous aquariums, to the free range aviary tickle your fancy, do please go to the website with a pencil and notepad. Incidentally, speaking of the aviary, the birds are all, or nearly all, rescue survivors, and incapable of surviving in their natural environs. For the most part, they have one way or another, been rendered flightless.

Admission is quite reasonable and plenty of rest stops are scattered throughout the museum. Parking is abundant, and, notably, photography is welcome throughout. If nature is your bag, you have Mecca at your feet right here in Virginia.

They blend elements of a zoo, aquarium, science center and childrens museum nicely here. Only complaint is that the virginia skies planetarium show was dreadfully low in content, even our 6 year old was hoping for more.

After paying admission ($20.00 for adults and $15 for kids over 2 - AAA discounts available), decide whether to start indoors or outdoors.
Paper maps are not distributed at check in but sign maps are scattered liberally throughout the grounds. The indoor exhibits are on two floors. They include aquariums with a couple of young sharks, nocturnal animals, a cypress swamps, a young alligator, a touch tank with horseshoe crabs, snails and starfish, aquariums filled with fish from the Chesapeake Bay, Appalachian mountains streams, and the sea coast. There are a couple of Educational Discovery Zones. The outdoor trail carries you past wildlife exhibits of foxes, grey and red wolves, bob cat, turkeys, vultures, otters, eagles, beavers, skunks, raccoons, deer and through an aviary of wild birds like egrets and herons. The boardwalk meanders through the forest and around a small pond. Signage at each exhibit describe what you are seeing, or trying to see, are very informative. Along the trail, volunteers share their extensive knowledge and experiences. It's hit or miss whether you will spot the wildlife. One volunteer said if you miss a certain creature after the first go around, visit an indoor exhibit then return outdoors for another go. Another outdoor exhibit is the Dinosaur Discovery Trail. Recreations of many favorite dinosaurs are on display with excellent descriptions of each. Reproductions of actual skulls and bones are also on display in small huts. A really fun exhibit seeing dinosaurs scattered around in the woods. The outside area also has a planetarium, garden area, and waterfall. A small cafe with good food and reasonable prices is available, as is a gift shop packed with animal toys and gifts. I don't know who had a better time at this wonderful museum, the adults/children visitors or the volunteers/staff. The volunteers really love their jobs and it shows. Everyone will love this place. Plan to spend at least 4 hours here to take in all that is available.

Our 26 month old is super into animals and most recently, dinosaurs. When we found this place while looking for things to do, we knew he would love it. It was the highlight of our trip while staying in Williamsburg! It’s not overly large inside but has many many exhibits that kept our little one discovering. We tried the dinosaurs inside as well as the exhibit outside but they are a bit more intimidating in person evidently. He wasn’t a huge fan despite his love of them in books and cartoons, but I’m sure the next time we visit, he will be all about them. The outdoor trail was very nice to walk around and most exhibits had animals that were easy to find. We were there early (around 10am) so I think many of the animals were sleeping. My son ultimately fell in love with the otters and had to grab one in the gift shop to take home. He’s been snuggling and sleeping with “Otter” ever since.

We have gone here many times over the span of 16yrs. Our children loved it growing up. We always consider the living museum a "must do" when people visit from out of town. Its interactive and educational without the boredom.

This was a very popular event fully attended. The high energy food ,wine,music and touring this wonderful venue. We will gladly return to enjoy this facility. A hidden gem.

A collection of animals found in Virginia in a natural setting. A learning and living experience in eco friendly surroundings. Each exhibit is accompanied by written summaries of the wildlife and habitat, easy to read and understand. Exhibits are animals from the air, land and waters. There are some interactive activities for the children. A very good place for the young to learn about nature and appreciate the environment and the impact on its inhabitants. Very nicely laid out nature trail that points out the different trees growing in the woodlands. A good way to spend the afternoon sharing and learning with the family

We visited on homeschool day in September. This was a second visit for us ... our first visit being 3-4 years ago.
Very nice museum that teaches visitors about the many ecosystems of Virginia and how each depends on the other for survival. Informative exhibits and hands-on learning provide a rich experience. The outdoor boardwalk trails are shaded and allow visitors to view several species of birds and mammals housed in exhibits along the way. We were a little disappointed that they didn't seem to have as many animals as they did a few years ago. Part of the outdoor area for a dinosaur education area, which we didn't explore, but would be great for younger kids.
Plenty of parking, with picnic tables (no outside food allowed in the museum). We chose to grab a bite at the cafe. The food was good and prices were fairly reasonable for a museum eatery. The gift shop is well stocked and, like the cafe, prices aren't outrageous. Bathrooms are spacious and clean. Staff is friendly.
We love that this wonderful museum is wheelchair accessible, even the outdoor exhibits!

Elevated walkways take you around a water feature and there are paths into the woods. The 3-year old with us enjoyed the dinosaur area and the display where you can touch small sea creaatures. Other displays were ok, not extraordinary. Overall, a free visit to Sandy Bottom Park is just as nice.

Love revisiting the Living Museum. Lots of great exhibits and information about the critters indigenous to Virginia. Based on the Sonoran Desert Museum in Arizona.

I spent a lovely Saturday morning here with my nieces and nephews, who range in age from 6 to 20. The museum is a combination science/nature center and zoo of animals indigenous to Virginia (250 species). The indoor part has educational displays about the different types of environments (mountain, plain, swamp, cave) with hands-on activities, as well as some smaller reptile and amphibian habitats, aquariums and a touch-tank of aquatic life like rays and starfish. While we were there, one of the staff was giving a presentation with snakes that visitors could touch. A cafe and a gift shop are located on the first floor near the entrance. Outdoors there is a wooden boardwalk that winds 3/4 mile through the forest and passes habitats for larger animals like foxes, deer, wolf, beaver, bobcat, etc. There's a popular learning and play area called Dinosaur Discovery with dinosaur sculptures and a picnic area. Children can "dig for fossils". The boardwalk passes through an aviary, over a pond and ends at the demonstration gardens. There's a greenhouse and examples of native plant and conservation gardens. A separate building houses Abbitt Planetarium; hours and shows vary by season so check the schedule on the website. Wheelchair access to all the exhibits - including the boardwalk - is very good. I think this attraction will delight children up to about 12 years old, but my older nephew was not very engaged. The admission price is somewhat high so plan to spend the day to get the most for your money (adults 13+ $20, children 2-12 $15, planetarium add $4). Guided "behind-the-scenes" tours are available for additional fee. Military I.D. gets $1 discount. There are also coupons in local tourism guide magazines. I didn't mind the price because it's a non-profit organization and I support their conservation goals. A facility like this is expensive to operate.

