Season's Sweetness

Posted by Matt Berman


Check out our Holiday Houses display in the Virginia Discovery Museum lobby,
complete with gummy bear Santa, marshmallow snowman, and sugar cone
evergreens. Kudos to Kaitlin Clear, VDM education manager, for the sweet design.

I don't recall any particular memory growing up of decorating a gingerbread house, which is odd to me because decorating a gingerbread house seems like such a quintessential Christmas-y activity. In fact, it's a holiday tradition that can be traced back for centuries.

I can only imagine my childhood lack of confectionary construction experience stemmed from my parents' unfounded fear that I'd turn into some kind of sugar-obsessed Hansel and Gretel clone if presented with a candy-coated winter wonderland. Well, maybe that fear wasn't completely unfounded; just this past Tuesday, I was banned from the kitchen during prep for the Virginia Discovery Museum's upcoming Holiday Houses event because I kept snacking on all the building materials. And I'm currently 27.

What can I say? My resolve is no match for M&M's and gummy bears.

With the first two of the museum's four Holiday Houses sessions set to start next week, there's still time to reserve your spot for this event, so come celebrate the sweetness of the season with us! Each child who registers with an accompanying adult gets their own pre-assembled graham-cracker house to decorate with a variety of goodies, including peppermints, Skittles, Life Savers Gummies, marshmallows, Dots, Hershey's Kisses, and more.

This event is for children 4 and older, with an adult.

• Sessions:
• Saturday, Dec. 7 at 10:30 a.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
• Cost:
• Members: $8 per person, children and adults
• Non-members: $10 per person, children and adults

Space is limited, so register in person at the museum or call (434) 977-1025. If you have any questions, call or email Kaitlin Clear, VDM education manager, at education@vadm.org.

Matt Berman is the Exhibits and Marketing Manager at the Virginia Discovery Museum. Reach him at exhibits@vadm.org or marketing@vadm.org.

Boo Bash

Come one, come all, to our little museum of spooks for our annual Halloween party! This year, the Boo Bash will be Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, from 6:00-7:30.

From the mad scientists in their lab to a tour of the wicked witch's cabin, there will be plenty of fun for kids ages 2-8 and their adults. Wear your most creative costume and see the museum transformed into a not-so-haunted house for the little ones. If you are feeling brave, venture into the glow room. Then, decorate a cookie, try your hand at boo bowling and the spiderweb game to win cool prizes, and enjoy family time with a night of crafts, games, and more! It's the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit.

Don't miss out on the best night of the year at the museum. Space is limited, so register today for this spooktacular good time!  The cost is $6 per person for members and $8 per person for non-members.

Meet Me on Main Street

This Saturday is a big day for our Meet Me on Main Street program. We have not one, but two special community partners coming to the museum! First, at 10:30, come meet the bee keeper. You've seen the bees in the back gallery. Now, here's your chance to meet the bee keeper who takes care of them! Karen and Ken Hall have been keeping the VDM bees healthy and happy for years. Join them to learn about apiology, the study of bees!



Later, at 1:00. stop by to meet the Cookie Mouse. We all love the classic children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Join us to meet the main character and enjoy story time in Little C'ville. Sponsored by Barnes & Noble, this family friendly event will introduce you to one of the most beloved children's series.



As usual, these Meet Me on Main Street programs are open to all ages with an adult and are free with admission. Next, keep an eye out for an Instrument Petting Zoo on May 4 and a chance to Meet the Nurse on May 11 before our drop in programs go on hiatus for the summer!

What a Weekend!

It's a busy weekend downtown!

 First of all, right here at the museum, we're going Wild About Reading! This annual program is a part of the Virginia Festival of the Book's StoryFest.  Learn about Virginia's wildlife through an enlightening program which includes up-close experiences with live animals and story reading. The first 100 children will receive a wildlife-themed book. This program is especially suitable for families with children from preschool to 2nd grade and is free with admission to the museum.  Hosted by WHTJ PBS Charlottesville, Virginia Discovery Museum, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

For more information about Virginia Festival of the Book children's programs and all the StoryFest! events, see the VFB website. 


