Fun with Friends and a New Exhibit: Danville Science Center

What do you do on the next-to-last day of your ASTC Passport-level science museum membership?  1) Make sure it is renewed for next year (it is!).  2)  Enjoy the benefits with a guest good friend!  Today, E, his friend L, and Kim drove down to Danville Science Center to enjoy pleasant weather, a new travelling exhibit, and the Dome Theater movie of choice, National Geographic's Wildest Weather in the Solar System.

First things first:  Three big thumbs up to the travelling exhibit Design Zone, in-house through spring 2016.  These six-year-old boys spent well over an hour in the exhibit, and they didn't even notice they didn't cover but about a third of it.  It may be implied by that last statement, but the experienced museum-goer knows to spell out these important facts: the exhibit components were interactive, in good repair, and very engaging.  Most appropriate for early elementary through middle school, Design Zone lets you test lots of maker concepts and play games--and the connections to basic algebra, simple machines, and the like are thoughtfully designed.  It would be a fantastic field trip classroom!  Our favorite exhibits were roller coaster and skate park test tracks, both digital and physical; a three-person "bike race" activity; a catapult tester; and a marble maze game you could customize with simple equations.  Also intriguing: an equation balancing activity, coordinate plane drawing (that requires cooperation between partners); and "laser lights" to manipulate, dance-floor style.  In short, if you live where we do, it is completely worth the drive from Roanoke. By way of really nifty memories, we were also the first non-museum folks to enter the exhibit, which made us feel like celebrities.

All that said, the rest of the museum was equally pleasing.  Our other favorites included the taxidermied animal collection in the train station building and the force experiment stations upstairs. We enjoyed our Dome movie--and in Danville, there's a short planetarium "sky show" at the end of the movies.  In about 45 minutes, we saw our feature and had an educational presentation about the area sky.  Our "sky guide" was very well-spoken and informative--and the information he presented was accessible to everyone in the audience.  The technology in the Dome allows various perspectives on sky views, including the ability to "zoom out" to the Milky Way--educational, yes, and also just plain cool.

For families and collections of young friends, this museum is a great choice.  The size is big enough but not overwhelming for a day trip visit, gift shop prices are reasonable, parking is convenient, and there's an area inside for snacking/picnicking if you please.  And another plug for ASTC museum memberships:  Danville Science Center memberships are particularly reasonably priced, and you don't have to live in Danville to get them.  The ASTC reciprocity piece "kicks in" 90 miles from your home museum, so this option may be a particularly good deal in Danville depending on your family's travel plans.  They also have educator memberships, so if you work for schools, ask questions and see what works out best for you!  When getting a membership, be sure to ask about its passport status.  For more on our previous adventures at the center, click here.

A New Treasure: Discovering the Danville Science Center

Inspired by a field trip at Kim's school, we headed out to the Danville Science Center--a place we'd barely heard of but thoroughly enjoyed.  The center is full of interactive exhibits and play areas--and it's worth the drive from Roanoke. 

Permanent exhibits span two buildings and include rocks, small "stuffed" animals, and a few live animals like a lizard and a turtle.  There's a large temporary exhibit space, and exhibits rotate reasonably frequently.  There are also seasonal attractions like a butterfly garden.  Elijah was a huge fan of the From Here to There temporary exhibit, enjoying the "air tubes" for moving balls very much.  Picture a large see-thru bank or pharmacy drive thru that you can control, and you'll get the idea.  This exhibit has a small "ball pit" with building toys including various simple machines (a ramp, a gear and pulley system, etc.), and both Elijah and Gwen could have stayed in it all day.  While the museum isn't as expansive as some similar museums, there was plenty for us to do--and in a visit of about three and a half hours, we didn't even make it upstairs.  This, of course, is a sign we'll have to go back.

The site itself is interesting and features a restored active train station--complete with a model layout of the city and a red caboose you can play in.  A recently-added Digital Dome Theater is prominent in the center's architecture.  On our trip, the kids took in their first such show, seeing a film about the solar system and a sky show.  We understand why the dome is advertised as the best theater of this type in the region.  The technology for the sky show was particularly impressive, and our guide was able to show us a 3-D model of our galaxy. 