Went during big spring break and we had a blast exploring. A little disappointed that no one was there to do the show and tell.
The dinosaur’s outside was really cool and hands on. On our trail walk we came across a lovely and informative volunteer near the eagles and then again by the wolf.

The Living Museum was a huge hit for all my daughters- 2 teens, 2 toddlers, and my husband and I enjoyed ourselves as well. So much to see and many hands on activities that kept us busy for several hours. The robotic dinosaur exhibit was phenomenal!!

Walked around all the exhibits on a chilly 31 degrees. Saw some intersting facts about Virginia wild and plant life. The large animals were mostly acitve today.

So much to do here from the special exhibit on dogs/wolves (which was fascinating), the aquarium, touch tanks featuring a variety of crabs, cave-type settings and outdoor natural areas. We had a great time. Our kids loved it. For the outdoor areas, my one beef is the fences used to separate the animals felt a little depressing. A nice upgrade would be something more natural looking.

We spent several hours here.

Great educational exhibits for learning about wildlife and eco systems in Virginia. The exhibits are well laid out showing the different areas of Virginia. Cafeteria is closed. There is a dinosaur exhibit with mechanical dinosaurs that emit grows. Younger children may be scared of this exhibit.

I would recommend purchasing tickets online usung the "Skip the Line". They sent you an e-mail with bar codes for your tickets which they just scan in a separate window. Not much of a line compared to the one where people are just purchasing tickets. Also to limit people they have you oickma time slot for arrival.

Great place to take the kids for trick or treating. also the animals and fish are very cool. The otter is one of the best shows to watch.

It was an okay experience. Nothing special...not overly exciting.....nothing too memorable. It you have kids, you will have a great time.

I went to the museum with my daughters who are 11 and 13. The activities and animal talks are geared for younger kids. My kids enjoyed the Virginia nature of all the creatures at the museum. There are different environments and exhibits with creatures that inhabit the environments. There are 2 floors of exhibits and an outside section that has fauna examples. I enjoyed the outside exhibits and the alligator enrichment.

Lots of cool exhibits for the kids and adults to enjoy. Changes from season to season. My granddaughter loved it!

My 11 year old had a great time. Entry price was steep for the offerings I thought. Animals in the zoo part seemed sad or sedated and the plastic dinosaurs were a bit out of place in a "living" museum, but my son loved it. There were some cool exhibits, aquariums and other displays of native life in Virginia. All in all, met expectations for the type of place.

There are quite a few exhibits inside, all native species to Virginia, which makes a rainy day a little more enjoyable.

Outside is a long trail of animal exhibits through the woods and is lovely.

Try to catch them feeding the fish downstairs. They jump out of the water, into the air, a sure delight of any young child.

My expectations for this place were met and exceeded! I can’t believe how entertained everyone in our group was - literally every age category. We spent 4 hours there our first time and didn’t get to do everything we wanted. We are members and have been back several times and it is so much fun and educational. We have had great experiences with the staff and volunteers as well. Only bummer is no outside food, but they do have covered picnic areas outside. Might as well go for the membership, bc you’ll use it!

great seeing the wildlife and all the exhibits, could have stayed a couple more hours! A relaxing day!

Of our visit to the Williamsburg area, I thought this was the best all-around activity for everyone to enjoy. The museum does a great job of keeping up all the animals and the layout is such that it's tough to miss any of it. We were surprised by the number of people who have or had been long-time volunteers of this establishment. This is especially great for kids as there is a lot to see and do. My niece is 3 and it was about the only thing we did in the area that kept her interest all the way through. It even had some interesting things for adults, such as the eco-friendly house model. If I lived closer, I would definitely go back.

We went here during the COVID-19 reopening. Most of it was open, some of the hands on were blocked off. Disappointed that the otters were at the vet, but that’s understandable. Overall a great experience.

it was a very relaxed visit. we could go at our own pace. it was nice to see the animals up close and in a natural environment.

Many nature exhibits will keep you busy, great for kids of all ages. There is always special program scheduled. No matter how many times you visit there is always something new to catch your eye

This is a great place to take the children to see local wildlife and be able to touch some sea critters. Lots of hands-on activities. Lovely walk through wooded area. Love watching the otters!

VLM is a wonderful lace for a family visit. Outside trails and inside attractions are great. Exhibits rotate, change frequently. Good snack bar. REASONABLY priced

Smallish museum, easy to walk, and interesting exhibits. We had a great time exploring inside and out. We all loved the different stuffies at the museum gift shop too.

The honest truth: This is a museum, featuring wildlife from Virginia. Seems pretty straight forward. It is. It has an Appalachian Mountain Cove, the Cypress Swamp, Virginia's World of Darkness, Piedmont and Mountain Gallery, Coastal Plain Gallery, each of which include the animals you would expect to see in each of those. The outdoor space includes Raccoon, Otter, Beaver, Fox, Turkey, Bobcat, Bald Eagles, and an Aviary, among other things. On a hot day, the animals will be looking for shade and may not be very active, just like at a zoo. I have to say, it was hot when we were there, but we did see most of those animals. There is lots to do for smaller kids, we had 4 teens with us, they were happy to see the Bald Eagles. The highlight was the otters without a doubt. There is lots of info, lots of conservation, and education on Virginia's wildlife. We liked this much better than a zoo, simply because it's specific to Virginia.I can see why several reviews mentioned the price, but in the end, it helps out a good cause. The pamphlet even says,"Connecting people to nature through educational experiences that promote conservation." I think it's pretty straight forward.
As far as the dinosaur exhibit, it is definitely for younger kids, my teens were not impressed. I too did not need to walk through that area, but if you're really into dinosaurs, it might be your thing.
It's a very pretty museum, it has a purpose and I think they do a great job promoting conservation. We were glad that we went.

This is a well done facility that allows you to take a breath and enjoy some of the wonders that surround us

We have been coming here since we moved to the area 16+ years ago/ never fails to amaze me how things can change- the guides( for lack of a better word) are very well informed, kind, respectful and always willing to answer a question! The attractions have changed over the years which always makes it like your first trip!

Great place to take kids. A good learning and fun place. Good exhibits. Kept a 2 year old entertained.