Also on the mall, the Downtown Business Association and the City of Charlottesville are hosting an historic carousel  at Central Place. That's right! There's a big carousel coming to play with our little one! The visiting carousel will be here today, Friday, March 22, through Sunday, March 24. Rides will run from 12 to 6 each day and are free to the public.

If you are downtown for any of these events today or tomorrow, don't forget to stop into the museum! 

Discovery DASH!

23rd Annual Discovery Dash
Saturday, May 18, 2013

at Monticello High School

Virginia’s oldest kids’ track race!
Races for kids ages 3-12

Register online here!

It’s time to start thinking about the Virginia Discovery Museum’s Annual Discovery Dash. This will be our 23rd  year hosting this event and we hope to have our largest turn-out ever. Taking place at Monticello High School on May 18, this event will feature over a dozen fun-filled races including a scramble for the little ones and exciting parent-child relays. Schools throughout the area are welcome to enter teams of runners for the school relay. There will be trophies, raffle prizes, yummy food, and great exercise.

The Discovery Dash has long been one of the most fun events hosted by VDM. It is always a joy to see the kids run their hearts out as they are supported by their friends and family. What a great way to bond through healthy exercise and competition! VDM is also pleased to be a part of the Let’s Move! campaign, a comprehensive initiative started by Michelle Obama to promote a healthier, more physical lifestyle for kids. We hope that this event encourages kids to engage in more physical activities that challenge their bodies and enrich their lives.

The Discovery Dash is also part of the Kids’ Triple Crown Series, a series of four Charlottesville area not-for-profit races sponsored by Ragged Mountain Running. To qualify for the Triple Crown medal, runners need to finish at least three of the four races: the Charlottesville Ten Miler – Kid’s Track Races, the Run for Autism, the Family Fitness Fair, and the Discovery Dash. We are excited to continue participating in this fun, community-wide opportunity. 

If you’ve participated in previous Dashes, we are looking forward to seeing you again. If you have never participated, make this the year to start. So mark your calendars for May 18 and check out vadm.org/eventsDash.html for more information and to register. We hope to see you there!

KID*VENTION!!

We're getting so excited! It's almost time for Kid*Vention, VDM's free family science festival!

Join us for Kid*Vention, our annual celebration of everything science, on February 23 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Once again, the event will be at the Key Recreation Center near the Pavilion on the East end of the Downtown Mall. Kid*Vention is a free community event at which children and their families can learn and play at a variety of stations run by VDM’s friends in the Charlottesville community. Over thirty community groups will be there to share their expertise about everything from astronomy to zoology. Come see their favorite parts of science made accessible to you through demonstrations, craft activities, and interactive games. Perfect for kids up to the age of 10, but all ages are welcome. Kid*Vention will feature stations on meteorology, the human body, the environment, chemistry, and more!

Come on out for a day of free science fun!

Date Night Drop-Off Program!

A NIGHT OUT FOR YOUR AND YOUR KIDS!

Are you dying to finally have that date night you've always promised yourselves? Have you ever wished there was a place you could drop off your kids right on the Downtown Mall so you could go to dinner or Fridays After Five? Has your child ever wished they could play in the Virginia Discovery Museum after hours when the crowds have dispersed?

Well, guess what? You can! As requested by our visitors, the Virginia Discovery Museum now has a Date Night Drop Off Program! Every Friday from 5:30pm to 8pm throughout July and August, you can drop off your 3-8 year old while you enjoy all the amenities the Downtown Mall has to offer. Sip some wine over dinner, go shopping, grab a gelato, or catch the free show at Fridays After Five. The Museum has got childcare covered.

