Virginia Living Museum

524 J Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News, VA 23601, USA

Address:	524 J Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News, VA 23601, USA
Phone:	+1 757-595-1900
Site:	thevlm.org
Rating:	4.6
Working:	9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 10

Teresa Bixby

I went here with a friend yesterday and we both enjoyed seeing the animals. Walking on the outside path was fun and the animals were all very interesting to see and learn about. One of the volunteers even came around to talk to us about the bald eagles. Employees were very friendly. Admission price is worth it if you take the time to look at everything. Gift shop is stupid overpriced ($10 for a TINY stuffed animal worth about a dollar), which is to be expected but I dont think its worth getting anything from there. However, quite a few of the animals looked a bit depressed. Some of them were quite shy and looked as if theyd much rather be anywhere else than there. There were a lot that seemed to be trying their hardest to hide. The fish tanks were all very crowded and much too small for them to be comfortable. The Maine Lobster barely had enough room to turn around in his tank. Most of the enclosures looked to be designed so that the animals could always be seen, without much regard to the animals needs. It made my friend and I a bit sad to see the animals so obviously uncomfortable. I dont think Ill come back any time soon, but I did enjoy the experience.

Colton Domes

This is a great place for families with or without children! My girlfriend and I came here and absolutely loved everything! Its a very interactive and hands on learning experience. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and we felt very welcomed there. There are lots of neat displays and exhibits that are quiet interesting. My favorite part was the nice little hiking trail that takes you around the grounds and pass several different types of native animal species. They had very large enclosures (which I was glad to see) so at times it was hard to spot some of the animals, but if you waited around for a little bit theyd eventually make an appearance. It was also really nice to learn that all the animals in captivity were there for rehabilitation purposes or because they would be unable to survive in the wild due to an injury or other relatable problem. When all is said and done this place is well worth the price of admission and I would highly recommend that if youre looking for a educational opportunity to take the family or simply a place to go wander and learn with friends or family, you should definitely check this place out!

A Private User

While tagging along with my husband on a business trip my 2 year old son and I decided to pick one activity per day in Williamsburg and the surrounding area. I am so glad the Virginia Living Museum was our first stop because we will probably go back again later in the week. Everyone was friendly from the staff at the front desk, (who by asking the right questions discovered that through our membership at our local nature center we gained free admission at the museum!), to the knowledgeable staff that told my son all about nurse sharks, loggerhead turtles, horseshoe crabs and starfish and listened carefully to his responses. The cafe is about what youd expect. The food was fine and the prices werent terrible. The gift shop was one of the better ones Ive seen in a while. We browsed many great finds and left feeling very excited and satisfied with a $2 turtle. The animals at the museum were either born into captivity or injured in a way that prevents them from surviving in the wild. It was a great experience all around. We cant wait to go back! Ask about a membership as it gets you into tons of places all over the Country!

Todd Clingan

It was very disappointing. Went Mariner museum just up the road and paid 1 dollar and got huge info and spent 2 hours there and seen things from 1860 still bringing it back for people to learn in restoration dept. The living museum is way out of date and to expensive 20.00 that was so bad. All the animals outside were laying down sleeping and such small areas to live in they acted like they need drugs to be alive. I felt very sorry for them what a awful life living in such small areas. It was very bad please dont waste your time or money go to York town and learn about history and enjoy better environment. I wish they close the living museum down and bring it up to times.

Sarah Maddux

This is a great place to take children to teach them about wildlife and the importance of conservation. The atmosphere is fun, inviting, and educational. The facility is full of happy children, which is wonderful to see. The majority of the animals have found themselves in the Virginia Living Museum because they are unable to live in the wild. The museum could do a much better job of making this clear to the public (keeping in mind that the majority of visitors do not take the time to read the pamphlets provided). I did speak about this with the curatorial director and he could not have been more helpful or willing to listen. I look forward to visiting again, thank you!

Julianne Wyman

Visited this Museum for the younger siblings after bringing our oldest daughter to CNU. What an amazing surprise! It was hidden off the road, but we just happened to see the sign for Lego display. It was so much bigger than expected and there was a lot of diversity. Indoors, outdoors, lower levels, upper levels, trails, play areas, caves, fish, snakes, swamp, fox, coyote, birds, marsh, and the big dinosaur exhibit at the end was so much fun for the kids. Staff was pleasant, everything was clean. Liked it so much that we purchased a Family Membership and hope to come back again soon! :)

Jessica Campbell

So many exhibits! There is so much to learn and do. The animals are very interesting. Do not skip the aviary! Many of the animals are rescues. The albino cardinal is too cool. The staff is helpful and they give you not only general information about each species of animal, but also personal histories and backstories of the animals there. The dinosaur walk is fun for all ages, and even has "digs" set up for small children. Food in the cafe is tasty and reasonably priced. This place is awesome.

Alexander Halsey

The VLM was a great experience. They have local plants, animals (land and water), a dinosaur exhibit, and a planetarium. We arrived a bit late in the day so we only had enough time to see the animal sanctuary, aquariums, and shop at their gift shop. We certainly will return in the future to see the remainder of what they have to offer, and additionally their soon-to-be completed outdoor life-sized outdoor dinosaur exhibit.

Dani M

We have a membership with another museum that gave us free admission to this Museum while on vacation. With it free, Id give it a four or five stars, but it would have cost us $55-60 for two adults and a child to get in here and I just think the cost is too high for what there is to see. So definitely get yourself a membership someplace that offers free admission to reciprocal centers.

El Changito Burrito

This is a wonderful place regardless of your age. There are so many things to see and learn about the animals that you see every day but you may not give much thought to. Allow plenty of time because trying to rush through or setting a specific amount of time you want to spend at the VLM you end up only cheating yourself out of a lot of exhibits that you would probably really enjoy.