A pleasant way to spend some time if the weather is nice enough to enjoy strolling the outdoor walkway, where we saw two river otters, a beaver, two wolves, a fox, various birds, and two raccoons. Indoors there are a few aquariums with a logger head turtle, grouper, a small shark, sea horses, snakes, and a few other things. The touch tank has a horseshoe crab and a star fish. That being said, it is expensive at $20 adults and $15 children. If you live nearby and will visit often it may be worth it to join as members (we did, as same price for our group of 8 for annual membership and one-day visit). There was a laser show set to Christmas music in the planetarium. Really a cheesy waste of time. The cheese was worse than velveta. It seems to be a purchased 35-year old laser show which will immediately bore anyone over the age of 5. And damage the hearing of anyone under the age of five. The technology was primitive and the laser light show is less impressive than your screen saver. There is nothing related to nature or Virginia in this experience. The music was too loud and ultra cheese. Not a good use of 30 minutes of your time that you could spend checking out the nature. Trust me on this. If you must go, sit on the end of a row so you can escape this before this 30 minutes of torture ends without having to stumble over your row-mates. As Christmas was a few days ago I guess this light show will hopefully go away but if they try to bring it back next year consider yourself warned. Also, while the museum is open until 5 PM and the gift shop until 5:15, the outdoor boardwalk, arguably the most pleasant aspect of the Living Museum, closes at 4:30.

Entrance is on left, and easy to miss. But go, very worthwhile.
Great boardwalk, plus museum exhibits.

Great place to visit with or without kids in tow. Walk a little and sit and talk on a bench for awhile. No one rushes you thru the museum. New dinosaur area very well done. If you enjoy being a round animal's there is plenty to see. Kids garden area very cute and kid friendly touchable area. The a/c in side was perfect after the outside walk in Summer. The school Spring break will be here soon and you will need something to do .so put the living museums site on the list.

We loved the Virginia Living Museum. We were amazed at the variety and diversity of animals native to Virginia. The museum is not just a museum, it is also a zoo and aquarium all in one. We were so impressed that when our visit was over we turned in our day pass toward the purchase of an annual pass. We will definitely be back!

We were so happy we selected to go to the Virginia Living Museum. It was part inside and part outside. There are lots of living animals, fish, turtles etc... that are local to the area. I learned a lot of tidbit information. This is a wonderful family adventure, though my husband and I enjoyed this without children😀 . It’s a quiet strolling afternoon enjoying the different areas. They have a rescue bird area That is fascinating. Two pelicans understood hand gestures from the trainer while she fed them... remarkable! They have a dinosaur area that is enjoyable and informative... they have a cave section, a nocturnal section etc... it’s very well done! Take a few hours and visit... you will be glad you did!

The museum is well designed to showcase native Virginia habitats and wildlife. It is fun for kids to engage in the interactive exhibits, easy to navigate and not so big as to wear every one out! Family passes and repeated visits are a great idea and help support the museum.

There is a lot to do here. Land animals, fish and OTTERS. The otters were the highlight. There are interactive activities for children and a very nice gift shop.

This is a great museum for the entire family. There is always something going on. Lots of interactive displays and docents and a great dinosaur park for the kids to discover.

We had a really good time on our first visit to this facility. Became Family members right off the bat since it wasn't too much more than admission for the four of us.

All the exhibit spaces and exhibits are well maintained and loaded with informational signs. This is a great place for children to learn about animals of our local area.

The dinosaur exhibit was a hit with the little one, he didn't want to leave. We did not visit the gardens or planetarium, going to save this for another trip.

We did eat lunch at the cafe which was very reasonably priced, the food was hot and fresh and portions very good.

I visited the VLM for the first time when my friend cane to visit. We went earlier in the morning and most of the animals were out and about. Definitely seems like a good place for adults and children. You are able to get a sense of the wildlife and plants that make up Virginia. All the animals seemed to be well taken care of.

Wonderful family adventure! Our grandchildren love this place, and so do we adults. Repeat visits are called for with the Dinosaur Exhibit still on display!

We love going to VLM. Outside dinosaur area is fun to walk around. Having family membership is the way to go. It saves so much and it is worth having the membership with VLM! The food is not so much to say, not so many selections. So we usually pack our lunch and snacks.

We took the teens here and they enjoyed the indoor aquarium animals and outdoor animals. They were not excited about the dinosaurs but enjoyed the rest. You get get a discount as a AAA member. Its small but bigger than we anticipated. Boardwalk leads you around the outdoor animals and it's about 3/4 of a mile. Around $20 per person without a discount. It has a cafe and gift shop.

My children loved the living museum. We had so much fun walking around and looking at everything this museum had to offer. The kids loved interacting with the exhibits and playing vet. You can also touch some of the animals which my older two children enjoyed.

How much it has grown over the years! Except for the kids running unchecked through the dinosaur exhibit ( no parents with them) , it was perfect. Unfortunately they need to put a staff member in that section to keep brats from tearing it up.

Great museum covering lots of subjects, Animals, spiders, fish, birds, and a lot of natural history of Virgina. I'll go again.

This place is anything BUT a museum... it's a zoo, an aquarium and a planetarium all rolled into one. You can explore at your leisure and there are so many hands-on opportunities as well. It's definitely a treasure... and who would know that it's in the middle of the city. You feel like you're in a forest when wandering outside. They have a great gift shop and cafe too. This would be perfect for a student field trip.

This is a quaint little museum that is just big enough to keep small children's attention. The fish tanks are nice to see and they do have revolving exhibits so they try to have something new every few months. My kids love going especially to see the live bee hive.

My husband and I visited in late October 2020 during the week so it was pretty dead, which was nice as we could roam around freely without having to worry about social distancing in a crowd. I'm not sure the size in total of this place but there is a large out door portion and then the inside is pretty big as well. I was beat tired and ready for a seat when all was said and done.
The outside I think was my favorite. I love coyotes, wolves, etc. and many animal places up where we live in PA don't have any canines. All the outdoor exhibits I feel were well designed, so you could always see the animals. Everything had a very natural setting for the animals which was nice to see.
The inside had so many fish, so, so many fish! If you or anyone you know like fish, this is the place to go.

Thank you for a very memorable first visit. My girlfriend and I enjoyed photographing and observing the animals in both the indoor and outdoor exhibits. As a special bonus, while eating our lunch by the waterfall, we got at least 20 robins darting in and out eating the winter berries.

We took our grandkids and they loved everything. I look forward to going back next time we visit. The hands on activities were great and the staff were all very friendly and educational

Self guided tour. About 1-1/2 - 3 hours depending on how long you savor each area. Get your steps in and learn at the same time!

The Virginia Living Museum offers excellent indoor and outdoor exhibits good for people of all ages. Everyone should visit VLM whether they live in the area or are visiting.

Had a chance to visit this museum on 10-7-2017 with daughter, son in law and grand kids 11 to 1.5 yrs old. All of us had fun. The place is kept very clean and well cared for. Lots of hands-on things for all ages. They have a huge outside presence also but we did not get to see much as it rained that day. Without the rain this would be an 'all dayer' tour.
As it was, we enjoyed the cover areas for a good 3 hours or so. This is a natural museum and zooish facility with live animals habituating the different sections of 'habitat' representing the surrounding area. Up close viewing of many fish, snakes, turtles, alligators and sea creatures and don't forget the black widow spider!
Outside we found exhibits with beaver and playful otters before getting rained out.
They also have some nice bronze animal sculptures outside as well.
There was a Lego Exhibit going on while we were there and I understand that these exhibits trade out.