And it's so much better than a babysitter! We keep groups small, so kids have tons of room to discover the Museum, and each week there's a different educational theme and craft to make during the evening's program:

July 9th - Rousseau Jungles
July 16th - Glow in the Dark Night
July 23rd - Byzantine Art
July 30th - A Night in Egypt
August 6th - Medieval Times
August 13th - Arrrr Matey!
August 20th - Pointillism
August 27th - Bead Making

A healthy dinner of cheese pizza, carrot sticks, and fruit juice is included in the registration fee, as well as lots of free time to play in the Museum. Sign up today and have that date night you've always wanted - the Museum will take care of the rest!

INFORMATION:
Fridays 5:30-8pm, Ages 3-8
(we request your 3-year-old be fully potty trained)
VDM Members $20/ Non-members $25 (siblings discount $5).

Cancellation fee of $10 after 12pm on the day before registered program. No refund for same-day cancellation. Space is limited to 12 children per week and will not run without a minimum of 4 children. Registrants will be notified by 5pm on the night before the program if we need to cancel. Payment is due when child is registered for program.

Call 434-977-1025 to register your child.

Admission Increase & Blue Star Museums Initiative

Admission Increase
Beginning July 1, 2010, the admission will increase from $4 to $6 per person. This is the first fee increase since May 2004. Since that time, the Museum has created more drop-in programs, installed new permanent exhibits, and improved the content and artistic quality of our featured exhibits. Spending time at the Museum is an investment in learning and costs less than a movie or most recreational activities. Still, the best bargain is an annual membership because it offers not only unlimited admission to the Virginia Discovery Museum, but birthday party privileges, reduced fees for our programs and events, and also reciprocal free admission at hundreds of other museums across the country.

Blue Star Museums Initiative
The Museum is now offering free admission to active duty military and their families. It's part of the Blue Star Museums Initiative. More than 700 museums nationwide will give free admission with a military ID from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2010. Other participating Virginia museums include:

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
Williamsburg, VA

Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Virginia Beach, VA

Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries
Norfolk, VA

Boykin's Tavern/Isle of Wight County Museum
Smithfield, VA

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre
Bristow, VA

Carlyle House Historic Park
Alexandria, VA

Chesterfield County Museum
Chesterfield, VA

Chrysler Museum of Art
Norfolk, VA

Colonial Williamsburg
Williamsburg, VA

Contemporary Art Center of Virginia
Virginia Beach, VA

Deltaville Maritime Museum
Deltaville, VA

DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
Williamsburg, VA

Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Foundation and Museum
Wyethville, VA

Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University
Roanoke, VA

Ferry Plantation House Historic Museum
Virginia Beach, VA

Foundation for Historic Christ Church
Irvington, VA

Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House
Alexandria, VA

Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center
Fredericksburg, VA

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia
Staunton, VA

Gadsby's Tavern Museum
Alexandria, VA

Hatton Ferry
Scottsville, VA

Historic Hopewell Foundation
Hopewell, VA

Historic St. Luke's Church
Smithfield, VA

Historical Museum of Western Virginia
Roanoke, VA

Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
Fredericksburg, VA

James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library
Fredericksburg, VA

Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden
Alexandria, VA

Lightship Portsmouth Museum
Portsmouth, VA

Lynchburg Museum System
Lynchburg, VA

Manassas Museum System
Manassas, VA

Mary Washington House
Fredericksburg, VA

McCallum More Museum and Gardens
Chase City, VA

Meadow Farm Museum
Henrico, VA

Morven Park
Leesburg, VA

Muscarelle Museum of Art
Williamsburg, VA

Museum of Culpeper History
Culpeper, VA

Museum of the Confederacy
Richmond, VA

Museum of the Middle Appalachians
Saltville, VA

National D-Day Memorial
Bedord, VA

O. Winston Link Museum
Roanoke, VA

Old Coast Guard Station
Virginia Beach, VA

Old Court House Civil War Museum
Winchester, VA

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum
Portsmouth, VA

Rising Sun Tavern
Fredericksburg, VA

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Alexandria, VA

Tangier History Museum and Interpretive Cultural Center
Tangier, VA

Taubman Museum of Art
Roanoke, VA

The Town of Wytheville Dept of Museums
Wytheville, VA

Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
Forest, VA

US Army Quartermaster Museum
Fort Lee, VA

US Army Women's Museum
Fort Lee, VA

Virginia Historical Society
Richmond, VA

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Richmond, VA

Virginia Museum of Transportation
Roanoke, VA

Weems-Botts Museum
Dumfries, VA

William King Museum
Abingdon, VA

Wilton House Museum
Richmond, VA

Woodlawn Plantation
Alexandria, VA

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum
Staunton, VA

Thank You to our Discovery Dash Volunteers!