If you go, expect a kid-friendly place, including a small room for snacking (bring your own) and a gift shop with low-cost items (we picked up a globe keychain for less than a quarter).  The staff spoke genuinely to the kids, which is always a friendly plus.  In fact, Kim recommends it as one of the best science museums we've been to for preschool-to-elementary aged kids.  On a warmer day, pack a picnic--there are lovely, if urban, grounds for it--and take in a walk across the river on a nearby pedestrian bridge.  Another plus?  Admission is more reasonably-priced than many similar attractions in the region.  If you live close, the center's birthday parties sound like a great deal.  On the day we visited, a group of young kids were launching toy rockets as part of their planned party activities--Elijah would love it.

Beautiful Spiders: An Evening with OVO

Sunday evening, K received a surprise email from the Science Museum of Western Virginia and Center in the Square.  The email offered invited guests--who I'd later learn were principally museum members and volunteers--the opportunity to attend a reception, at no cost excepting parking, celebrating Cirque du Soleil's OVO touring show and its arrival in town on Tuesday.  The insect theme worked for the science museum's connection, and the celebration was held on the Center's lovely rooftop.  What a wonderful way to end a workday!

Needless to say, G and K proudly RSVPed.  This was a low-cost, low-commitment way to introduce G to Cirque, something K felt she'd probably be fascinated by...but might be scared by if the timing was off.  She enjoys dancing and art, but it would be debatable whether or not she'd be awake and interested for a full Cirque show.  G got to attend the "fancy" party, enjoying cookies, crackers and cheese, as well as polite conversation with a new friend.

Then, G adored the main attraction, a brief performance by OVO's contortionist spiders.  She was transfixed and immediately approached them as soon as the photo op opened.  She even wanted to show the performers her pictures.

She took home flyers about the show including pictures of the "spiders' friends."  This settles it--a performance next year is likely in the cards for us.

While there, we saw flyers for a membership promotion from this our home science museum.  The ASTC Passport "add on" is free for the month of September when you purchase a membership with the Science Museum of Western Virginia.  Local parents willing to travel to nearby museums included in passport (translation: reciprocal membership, AKA free) museums like the Museum of Life + Science in Durham and Marbles Children's Museum in Raleigh, this is a great deal.  You do not have to live in Roanoke to join Roanoke's museum, but keep in mind ASTC reciprocity "kicks in" 90 miles from your "home" museum.  ASTC museums include many science centers, some children's museums, and some other nifty places, like the North Carolina Museum of Transportation.  Other places we've been on ASTC Passport?  Danville Science Center, Virginia Museum of Natural History, Virginia Living History, Science Museum of Virginia, and Whitaker Center.  For folks who travel with kids, this is a DEAL for most.  Look at the ASTC list for places that you might be near across the next year!

Wartime Curiosities: The Tank Museum

 

The American Armoured Foundation (AAF) Tank Museum--another one of those places we've thought of going many times and that we're so pleased we visited.  Situated in a former factory in Danville, VA, the Tank Museum is a place that is likely to impress you, whether or not you typically like military collections.

The museum is home to over 100 tanks of various pedigrees as well as other military items such as uniforms and munitions.  Items are neatly arranged and labeled with interesting information; if you look, you will find that many of the tanks were actually built by US auto manufacturers.  The collection includes ecclectic items, including wartime Hollywood memorabilia, and there's a range for remote control tanks that's used by club members on special event dates.  Some artifacts are set up to climb on for photo ops--mind the signs.

If you go, we recommend you begin your visit by sampling the news clippings about the museum on display in the entry area.  These notes will give you a good sense of the museum's history.  It is, essentially, one man's collection on display, transported all the way from New Jersey.  The resourcefulness involved in setting up the museum is simply amazing.  Wear your close-toed walking shoes--you'll cover a lot of ground in the old factory--and dress for the weather.  The museum is indoors but is not climate-controlled; therefore, you may want to visit on a spring or fall day.  Plan your trip in advance, as it is usually open just 1-2 days per week.  Look for the owner riding an antique military bike around and flag him down with your questions. 

For lunch afterwards, we recommend the diner-like Golden Skillet down the road in Tightsqueeze.  It has an awesome fiberglass sign and is a throwback to a simpler time--such a throwback, in fact, that it serves Kool-Aid and doesn't seem to have a website.  If you are travelling with kids, consider adding on a visit to the Danville Science Center, reading about our trip there here.