We love the Virginia Living Museum. My children loved to visit when they were small and my son volunteered there through his high school years.
It's a great, educational, beautiful place to visit!

We had a fun, if quick, visit to the museum today! We loved the cleanliness of the animal enclosures, the informative signage, and the variety and organization of the animals and exhibits.

My family were in town from all over the globe, for a family reunion. The original plan was to go to Busch Gardens, it turned out to be a cold and rainy weekend. My children remembered coming here a few years ago when they were in high school, just for something to do while they were bored. It was a little pricey, can't remember how much, but they do offer military discount. The exhibits were really phenomenal, for such a small space. They had live animals outside, kind of had to find them. iIt wasn't like a petting zoo. They had sea creatures inside, that was more like a petting zoo. You could pet certain fish, crabs, with a guide telling you about the different creatures. It's about three stories worth of stuff to see and the outside you can spend 1 to 2 hours, so plan your event. It's possible to be there for 3 hours to see everything I think. This is a really smart and fun place.

We loved it. My 6 year old daughter loved everything. If you have young kids, be sure to go to the vet office display - they get to play ver on fake animals and they have these really cool microscope setups where they can take really close pictures of stuff and it displays on the computer screen. Admittedly, there may have been a few close-ups of my daughter's nose that made it in there....

This probably isn’t fair to VLM but my out of town son and his family accompanied my wife and me to VLM or tried to do so yesterday. Got there at 1400 and the museum was closing for a “by invitation” wine and cheese event. So lesson here: Just call ahead to be sure they are on their advertised hours. It is a wonderful place for children and adults to experience and learn about the fascinating mysteries of nature and learn.

we all enjoyed our trip to this wonderful place. We enjoyed the coastal environments and trails thru the wildlife. The grandkids loved the dinosaurs area.

Nice exhibits and outdoor area. Touch tank planetarium traveling exhibits. Outdoor trail to walk by a lake with various animals like beavers, foxes, birds, etc

Educational and fun- especially for young children. We had a range of ages from 2 to 65 and everyone enjoyed it.

A "middle of the road" museum/ aquarium. A bit overpriced, family of four, hundred dollars for 2 hours of walking around including 30 mins laser show. It's probably much better in summer. Perhaps there is more to see and animals are walking around and not hibernating.

Wonderful museum. We use to be members when we lived in the area. Definitely a worthwhile visit. A good family spot. Hand on activities for children. Kid friendly. Very nice staff

This is a unique opportunity to interact with the flora and fauna of Virginia! Experience hands-on time with animals, fish, and the gardens of Virginia and play your way through the new dinosaur exhibit! And the planetarium is fascinating! This is a venue for all ages!

We went to see a traveling historical exhibit, which was awesome, but we found so much more! Our 14 year old, 11 year old and 2 year old found lots to keep them enchanted. Wild animals, playing veterinarian, exploring a cave, dinosaurs, petting a starfish and a welk in the touch tank, a playful otter, informative, engaging staff, and the list goes on. Great museum, and we found out that it is a reciprocal museum with ASTC.org!

We were in Williamsburg for a visit, and decided to change it up and do a non-historical activity with the kids. After looking on TripAdvisor we decided to give the Virginia Living museum a try, and really enjoyed the experience. We did not arrive until 1:30pm on Saturday and they close at 5pm, but we could have easily spent 4-5 hours there, looking at all of the exhibits with the kids, and felt rushed at the end to cram in the final exhibits before closing. We really enjoyed the nature trail, it was tree covered, so worked out great for a hot day, as t provided a chance to be outside with the kids but blocked the heat and sunlight. The dinosaur area was fun for the kids to search for bones, and there were a few dinosaurs I learned about that I had not heard of before. If I lived closer, I would have gotten a membership and could see walking on the trail on a fairly regular basis.

My child is still too young to really enjoy this museum, but I heartily enjoyed the educational factor of the exhibits. I would have liked to spend some time in the native plants/herbs area, and had more, too, to explore the outdoor trail exhibits. The water animals and cave dwellers were some of my favorites. I loved the area where kids can pretend to be veterinarians! What a clever, fun, educational way to learn! Staff was very helpful and I highly suggest taking kids from ages 3+.

Come here for the day, better yet, get a membership. It is well worth the price. Bring a camera and wear good walking shoes, walk the outdoors on wooden plank walkways suspended above and next to the outdoor habitats of their wildlife patrons. Take the kids to the outdoor Dinosaur models exhibits. The admission goes to help provide lasting homes for injured wild animals and for once wild animals that are too comfortable around humans to be released to the wild. The animals here are kept in spacious, well maintained outdoor areas. There are exhibits inside and outside but plan to go on a sunny day, so you can see all the outdoor exhibits. I have been here many times and kids seem to love this place. They have several interactive play areas for young children. Don't forget to visit the touch tank. They also have a Planetarium. They have a drinks and food court/cafe with reasonable prices and large portions. A gift shop with a large assortment of unusual gifts and toys and T-shirts. It is a fairly large facility so plan to stay for a few hours, have lunch and explore some more.

Kids of all ages love this place ,in and outside too. Take an hour or two to explore , have a snack , watch the stars, or walk the trails and visit the eagle and the fox habitat. You and the children will have so much fun.

Great Family Place. Well Suited for Children. Lots of wild animals, and plenty of things for younger children to do. Highly recommended

Took grandchildren and they had a ball. The museum is full of adventure and exciting exhibits of animals from all over the world. They didn't get bored and were sad to leave.

We love the museum. Wish the water was cleaner in the outdoor exhibits....but the inside pools are very nice.

I have gone here several times when I was younger and I enjoyed taking my family with me. The kids loved seeing and learning about all the different animals here. Will definitely visit again and again!

This Museum would be okay for small children. The outside animals were mostly not visible during the day. I would not allow more than a couple of hours for this Museum.

Thanks to my cousin we discovered the Living museum. We will definitely be back for more visits. Live animals, aquarium, play ground, all great. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to explore the whole museum but we were very impressed with the exhibits, live animals, and size of the museum.

My cousin told me the front exhibit space changes often so there always new things to see.

The best part - You can purchase a membership pass which allows you access to various other museums, not only in the US but in other countries as well. You can find the list online.

Lots of hands on fun for the kids. It's best to visit in the morning so you can see more of the animals outside before it gets warm.

While visiting my Grandsons, we decided to take the kids for a visit here. All 3 of them just loved it, so many things to see and interact with. The staff was very helpful and they really liked being able to touch the star fish and other things during the demonstration. Lots of walking, but worth it to see the smile on their faces.

