Discovering the Wonders of Hampton Roads, Virginia

Story by Kelly Copeland; Photos courtesy of Virginia Living Museum

The Virginia Living Museum (VLM), located in Newport News, is a nationally accredited non-profit institution representing hundreds of Virginia’s native animal species. All regions of Virginia are showcased from the Chesapeake Bay and Blue Ridge Mountains to the Virginia Underground. KJ Jordan, the museum’s Group Sales Manager says, “The museum is an attraction but also an educational institution.”

No matter what your age there is something to learn. Have a question about a horseshoe crab? Just head over to the touch tank at one of the four Discovery Centers and one of the Museum’s dedicated volunteers will be happy to answer it.

One of the Museum’s most popular exhibits, “Dinosaurs and More,” is back for the summer. It is fascinating how the Apatosaurus, Maiasaura, and T-Rex move and interact with such realism. And for the first time, mammals from the Ice Age are on display including a family of saber tooth cats and the massive wholly mammoth. If after seeing the exhibit you want to learn more, the Museum’s gift shop is full of books and other merchandise that are packed with information.

Just last summer the Museum opened the Goodson House, a “Living Green House” environmental education center. As guests tour the house they learn all about the newest and best products and techniques to create a more environmentally friendly home. Some of the house’s features include a roof covered with living plants, alternative wall systems and insulation systems, and a geothermal heat pump and cooling unit. It is the first of its kind in Virginia.

Virginia Living Museum “Living Green” Exhibit

There are so many varied things to see at the Virginia Living Museum. A 3/4 mile boardwalk takes visitors past countless native animals including river otters, bald eagles, and the endangered red wolf. And while guests are outside, they can also stop at The Coastal Plain Aviary which showcases such coastal birds as pelicans and herons or check out The Butterfly Garden.

The schedule for the Abbitt Planetarium is packed for the summer. Several laser shows will be presented including Laser Country and Laser Pop. There is also a companion program to “Dinosaurs and More” called Dinosaur Prophecy. The presentation will explore four different dinosaur digs around the world. The museum’s website, www.thevlm.org, has the dates and times for all of the Planetarium’s shows.

The Virginia Living Museum truly has something for everyone and needs to be on everyone’s “To Do” list this summer.

Kelly Copeland is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she majored in Film Studies and minored in Theatre. While searching for the right position on her communication-focused career path, Kelly is interning at WCTV, the City of Chesapeake’s television station, where she is working on Channel 48 News and “Thinking Out Loud” among other programs. She’s also covering Tourism and Arts & Culture for the Hampton Roads blog. Contact Kelly at kellycplnd@gmail.com.