Virginia Living Museum is a little gem of a day trip, especially for kids with any interest in animals or nature. Easy to find from the interstate system (but not in sight from there), the museum includes live animals in spaces inside and outside along a pleasant boardwalk. Lots of rescued animals native to Virginia can be seen along the walk, and we found the docents knowledgeable of the animals and their habits. Stop and ask them to explain the behavior of the animals--they'll tell you interesting stories that often include stories of the rescue of the animals, injured, from the wild. Also outside are a small play area perfect for preschool and young elementary kids. For us, visiting on a quick stop, the boardwalk on a pleasant day was the highlight of the trip.
Inside, you'll find regionally-based exhibits about Virginia wildlife--a dream for teachers of Virginia Studies and science! There's a taste of aquarium-style exhibits as well as smaller enclosures with smaller animals. The facility is well-maintained and has a spacious travelling exhibit space--recently, it was featuring large robotic models of bugs. Check the website for updates--a temporary dinosaur exhibit opens in May 2016. Attention shoppers: There's also a reasonably-priced gift shop.
If visiting with kids say, 10ish and younger, we recommend considering going on a clearly "good weather" day, dressing for inside and outside temps, and packing a picnic or bringing carryout--you can eat right outside the museum. ASTC Passport science museum members, this is a participating site! It's also Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited, so check any related memberships you have for possible reciprocity. The museum is a very easy drive from Williamsburg and a reasonably easy one from Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Right now, it would be fun to combine with a stop at Lantern Asia. We made a quick trip of about 45-60 minutes, but we'd actually recommend 2-3 hours or more.
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