It’s great for all ages and has a little bit of something for everyone! From animals to space it truely is great

This is a great animal/environmental museum. I was pleasantly surprised when we walked inside. It's not too big or to small. Everything was laid out beautifully and executed with the animals natural habitats in mind. Be prepared to spend 3-4 hours walking around.

I brought my older daughter here 18 years ago and this time I brought my grandson. We really love it here. The displays are awesome. He LIVED the dinosaur exhibits.

Great place to being the kids, the name really exemplifies what it is about. Lots of activities and exibits very reasonable price for the time spent/ things available. Extremely friendly and knowledgable staff. Planetarium was worth the extra money($4 per person), we chose the VA skys feature and was absolutely fantastic. Extremely informative on our own night sky. Presenter did her very best to encite and invoke a very lackluster crowd and did not lose stride because of. Smaller than what we expected as we frequent the SMOR planetarium which is about 10x the size but this made it better as it was more intimate. Would recommend going on Thursdays when the outdoor trail is open later as all the animals outdoors are nocturnal and are not all that active during regular hours. I believe that they could have a bigger placard for the reasons why these animals have injuries or ailments. The reason these animals are here/ brought in is because they can not survive alone in the wild. I heard many a discussion whilst walking the trail among other guests about the "abuse" these animals are recieving, this is absolutely not so. Being a native Virginian and having the majority of these animals criss-cross through my backyard I see some of the things the animals are going through quite often. As it is of no fault to the keepers lack. The only thing that this place could improve on is the cafe'. Food was very expensive and not very good. Majority of items are fried and not very many healthy or fresh options. Will return but with a packed lunch.

We were in Williamsburg for the week, and we decided to visit the Living Museum because our kiddos were just about done with historical sites (our kids are 8, 11, and 13). This was their favorite activity of our entire vacation! It’s so interactive and family-friendly. We went first-thing in the morning, and it wasn’t crowded at all until about lunch time. All 5 of us enjoyed it!

We got here early and it was absolutely perfect. If you have school aged kids, I would suggest getting there when it opens before all the strollers arrive. The displays were clean, clear, and educational. The energy efficient house was so informative! There were so many animals to see. Highly recommend. It’s also a part of the science center reciprocity program.

We took our grandson who is 4 going on 20 and he thoroughly enjoyed seeing the animals, the legos, the dinosaur exhibit and the wellness area where kids are the veterinarians caring for the animals. Thinking of getting a family membership!

We decided on the Living Museum and were definitely not disappointed! We have 3 kids, 7 and under. All 5 of us explored and studied every nook and cranny. The Lego exhibit and opportunity to play was a hit. I wish the Children's garden had more to explore and had shade so the kids could enjoy it more. We did not do the planetarium, it seemed pricey for a 30 minute show. A better discounted combo ticket might have enticed us but at about $20 a person it wasn't worth it. Our kids have already asked to come back next time we visit!

This is an excellent facility both inside and out. The walking trails through the aviary are great along with the animal and plant displays. Staff is very knowledgeable and a great resource for visitors. A great place for kids and grandkids.

Such a great retreat in the city. A place to reconnect with nature, explore our local habitats, and engage with the animals. A treat for singles, couples, families, and all ages. Wonderful way to inspire our part of the circle of life.

this is a great place to see and learn about local flora, fauna, and ecology. There are activities and displays for toddlers to adult, with special play and hands on things for all. check their calendar for special events. there is also a small planetarium

Went to VLM on 12/4. It was a little chilly, but my 6 mo old enjoyed the fish/aquarium displays and the outdoor dinosaur exhibits. The museum is such a good value and the exhibits are wonderfully done.

We were looking for something to do today and randomly found this place. We loved seeing all the animals and really enjoyed the "Virginia Skies" show in the Planetarium

Super fun! Even as adults! My fiance and I went for a day date and had a great time! There was a lot to do for all ages. We enjoyed seeing all the animals and learning more about our area.

Bring the whole family and enjoy the nature! Clean facilities, safe place to bring the kids and take a walk!

I heard a lot of good things about The Virginia Living Museum so my family and I had to go as part of our vacation. The thing I can tell you, if it is hot outside do not go. We were unfortunate enough to go on our vacation during one of the hottest weeks of the year. This day it was pushing 100 degrees. A lot of the animals were hiding in the shade so we didn't see many of them. Although the property was peaceful, we really didn't see much.

The staff were very friendly and willing to talk with you about an exhibit or animal.

I felt that a lot of the indoor exhibits needed a little refreshing. The hands-on kids activities were old and missing things. Seems it had been touched too many times. The price seemed a little high for what you get, but maybe on a cooler day with more animals about, the price wouldn't have seemed so bad.

Overall I would say it is worth making the trip out to the VA living museum, just do it on a cooler day.

Enjoyed taking my grandkids to the Museum,Very fun with plenty to see and also hands on activite In a good locations that is not to far from places to eat..And parks

Ive just always loved places like this!

Spots like this will forever hold a special place in my heart. If you have ever wanted to get outside, step 1. Get up and go!

Step 2. tho, I’d recommend getting a little familiar with things you may encounter while being outdoorsy af 🙌🏾

You know answering questions around what leaves you may not want to touch and how insects don’t actually want to kill you!

It’s one thing to google them but to see real examples at this hybrid aquarium, zoo, 🌺botanical garden and science center is just super dope to me.

If you have never been, be a tourist where you live, pack a lunch and make a day out of it, I think you’ll dig it!

Love this place! It’s a unique combination of museum, aquarium, and zoo. It’s laid out very nicely with the indoor and outdoor areas intersecting nicely. The animals looked well cared for. I love that it includes all the ecosystems of Virginia and breaks it down for even smaller kids to understand. It entertained a teen, child, and adult. Not easy to satisfy all three of those!

We enjoyed the museum and the nature trail out back. I personally thought it would have been larger for $20 per person. I think if you bring kids they will have a great time.

My daughter loves animals so we decided to visit here. Not as many animals as the zoo of course, but still nice to visit. I think the price is a bit high ($80 for 4 of us) but it looks like the rescue animals so it was a good donation.

We went to the museum today with our son's family. The children, ages 10, 6 and 3 loved it. The whole museum was very clean and well maintained. We did the outdoor boardwalk first. We saw many active animals in the habitats.......fox, deer, turkeys, wolves, beavers and many more. The children also enjoyed the new dinosaur section. The indoor exhibits were well done as well. Definitely would recommend, especially for children.

Lovely outside area with good information signs. Lots for children to do, but also very interesting and informative for adults.

Cafe offered simple but tasty food.

