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Home | Explore

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exhibit

Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family

Come face-to-face with a life-sized T. rex, see colossal fossils and get to know the whole family.

Closing October 3, 2021

exhibit

Hot Wheels: Race to Win

Buckle up and race with the most famous toy vehicles on the planet—Hot Wheels®!

Opening September 25, 2021

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dome show

Dinosaurs Alive

See the earliest creatures of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous in this captivating adventure of science and discovery.

Showing Daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

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dome show

Big Astronomy

Learn about the people and places who make big astronomy and big science happen.

Saturday–Sunday at 2 p.m.

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forge activity

Member-Only Open Making

Members, it’s time to make! Bring your supplies and flex your creative muscles.

dome show

Imagine the Moon

Human imagination continues to inspire our relationship with the moon.

Monday–Friday at 1 p.m.

Saturday–Sunday at Noon

experience

Art Lab

Unleash your creativity and get hands on to discover the intersection between science and art!

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experience

Eco Lab

From insect and butterfly specimens to rocks and minerals, there’s plenty of ecology to explore in this lab!

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experience

Animal Lab

Have an up-close encounter with snakes, cockroaches, beetles and more! Find out what different animals need to survive in their environment.

dome show

National Parks Adventure

Journey alongside modern-day explorers into America’s most beautiful places.

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exhibit

Speed

An homage to all things motion and time, Speed demonstrates the fastest and slowest things the universe has to offer.

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experience

Rat Basketball

Learn about operant and classical conditioning as you watch our Rat Basketball team play a game – no, we aren’t kidding.

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experience

Amazing Animals

Have an up-close encounter with snakes, cockroaches, and rats!

Bookable Group Demonstration

dome show

We Are Stars

Journey 13.8 billion years through time and space to discover our explosive origins.

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experience

The MiX

This creative space is for teens to hang out, mess around and geek out in an open, makerspace environment.

experience

Supercool: Liquid Nitrogen

Watch us perform some amazing science tricks with liquid nitrogen.

Bookable Group Demonstration

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exhibit

Boost!

This exhibit helps boost your mind and body with hands-on science games and challenges.

experience

Radical Reactions

Chemistry is at its coolest when you put it into action! See four types of chemical reactions and learn the differences between them.

Bookable Group Demonstration

dome show

Wild Africa

Plunge into an adventure alongside elephants, lions, lizards, crocodiles, gorillas, flamingos, and more.

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exhibit

LightPlace

This exhibit promotes skill development and exploratory learning in children 5 and under with fun, hands-on STEM activities.

experience

Heart Dissection

Learn about the cardiovascular system by comparing a sheep heart to a human heart.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

Brain Dissection

Watch an educator dissect a sheep brain while learning its different parts and functions.

Bookable Group Demonstration

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experience

Science on a Sphere

This six-foot-diameter suspended globe features illuminated images of atmospheric storms, climate change, ocean temperatures and more!

experience

Cow Eye Dissection

Observe as an educator dissects a cow eye while explaining its different parts and functions.

Bookable Group Demonstration

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event

Jun

24

-

Oct

01

After Hours | Thur.–Fri.

Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family - Evening Hours

Enjoy extended hours to meet the entire tyrannosaur family!

Thursdays and Fridays, 5–8 p.m.
June 24–October 1

event

Sep

22

Lunch Break Science

Diagnosing Dinos

Learn how paleontologists diagnose fossils using cutting edge science!

September 22 at Noon

event

Sep

22 - 29

RVAir: Community Science Findings

Does Richmond’s urban design affect our air quality? Let's discuss what we've learned so far.

September 22 & September 29

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

event

Sep

29

Lunch Break Science

Fossil Preparation: From Field to Lab

Come virtually tour a real-life fossil preparation lab!

September 29 at Noon

experience

Egg Drop

Design a structure that can protect an egg from a two-story drop!

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

experience

Chasing Infinity

Learn about Sally Ride, the first American woman to enter space.

Carpenter Science Theater

experience

Simple Machines

Learn how simple machines work and observe them in action.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

Susie Sleuth

Was the Tyrannosaurus rex truly a predator or simply a scavenger? Find out!

Carpenter Science Theater

experience

Renewable Resources

What are renewable and non-renewable resources? Find out!

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

experience

It's in the Genes

Why do we look like we do? Find out!

Bookable Group Workshop

experience

Magnets

Explore characteristics of magnets and discover some of their everyday uses.

Bookable Group Workshop

experience

Science on a Sphere: Weather Junior

What is weather? Learn the basics of weather and seasonal changes.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

Owl Pellets

Dissect an owl pellet and learn about this amazing bird and its diet.

Bookable Group Workshop

experience

Science on a Sphere: Climate Resiliency

See climate change in real time and learn how we can become more resilient.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

Sound Science

Explore the world of music and the science behind sound waves.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

Pack for the Moon and Mars

Help us decide what we should take on a trip to the moon and Mars!

