Memberships will expire on the last day of the month, one year from date of purchase.
Membership gives you free, unlimited access to permanent exhibitions, The Forge, labs, demos and touring exhibitions. Free, unlimited admission benefits do not include The Dome (unless you are an Infinite member).
After you join or renew your membership, you will receive an email with your digital membership card attached that you can print or download to your smartphone device with Apple Wallet. Your guest passes and Dome passes are digital and will automatically upload to your account.
Star & Star Infinite Levels:
Pulsar & Pulsar Infinite Levels:
Supernova & Supernova Infinite Levels:
Galaxy & Galaxy Infinite Levels:
Museums for All Level:
No. We will just add another year to your current expiration date.
When upgrading, you pay the difference between your current and new membership level, and your expiration date remains the same. If your renewal date is approaching, you may choose to both renew and upgrade early, which will extend your expiration date for one full year. Once your upgrade is complete, your upgraded membership benefits will be effective immediately.
For your convenience, we have two ways to make changes, additions or updates to your information:
Email membership@smv.org or call 804.864.1449.
Please note: we can look up your membership account using your photo ID so you are able to visit even if you do not have your membership card handy.
All memberships are final sale and non refundable or transferable.
No. Museum memberships are not transferable and benefits are exclusively for the individuals listed on that membership. You can purchase an additional membership to give as a gift or share your guest passes.
As a general rule, a membership payment is only tax deductible to the extent it exceeds the value of the benefits provided in exchange. We estimate that the membership benefits provided at the Star, Pulsar, Supernova and Galaxy membership levels exceed the cost of the membership. As a result, those membership purchases are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
The full amount of a Supporting membership is tax deductible since additional passes and benefits are not included with the membership. For more information, please contact our Foundation team at annualfund@smv.org.
We periodically review our membership structure, and during the 2023 review, we decided we needed a level that better suited larger families, which is the Galaxy level. To facilitate that change, we needed to adjust the number of children on the Supernova level.
In May 2023, the price of the Galaxy level changed to reflect the new larger-family structure while keeping the level equal to approximately 2-3 visits to the Science Museum, which is where we like it.
You are not required to name a third adult, but you have that option if you would like to put a grandparent, nanny, babysitter or someone else on the membership account. To add an adult to the membership, please email membership@smv.org with the change so we can update your record accordingly. As a reminder, memberships are not transferable. Only the three adults listed on the membership may use the benefits listed on that membership
It sounds like we may need to verify the membership information we have on file for you. Please email membership@smv.org so we can update your record accordingly.
Yes! You may apply the cost of regular Science Museum admission to a new membership within two weeks of your visit date. Please bring your original sales receipt to Guest Services or call 804.864.1400 and they will be happy to assist you. The cost of Dome tickets and tickets for select touring exhibitions cannot be applied.
Yes! Simply bring a photo ID and your membership purchase confirmation email to Guest Services and a team member will assist you.
Members can add Infinite Dome to any membership level (Star, Pulsar, Supernova and Galaxy) for an additional $50. This includes Giant Screen Movies, Cosmic Expeditions and Science After Dark Dome features.
No. All digital Dome passes and digital guest passes are valid for one time use only. Guest passes must be redeemed in person or online, and are only valid for regular admission. Guest pass holders receive a member discount on touring exhibitions with an additional charge.
No. Membership admission cannot be used for school or other types of groups. Only those adults and children named on your membership are permitted to use the membership benefits, such as free admission. Individual membership guest passes and other discounts are not valid toward group admission fees.
No. Paid group demos are not part of a member benefit. If you use your membership to check-in separately from a group, you may not attend the group-only demo.
The Science Museum of Virginia is an accredited member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). Museum members receive free or discounted general admission to our network of more than 300 member museums all over the world. Click here for the list of all participating museums.
The ASTC Travel Passport Program excludes organizations within a 90-mile radius of the visitors member science center or residence. This distance is measured “as the crow flies,” meaning that it is based on the linear radius, not driving distance. Prior to your visit, please contact the science center/museum you are visiting directly to ensure it is not excluded from the ASTC benefits.
The primary named member will receive all print/digital mail from the Science Museum, including membership renewal letters, monthly member e-newsletters and quarterly mailers. All other named adult members on a membership will receive electronic communications only if we have an email listed for them on the membership account. Please email membership@smv.org to add additional emails to the membership account.
The monthly member e-newsletter includes updates on exhibitions, programs, events, exclusive offers, partner promotions, at-home activities and much more.
It is likely that your payment and our renewal mailing crossed in the mail. It takes up to two weeks to receive and process a renewal payment by mail. If you sent in your payment, please disregard the second notice.
Yes! There are three ways to purchase a gift membership.
The Science Museum welcomes your corporate support. To learn more about corporate membership benefits, contact Kinsey Peeler at kpeeler@smv.org or 804.864.1542.
Gift memberships come with the same amazing benefits as other Science Museum memberships, including guest passes, Dome passes, discounts in the café and gift shop, special programming and more! Plus, gift memberships include a digital membership card, and digital Dome and guest passes are automatically applied to the membership at the time of purchase.
The recipient determines when their benefits begin by activating the membership online or by contacting our membership team at 804.864.1449 or membership@smv.org. The member will need the gift voucher code in order to activate their membership.
Your gift voucher code acts like a gift card on our website. Membership benefits will begin when activated. To activate your membership online, note the membership level of your gift, then:
Gift memberships expire on the last day of the month, one year from date of purchase. For example, if you purchased a membership on May 12, 2023, it will expire on May 31, 2024.
Digital membership cards are emailed to the gift recipient at the time of activation.