Inside, it was cool with varied exhibits and activities, so a great place on a hot day.

Very accessible for wheelchair users, although a few shy creatures were more easily seen with standing.

Exceeded my expectations.

Aquariums, tanks of animals, nature trail with animals in natural-like habitats, and my son's favorite: the Dinosaur Discovery Trail. Really well laid out with little "houses" full of replica, casts, and real fossils. It costs a pretty penny, but we spent a good couple of hours there. And, if you have a zoo or museum membership, they reciprocate with a number of zoos and museums, so you wouldn't have to pay here either, if your membership is in the same network.

This is, without a doubt, the best zoo/museum combination I have ever been to. What makes it stand out the most is its absolute devotion to education. Every animal on display was identified, and information was giving in easy-to-absorb bites -- and there was plenty of it.

Among the incredible things we found there: A marvelous cold water stream tank with native fishes, including trout and small minnows and river darters. Red wolves -- a jaw-droppingly rare animal to see. A siren, and American eels.

Enclosures were adequately large, and thoughtfully naturalistic -- outdoors, they were full of native trees and plants, and leaf litter -- clean and beautiful looking. They were obviously designed with the needs of the animal in mind more than the needs of the viewing public, but nevertheless, the animals were comfortable enough that we had no trouble spotting them.

Children's play areas abounded -- an outdoor play area with jungle gym equipment and a Hobbit hole playhouse, a touch garden of flowers and plants adjacent to it -- indoors, the most incredible play area I've ever seen -- a huge room devoted to duplicating a Wildlife Hospital with children's play equipment, including a kitchen for preparing meals for patients, examination and surgery equipment, microscopes, and more -- along with bins of supplies and stuffed animal 'patients.' Wow! What an incredible way to foster an interest in veterinary medicine in young children!

Every inch of the place was devoted to ensuring the welfare of the animals and taking advantage of every educational opportunity from wildlife as well as captives with informational plaques, binoculars, etc. I can't recommend it highly enough!

This one of a kind living museum is a great place to take children to allow them to investigate nature. Many hands on exhibits and helpful guides.

My parents from New York came to Virginia to visit me, and we all went to check this place out. I had never been there, and neither had they. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED walking through this place! The staff was super nice, and everyone had a smile on their face, I actually felt welcome there! There was one spot I didn't want to wander through, and wanted to skip, but my mom coaxed my into checking it out anyway, and I am glad she did! I ended up laughing and taking pictures! The worst part of the visit to this place was finishing the trail, and needing to leave :-( I certainly recommend checking this place out, and take your time, allow at the minimum 2ish hours.

A great day seeing the exhibits and looking at the different fish. The weather was perfect to enjoy the outdoor exhibits seeing the bobcat, turkeys, Eagles, etc. The fish exhibits are really nice and all the tanks are really kept up very nice. Great place to bring young kids. So much to see and learn. The volunteers are very friendly too.

Very well kept museum and animal habitat. The kiddos really enjoyed spending the day here. The staff was very professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. A really nice and low stress place.

Nice semi-small museum. we did the behind the scenes tour which was very cool! Indoor and outdoor exhibits.

We took our almost two-year-old Grandson with us to the museum on a beautiful Spring Day this week. I was pleasantly surprised at the displays and information available throughout the tour.

This place is cool and has dinosaurs! The exhibits are nice and well laid out for the youngsters and the nature trail walk is nice and shaded. Prices were reasonable and it was a good time for all.

Another hidden gem to visit for those visiting the area, the Living museum has mostly outdoor activities, but also has stations in the main building for visitors. It's Dinosaur exhibit is a must see.

This is a great place to view the plants and wildlife that make up Virginia. We visited on a cool day (45 degrees) and early in the day and the animals were very active and playful. It was wonderful to see the otters and wolves interacting and playing with each other. What a great find!

This was a place we almost didn't go to. It was a last minute decision and it was a good one. Lots to see inside and out. If you get to see feeding time with an animal the worker tells you all about it.

This place was really, really cool! Tons of animals to check out, both indoors and outdoors. The Museum had a really good balance of all the types of wildlife and habitats you can find in the area. The dinosaur trail outside was really amazing! Any kid interested in dinos could spend just half a day in that area alone! We just sat and watched the beautiful saltwater aquarium for 15 minutes totally entranced. We also really appreciated the cold options in the café. Their hot dishes are mostly fried type foods, but they had a great selection of cut fruit, cheese sticks, chopped veggies, etc in the cooler. Great visit!

Best museum I have ever visited! All the animals are rescued!!! The train is great as well! I highly recommend this museum.

We really appreciate the visit and exhibits. Our residents love the fact that it's hands on and they could walk outdoors and walk the trail.

My father found this in the AAA Tour Guide marked as a "gem" not to be missed - and it was right! For those who don't know, it's a place to walk in the woods on trails to see native Virginia wildlife pretty up close. Animals and birds of all varieties are here, and visitors can take as much time walking around and viewing as they want. Indoors one can see various exhibits geared toward the different regions of Virginia, exhibits that also feature geology and geographical features as well as flora and fauna. We spent three hours there and enjoyed every single moment. A cafe is available, but there are also lots of picnic tables outdoors. Kids will love it!

Took my 14 year-old, animal-adoring daughter to the VLM for our first visit. Quite a nice surprise! Parking was ample, and greeting staff pleasant and helpful. Entry was $20- a bit steep but it goes to support the work they do so happily paid. We immediately went on the ouside trail and watched the otters being fed...delightful! The outdoor walk was enjoyable, an easy stroll lakeside and through the woods with native animals in native habitats- nice change from typical zoos. Note the animals are obtained through rescue efforts, not captured or captive-bred. The museum proper has nice displays of local environments. Looks like there are abundant educational opportunities- great family destination

The Living Museum is a wonderful combination of exhibits and hands of activities. First, we have to say hello to the sea turtle, then the alligator. After she plays for a while in the Food Prep and Vet Clinic area, we go for a walk on the boardwalk to see all the animals and visit the 'Hobbit House.' We always check for special activities for the day (live animal visits, animal enrichment and feedings) and usually take in a Planetarium show. The food is good in the cafeteria too. It's a great place for children and adults.

This is a wonderful museum. Rhere is so much to do for kids. This is a fun and educational place to visit. It has indoor and outdoor areas to explore. The play areas are amazing.

The staff are friendly and engaging to visitors. The changing exhibits has been a hit every time we visit.

A must do for families visiting the area.

Took my 10 years old granddaughter there this summer. She really enjoyed seeing the animals, especially being able to touch the sea creatures in the touch tank. Our whole experience was A-ONE!

This has a lot of variety and something for everyone. Kids loved the interactive displays and getting to touch some animals. There are indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a planetarium. Great way to spend a day for a very reasonable price!