You were the biggest reason this year's 20th Annual Discovery Dash was such a success. Over 500 kids and families from 77 area schools participated. We couldn't have done it without you........THANK YOU!

Free slideshow made with Smilebox

Thank You to our Discoveroo Sponsors!

The Discoveroo Family Music Festival held at the Charlottesville Pavilion on Sunday May 2nd was a huge success. Despite the heat, attendees danced and wiggled, hula-hooped and hopped. Much fun was had by all!

Pictures can be viewed here by clicking on this link. To purchase, contact Kirsten Rose Photography or 434-971-7883.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to our Discoveroo Family Music Festival Table Sponsors, Volunteers, and Contributors:

Speak! Language Center
Hollywood Theatre Lab
Mountaintop Montessori
The International School of Charlottesville
Alakazam
The Charlottesville Pavilion
The Hook
The City of Charlottesville
Brad Savage of 106.1 The Corner
Aaron Fein
The Hill & Wood
We Are Star Children
Sarah White & The Pearls
Jay Pun and Morwenna Lasko
Kirby Hutto
Danny Shea

...and all of the wonderful volunteers who helped make our 2nd Annual Discoveroo concert such a fun event!

20th Annual Discovery Dash! May 29th-Monticello High School

“Discovery Dash” Marks Twenty Consecutive Years as Central Virginia’s Only Community-Wide Children’s Race

The Virginia Discovery Museum will host its 20th annual community-wide children’s race, The Discovery Dash, on Saturday, May 29 as part of its “Most Magnificent Month of May” anniversary celebration. Besides being a major fundraiser for the Museum, this year’s event is also the final leg of the official “Kids Triple Crown” (sponsored by Ragged Mountain Running Shop) which also includes the Virginia Institute of Autism road race (April 17) and the Charlottesville Day School cross country race (April 25).

There is also a FREE training camp being held on Saturday, May 22, sponsored by UVA Children's Hospital. For more information or to register, call 434-924-1648 or visit this link.

The Discovery Dash, under the guidance of Race Director Mark Lorenzoni of Ragged Mountain Running Shop, is open to ages 3-12 and will be held on the Monticello High School track. The first race begins at 7:45 a.m. with the Awards Ceremony at 9:45 a.m. Pre-registration is required; there is no race day registration. The regular registration deadline is Friday, May 21. A late fee will apply to registrations received from May 21–26.

Discovery Dash events include a scramble for toddlers, a quarter-mile race, a half-mile race, two mile races, three family relays and the Discovery Cup School Relay sponsored by the Charlottesville Track Club. Every registrant receives a Dash t-shirt; everyone who crosses the finish line gets a ribbon. Trophies are awarded to the three fastest boys and the three fastest girls in each grouping from ages 5-12. Trophies are also awarded to the winners of the Parent/Child and Sibling relays. Adults who ran in the Discovery Dash as a child and who are participating in this year’s Parent/Child Relay will be recognized as Dash Alumni.

The Discovery Dash is open to the public, and spectators are encouraged to attend and cheer on all participants. The races are held rain or shine.

To register:
Online: Click this link.
By phone: 434-977-1025, ext. 9 (ask for Jenée)
In person: Stop by the Museum for a registration form.
By email: Email a request to vadmfunds@vadm.org

Hope to see you there!

DISCOVEROO! May 2nd - Charlottesville Pavilion!