Carpenter Science Theater

experience

Twyla Meets a Monster

Learn about the tarantula migration in northern Texas.

Carpenter Science Theater

dome show

Sunstruck

Travel back to the beginning of time and learn about this special star and how it supports life.

Bookable Group Adventure

experience

Forces of Flight

Explore the four forces of flight!

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

experience

Mass and Motion

Learn the science behind what contributes to speed.

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

experience

Carl the Crab Goes Golfing

Carl the Crab meets a basking shark while golfing on the ocean floor.

Carpenter Science Theater

experience

Something's (A)Foote with Eunice

Learn about the female scientist who discovered heat-trapping gases.

Carpenter Science Theater

experience

Plants and their Pollinators

Explore parts a plant's anatomy and identify local pollinators.

Bookable Group Workshop

experience

Scientific Method

Help us make some scientific predictions as we go step-by-step through an exciting experiment.

Bookable Group Demonstration

forge activity

Maker Workshop - Paper Marbling

Create your own marbled paper masterpiece in the Forge!

dome show

Stars of the Pharaohs

Search the skies of the past and uncover knowledge hidden in the sands of time.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Violent Universe

Take a look at the most enigmatic forces in the cosmos.

Bookable Group Adventure

experience

Science on a Sphere: Earth Science

Discover how plate tectonics have shaped our world.

Bookable Group Demonstration

experience

A Hotter and Wetter Virginia

With extreme heat and rain becoming more common, how can we be more resilient?

Bookable Group Workshop

exhibit

Art at the Museum

Explore a variety of inspiring art exhibitions at the Museum!

exhibit

The Hyperwall

See local environmental, social, and climate science stories through data.

experience

Build a Better Parachute

Work with us to design a better parachute!

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

experience

Science on a Sphere: Weather vs. Climate

See how heat is distributed around the planet, and learn about hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones.

Bookable Group Demonstration

dome show

Flight of the Butterflies

Experience firsthand the beauty of the migration cycle of butterflies.

dome show

Planet Nine

Join astronomers as they attempt to learn more about an undiscovered planet orbiting around the edge of our solar system.

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dome show

Birth of Planet Earth

Travel back some 5 billion years ago to the origins of our planet.

Opening October 1!

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exhibit

Upcoming Exhibitions

Waiting is the hardest part! But we promise these exhibitions will be worth the wait so mark your calendar!

forge activity

Maker Challenge - Create Your Own Catapult

Learn how to make your own catapult in the Forge!

forge activity

Maker Workshop - Create a Robot Dinosaur

Using Hummingbird robotics kits and craft supplies create your own robotic Dinosaur!

experience

Shine Bright Speed Light

A fun look at how visible light travels at the same, finite, constant speed.

Carpenter Science Theater

dome show

Secret Lives of Stars

View stars like never before as you peer into their secret lives.

Bookable Group Adventure

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dome show

Oceans: Our Blue Planet

Embark on a global odyssey through the largest and least-explored habitat on Earth.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Dream Big

Follow the inspirational stories of people who dared to dream, making the impossible possible with STEM!

exhibit

Green Science

From rain barrels to a green roof, we keep a green campus and have plenty of pointers on how you can do the same.

dome show

Experience the Aurora

See nature’s most stunning light show as you watch the winter sky come to life before your eyes.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

One World, One Sky

Discover a brilliant spectacle of light and color as you watch the stars twinkle over Sesame Street.

dome show

Volcanoes - The Fires of Creation

Discover molten worlds and exploding craters in this adrenaline-filled, immersive experience.

experience

Video Controllers for Humanity

Using Makey Makeys, students will create their own unique device.

Bookable Group Challenge Lab

dome show

Great White Shark

Uncover the secret lives of these creatures that pre-date dinosaurs.

dome show

Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk

Twist and turn in an epic rafting adventure down the Colorado River.

dome show

Cosmic Climate Cookbook

Explore the critical ingredients and cosmic recipe for supporting life on a planet.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Superpower Dogs

Experience the life-saving superpowers and extraordinary bravery of some of the world’s most amazing dogs.

exhibit

Step Outside

Trains and a submarine, native plants and pollinators, record-setting astronomical displays – the Museum campus showcases science and innovation, too!

dome show

Lamps of Atlantis

Explore how the stars influenced history’s most inspiring civilizations.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Phantom of the Universe

Join this journey of discovery as scientists hunt for dark matter.

dome show

Secrets of the Sun

Examine the pivotal role the sun plays in the life of our solar system.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Seven Wonders

Turn back the pages of time to glimpse some of the universe’s greatest wonders.

Bookable Group Adventure

dome show

Humpback Whales

Discover the hidden world of nature’s most awe-inspiring mammal.

dome show

Live Universe Exploration

Take a custom live adventure through the universe with a Museum astronomer.

Special showing,

September 28 at 11 a.m.

experience

Catapult Competition

Students will use their engineering skills to construct a working catapult.

Bookable Group Challenge Lab