Wow. Not what I expected. There was construction. Everything was closed and things were kind of run down. There were 2 fox on display. A coyote, a red wolf, a deer, and some buzzards. The aviary had about a dozen birds(maybe) we didn’t stay long enough to really search. The Dino statues were pretty cool and I enjoyed seeing them but was disappointed with everything else.

This was a very interesting place to visit, with native wildlife and plants. We spent an enjoyable couple of hours there, but for some unaccountable reason the cafe was closed, which meant that we could not even get a coffee, let alone lunch. I know it is not peak season, but the place was decorated for Halloween and had plenty of visitors. We had to leave eventually because we were hungry

My grandchildren love VLM
From the wonderful exhibits to the fish tanks to the play room
And dinasour playground
They run and explore and learn
It is a real treasure in our community

It was pouring rain, windy and cold when we visited Newport News. We opted for this museum and had a great time. Caught the arachnid exhibit with dozens of tarantulas. The inside exhibits are interesting, even for adults. The outdoor part is a short boardwalk circle and was fine even in the rain. It was zoo-like but several exhibits clearly stated that the animals were there because they were injured and couldn't return to the wild. It felt like a kindness zoo rather than a profit zoo and that made it much more enjoyable to me. Good views of the bobcat, foxes, coyote and the eagles were amazing. Allow two hours and maybe more if your kids want to touch the hands-on stuff.

My first visit, and am I impressed! This is a combo zoo that you explore on a lovely boardwalk through trees and ponds; the animals have well thought-out enclosures, and are well signed. There is a planetarium that my group had no time to explore, various snack shops, a very nice visitor/information center and gift shop. Did I mention the dinosaurs? oh yes…..for kids of all ages. Don’t miss this attraction. I’m returning soon.

This was such a cool museum. It was a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden and museum all wrapped up in one. All animals here had been injured and rescued. Each habitat was huge/spacious, giving each animal room to roam. Everything was natural creating a more organic experience. This is a great place for adults and kids alike. So much to do here.

This really is a small museum. I was here ten years ago and have not seen anything added to it. Such a shame. The $20 admission price is way too much for what you get. Especially when a few of the exhibits are closed. I wont be back for a third time unfortunately.

Very clean and well kept. Great exhibits and friendly, knowledgeable staff. My kids loved the outside trails. Cool place, would recommend for anyone who enjoys animals.

Great place to take the family. A lot of the exhibits are outside so it’s worth it to go when the weather is nice. This is a bit of a hidden gem in Newport News.

We really had a good time exploring the exhibits. The exhibits we're very informative, and well done. The museum seems to carter more towards younger visitors. Lots of stuff for young children to do, but still worth it for adults as well. Unfortunately the outdoor animals are mostly nocturnal so they are sleeping during visiting hours.

Great museum for all ages! Loved the dinosaur exhibit, the aquarium, and the staff is very nice!! Take tyre family and have a wonderful time!!

Lots of indoor and outdoor family fun.
The animals are out even during chilly weather, resulting in less active critters. Nevertheless they are all still beautiful. The animals at the VLM are there due to imprinting or injury. Many appear to have mandibular injury.
There is a local animal touch tank indoors with horseshoe crabs, sea stars, decorator crabs and more.

We weren’t sure what to expect when we went to this museum, which seemed from the description to be part museum and part zoo. The dinosaur exhibit they have up now through Sept 3 was amazing! Our kids loved finding dinosaurs and posing for photos throughout the museum. We liked how the museum focuses on local wildlife and fauna. We traveled with a 4 & 7 year old and they were bouncing around to all the exhibits. They loved the tide pool touch exhibit and the live animal demonstration (they were able to touch a black rat snake). I can’t imagine kids older than 10 enjoying this museum as much - it seems geared more towards families with young children.

It was an extremely hot day when we attended so we did part of the outdoor loop but didn’t spend as much time there because of the heat.

I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the cost of admission (it was a bit steep, but understandable). Also, you can get a AAA discount and receive $1 off admission so be sure to ask.

There were a lot of cool attractions there. They had all sorts of wildlife that was native to Virginia. The walking tour out back was hit or miss in regards to seeing animals in their pens. My favorite was the shark's swimming in the tank. My kids, though, love the dinosaur playground.

The Virginia Living Museum is a gem in Newport News, Va. Tons to see inside and out with very well-maintained exhibits with informative signage. Volunteers are available to answer questions and there is a wonderful gift shop and a little restaurant that is surprisingly good! Great for children under the age of about 15 and all ages of adults.

This is a nice place to spend the day with your kids, but it really wasn’t worth the trip without them. Everything is geared toward children ...just wish I’d known that before we went.

One of my favorite places to go with my one and two-year-old. We try to go at least once a week. It is not only a great learning experience, but helps to get out all the wiggles ☺️

the kids love the dinosaur exhibits... the sounds and movements and interaction...
the entire museum gets an A+ for cleanliness as well.

Second time I have been there. Impressed with their exhibits and hand on opportunities. My granddaughters loved the recent automated dinosaur exhibit. Definitely worth the drive from Williamsburg area attractions. Animals and wildlife always a plus with children.

We came with 2 of our grandchildren and enjoyed the visit very much. The downside is that It was so cold so we rushed our outdoor experience a bit. Loved seeing the animals and the kids loved the dinosaur area. Sad to see the snakes in such small areas and a few other creatures as well.

Don't get there too late!
Very fun things to do with the kids
Great learning experiences and very interactive rooms

We visited on a Sunday in August expecting it to be crowded. It was not this day. We started out on the trails visiting the giant lego sculptures that are on special exhibit through Nov. 2017. Their Dinosaur area is unique with areas kids can uncover the fossil recreations. Lots of Dinosaur life size statues. The indoor part of the museum is very well laid out and each area was interesting. We were there 4 1/2 hrs. You could easily stay the whole day especially if you have younger kids. The cafe was good too.

Nice museum even when it rains! We enjoyed our trip to this museum Lots if hands on exhibits for families and many opportunities for children Our grand daughter (4yrs) enjoyed putting on butterfly wings and traveling through an obstacle course (an indoor activity) When the rain stopped we walked on the board walk through the beautiful wooded area to the dinosaur park! It was really nice even though it was wet. Loved the informational stops on the boardwalk including the wingspan of an eagle. Indoors there was a great area showcasing the flora fauna and animals of VA including a great aquarium. They did not forget an area showcasing the caves of Va . The Vet area for the babies and toddlers was really a nice hands on exhibit.
The ordering on line was great. Since this was a fall excursion, the place was not as crowded as I would imagine a spring or summer crowd might be. The timed entrance was easy and we got in very quickly so we could enjoy our visit.Great visit really easy to see in a morning or afternoon visit.