DISCOVEROO!
A Family Music Festival

Sunday May 2, 2010
3-5pm, gates open at 2pm
Charlottesville Pavilion

Discoveroo! – a children’s music festival featuring local bands popular with adult audiences who will perform a set expressly for children and families. In addition, local organizations will have hands-on activities available to keep children occupied between sets. Tickets are $6 for members, $7 for nonmembers (purchased in advance at the Museum), and $8 for everyone on the day of the show.

We are so excited Danny Shea, who is responsible for Events Promotions and Booking for the beautifully-restored Jefferson Theatre, will once again invite four musical groups to perform a 20-minute family-friendly set at DISCOVEROO! Between performances children will visit local businesses and organizations, who will provide tons of hands-on activities. During the concert, we plan to have lots of dance/wiggle room in front of the stage.

Last year was our first DISCOVEROO!, and despite the rain, it proved to be one of the year’s most popular events. Equally important, DISCOVEROO! reflects our commitment to active, healthy, well-organized activities for children and their families. Please join us!

Are You Ready For KIDVENTION?

KID*VENTION 2010 - DISCOVER NATURE!
FREE EVENT!
Saturday, March 27 from 10am-2pm Key Recreation Center, 800 E Market Street
(Near the Virginia Discovery Museum and the Charlottesville Pavilion)

You won’t want to miss this year’s Kid*Vention! We’re Discovering Nature, and Charlottesville’s best and brightest are putting together an exciting set of games and activities for you. Join us for this incredible FREE event! Bring your whole family downtown to the Key Recreation Center on Saturday, March 27 from 10am-2pm and get ready for a day of hands-on activities, door prizes, special guests and a few surprises. Thank you to our sponsors for helping to make all of this possible: Charlottesville Parks & Recreation, WVPT, and Lite Rock Z95.1!

Discover Nature this March 27th with Kid*Vention, where you can start your own garden by getting seeds ready for planting, learn about plants and insects and get to draw and paint from observation, see bees in an observation hive, enjoy tree-related games and quizzes, and more!

Meet our incredible exhibitors:
Albemarle/Charlottesville 4H Program
Blandy Experimental Farm
Central Virginia Beekeepers Association
Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards
Charlottesville Astronomical Society
Ivy Creek Foundation
Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center
People’s Alliance for Clean Energy
RetailRelay.Com
Rivanna Master Naturalists
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
University of Virginia’s Environmental Science Organization
UVA Sustainability
Worm Crusader
WVPT (also a Sponsor)
…and the Virginia Discovery Museum.

Don’t forget!
Kid*Vention 2010: Discover Nature
Saturday, March 27 from 10am-2pm
At the Key Recreation Center, 800 E Market Street near the Virginia Discovery Museum and the Charlottesville Pavilion

Admission is FREE, so tell your friends!

Sponsors: Charlottesville Parks & Recreation, WVPT, Lite Rock Z95.1

Dino - Ramma, Summer Mini Camp!

The first 2 weeks of Dino-Ramma have been a blast here at the Virginia Discovery Museum! We had over twenty 4-6 year olds enjoing all sorts of dinosaur games and activites! The favorite, by far, has been the Plaster of Paris and sand fossil! They turned out great and the kids had a wonderful time making them!

We have learned so much about dinosaurs, including what they ate, where they lived, and why they died.

Here is a video of our dinosaur parade through the Museum! Check out our awesome T-Rex masks!

Dragons & Dynasties: Discovering Ancient China

We just finished 2 of our 3 summer mini-camps about Ancient China! The kids in these camps have enjoyed activites, crafts and games which taught them about aspects of life in Ancient China. By far, the most popular activity was the Dragon Parade which we took through the Museum's galleries as a demonstration of New Year's celebrations. Not far behind was kite making and flying - because the kite was invented in China, along with several other items like dominoes, sunglasses, bells, and much more!

These kids are great cooks as well! We made fried rice one day and learned to use chop sticks! (Its was pretty hard!) We learned about the Great Wall of China and re-built it out of recycled materials!

We would like to extend a big thanks to the Oyster House in Charlottesville, VA for showing some Chinese antiques to the children and explaining all about them!

Here are some pictures of children enjoying this awesome summer camp!

