Young Earth Scientists' Paradise: Virginia Museum of Natural History

It's true there have been no major troves of dinosaur fossils found in Virginia, but scientists know they were here and may find them.  Better yet for most of us, you can see dino fossils now without leaving the state if you head to the Virginia Museum of Natural History, a museum of impressive scale found in small Martinsville, Virginia.  The museum opens to the Hall of Ancient Life, the site's main hall and beautiful display area for several dino skeletons.  As Elijah pointed out, look up for the pteranodon, and don't miss going to the small exhibit area upstairs to walk the bridge and get a bird's eye view of the fossils below.  From the hall, you can also observe scientists at work in a few working labs.  As you can see from the photo of Justin, Gwen, and Elijah above, there's a lot to look at!

Other exhibits showcase many carefully taxidermied animals including river otters, prairie dogs, lions, deer, and even a mother opossum carrying her babies! Virginians are sure to appreciate the Virginia-focus of many of the displays, including information on the formation of coal, the lives of Native Americans in the region long ago, and Caroline County's fascinating Carmel Church fossil dig site.  To indulge your more worldwide Earth science interests, there's a space full of good descriptive information on plate tectonics and volcanoes.  There's also a travelling exhibit space adding variety for regular visitors.

If you are traveling with preschool or elementary-aged children, there is a small play area within the museum that includes climbing equipment.  Take note that it features some steep ladders and dress to "spot" your younger children accordingly.  Whether or not you have kids with you, go to the basement classroom-style space--interesting leafcutter ants and other live specimens are on display there.

If you live in southwest or central Virginia, we recommend you check out the passport-level family museum memberships currently available at a discounted rate at the Science Museum of Western Virginia.  The Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) passport feature results in an impressive list of "free" museums and other cultural sites in Virginia and North Carolina in particular, including the Virginia Museum of Natural History.  We plan to be repeat visitors this year--and in warmer weather, we want to also take in nearby Fairy Stone State Park.

Relevant Twitter Handle: @VMNH