Buying a yearly family membership was a great move. Every time we visit our grandkids they want to go to the museum. Our granddaughter loves the touching pool where she can touch and observe with trained personnel various of the marine animals. Starfish and horshoe crabs are her favorite. Then it's off to do not her doctors smock and play animal vet. It's a wonderful museum for all ages

This is a wonderful little place. The animals outside are viewed from a nice, raised wooden walkway that provides a good view of them. My two year old especially liked the otters, which have both an underwater viewing area and an above water viewing platform. He also really liked the wolves. We encountered an employee who was walking around with a kestrel, so we got to see the bird very close up. Inside, there are a ton of fish, as well as many other aquatic animals, such as turtles. There were also snakes and frogs and even a small alligator. The inside bee hive on the second floor intrigued my son and it was neat to see the bees working inside the hive. Give yourself at least two hours, perhaps longer. Older toddler and children will probably love the "learn to be a vet" area with lots of pretend animals in cages and vet equipment. At the time we visited, they were still working on the outside dinosaur area, but from what we could see, it looks like it will be a great addition.

We were told about this museum and it was fantastic. There was a LEGO exhibit. The art made out of legos was wonderful - dragonfly, butterfly, deer, etc. And the kids loved using the giant blocks as well as the regular ones. My grandsons are definitely into dinosaurs so that exhibit was a huge hit as well. They go to a school where they are Otters so the playful otters were a treat to see. The fish, turtles, alligators, etc were all of interest to them, As adults, we learned a lot too. Plus the presentation with the boardwalks is very , very nice.

We went to see the local wildlife and were pleasantly surprised to see a very good arrangement of exhibits that told the story of each species. Hands on exhibits brought it closer to life. We were traveling with an elderly person who was able to use the complementary electric wheelchair.
Watched the birds being fed as well as the alligator and snapping turtle - the staff were well informed and answered all questions.
This was good for adults but we could see the young kids enjoying themselves.

I bought a membership my kid loved it so much. It has model dinosaurs, a beaver and jellyfish, basically a little bit of everything

Families...School Science Field Trips...Scouting/Church/Youth Groups...or just go with friends for by yourself...either way, don't miss these AMAZING displays!
There is plenty of indoor activities to see and do, but hopefully go in better (sunny & warm) Spring-thru-Fall weather, to enjoy some of the outside activities and greenery.
A nice café and interesting museum gift shop...GO SEE THE PLANETARIUM shows,...talk about your 'WoW!' Factor!
Plenty of (accessible) parking and handicap-accessible washrooms (I'm in a wheelchair and found it easy enough to roll through all the fun & interesting displays -- VERY COOL!!!).
My ONLY caution is to remind you that VA Rt. 64 is going through a LOT of construction...so I'd check some electronic map service and perhaps the local traffic news to see how congested it might be. If you avoid morning & afternoon Rush Hours, you should be fine...but GO...it is SO worth the inventive & informative experience. Make and take the time to allow your curiosity and wonderment to wonder around the facility...take it all in...plenty to have good memories to hold on to
('Thanks' Jamie & family from Florida for bringing me here -- it was a BLAST...and beautiful, too). Enjoy! :-D
**They MAY offer some sort of discount, like group or military. Contact them on their website to be sure.

I didn't know what we going to see upon arriving but we not dissapointed. The place was clean, easy to navigate and kept our interest the entire time there...We didn't know that some of those animals lived in Virginia....a real treat!

We were here as part of a group and saw much of what they had to offer. Loved the animals and appreciated the space they had; they're all here because they can't survive in the wild and are treated very well from what I could see.

This is the greatest place to see and learn about the animals and insects that inhabit the US as well as Virginia. We walked all through the trails looking at all the critters that live in VA and were donated as unwanted pets or wounded in the wild. The wolves and coyotes looked and acted just like dogs. They even howled at the fire engines that went by on the highway! The Bobcat reminded us of a domestic cat except it had a short tail. ( It was my favorite) We also got to watch the employees feed the alligator and snapping turtle while using behavior mod. clicks and a red tipped pole to motivate them to change location. It was fascinating to watch the intern feel the jelly fish too. We saw a arachnid display of dozens of different spiders, tarantulas, and scorpions as well as a a vineroon(?) insect from one of the Harry Potter movies. We paid extra for a behind the scenes tour with George whom I believe was the director of the museum, and it was well worth the price. He pointed out critters we had missed as he knew where they hid, and told us how each animal came to the museum. ("Every animal has a story") We saw a Great Blue Heron with a misaligned beak that can only eat from the pan of food. If you ever get near one, cover your eyes as they defend themselves by pecking at your eyes. We even petted a snake the employees had outside on the trail. The two bald eagles were interesting too. In the spring, wild & free females will land in the cage to get their attention, but as the eagles only mate while in flight, these bachelors are out of luck. The gift shop had the best selection of post cards with photos taken of the animals we saw! They also had tons of unique gifts for kids as well as adults. As a teacher, I purchased key chains of shark jaws,various stone bracelets for different "healing" purposes based on the stones, and a "soap rock" containing platinum gold & copper that had a fabulous scent. The water tanks were designed to look natural and it was fun watching the trout jump up out of the water when the employee let us toss in pellets. What an interesting and educational visit this was!

Our favorite area is the ocean. We like the sharks and sea turtle. It is very peaceful. The price is affordable for families and every few months they have different educational displays. We've learned about different types of animal poop lol. We live near by and visit several times a year.

Nice place to visit...clean,employees very friendly, very educative,kids and adults enjoy.very reasonable price

Loved seeing so many animals in natural settings! Very enjoyable visit with lots to see. We spent about 3 hours and it was well worth it. Not at all crowded. Highly recommend.

It’s cool and all when they have there special events like spiders , reptiles or whatever, but it’s just not worth going to! They need some serious remodeling it’s looked the same way too long and it’s just old now! It used to be really cool but it’s outdated and needs more! Should be torn down and rebuilt from scratch with a design that makes sense and so they can add more animals! The nature trail is horrible, barely any birds most cages are empty and it’s so boring!

It was amazing! Bathrooms are clean and the animals are amazing. I would go early and not on a hot day as about half of the museum is outside. Staff is super nice and will give you so much info. I would rate this 10 stars if it was an option! We had a wonderful time and will definitely go back!

Went with friends and really enjoyed it. I thought $19 for seniors was a tad expensive. I'd rate the exhibits as mixed. The aquariums and terrariums were good. The special wolf to woof exhibit was entertaining a lot of kids. The perimeter plants and aquariums are not near as good. They can ditch the fake alligator and turtle. I have mixed emotions on caged animals. The small wire enclosures seem sterile for the animals contained there.