Get FREE Music!

For FREE downloads of music from the 2009 Discoveroo Family Music Festival, go to www.monkeyclaus.org/discoveroo. We are pleased to be joining forces with local music business Monkeyclaus to further our commitments to the community. While Monkeyclaus is providing the free music downloads, VDM is offering fabulous programming including summer camps! Swing into the Museum and visit both of us on the web!

Find us on the web at http://www.vadm.org/ or become a fan on facebook by searching Virginia Discovery Museum.

The results are in!

The weather was perfect for running and spirits were high at Monticello High School track on Saturday, May 23rd for the Virginia Discovery Museum’s 19th annual Discovery Dash! We had 543 participants from 56 area schools, and over 60 trophies were awarded!


Our top 3 fundraisers were:
Nathan Scott $106
Keegan Scott $105
Joseph Van Storch $100

Congratulations to all of you and thank you for all your efforts!


A warm and grateful thank you to our sponsors as well!
SNL Financial
Charlottesville Albemarle Airport
The Lollipop Shop
UVa Children’s Hospital
Allied Concrete
Splendora’s Gelato
Volvo of Charlottesville
First Systems and Resources
Bob’s Wheel Alignment
The Little Gym
Charlottesville Track Club
Ragged Mountain Running Shop
Rivanna Gear and Apparel
WINA

19th Annual Discovery Dash Results are posted online at www.vadm.org.

New Summer Hours and Summer Mini-Camps

Starting Tuesday, June 9th, the Virginia Discovery Museum is changing its hours for the summer. Tuesday through Saturdays from June 9th - August 21st we will be opening an hour earlier at 9 am! We will see you then!

Do not miss our awesome Summer Mini-Camps, 9 - 12 pm, Mondays through Wednesdays, this June and July! You can register by calling the Museum at (434) 977-1025, X9 and asking for Michelle. Fees are $80 for members/$100 for non-members and include all materials and snacks for the three days.

June 8-10: Kids On Stage, 4-6 year olds
June 15-17: Kids On Stage, 4-6 year olds
June 22-24: Dragons and Dynasties: Discover Ancient China, 6-8 years olds
June 29 - July 1: Dragons and Dynasties: Discover Ancient China, 4-6 year olds
July 6-8: Dragons and Dynasties: Discover Ancient China, 4-6 year olds
July 13-15: Dino-Rama, 4-6 year olds
July 20-22: Dino-Rama, 4-6 year olds
July 27-29: Dino-Rama, 6-8 year olds

We hope you register today!

DISCOVEROO!

The Virginia Discovery Museum is proud to announce its first annual Discoveroo, a family music festival, happening Sunday, May 3rd at the Downtown Pavilion of Charlottesville, VA from 3-5pm. Be sure to be at the Pavilion when the gates open at 2 pm so you can enjoy all the activities we will have for you! Freckles N’ Friends entertainment will be making balloon art, Partner Juggling Theatricks will be performing, Steven Levine will be walking on his stilts, and the Museum will have a Bubble Station and noise maker craft as well as temporary tattoos for the kids! The main event for the day will start at 3 pm when Shannon Worrel takes the stage followed by In Technicolor, 6 Day Bender and Jim Waive and the Young Divorcees! Each of these local acts will be performing music expressly for children so the show will be fun for all ages! The Museum’s own Executive Director, Peppy Linden and 106.1 The Corner’s, Brad Savage will be our announcers for the day.

Several organizations will be in attendance with information, activities and more for families as well. This event is sponsored by Whole Foods, MMM Design Group, Charlottesville Parking Center, Barton Mallow, The Hook, and the City of Charlottesville as well as Alakazam, AuPair Care, Bright Beginnings Preschool, Camp Friendship, Charlottesville Day School, Exploration Play Studio, and Nature’s Child. Tickets are $5.00 for an individual and Family Passes (good for 5 people) are available for $20.00. You can purchase tickets at the Virginia Discovery Museum’s front desk or at the gate the day of the show. We hope you will be able to attend this amazing event!