Whenever rain is in the forecast, I find myself on the hunt for new indoor places to go. The Hampton History Museum is actually open! The museum has a major focus on education and starts with the history of Hampton from Native Americans and spans until about World War II. There were several things that I didn't know about the city of Hampton. The museum is small, but I liked that they made an effort to turn their space into Native American villages or a city on fire. Because of Covid, all of the flaps kids can lift to read or touch screens they can touch were taken out, so it was mostly reading signs, which is a bummer, but I understand.
The museum also has trunks with hands on items that family can investigate. For example, the Powhatan Indians trunk includes examples of the materials, tools, and clothes the natives had. The Revolutionary and Civil War trunks both have kid sized clothing. The Revolutionary War is the most kid friendly one, so ask for that one if you go! Another option is History On The Road, which has tour traveling versions of their exhibits that community centers, churches, schools, and libraries can borrow to display. The options are "1619: Virginia's First Africans," "When the Computer Wore a Skirt: NASA's Human Computers," Give Me Liberty: Fugitive Slaves and the Long Revolution Against Slavery" and "Toward Freedom: Hampton and the Contraband."
Before Covid, the museum had started on the path of hosting more family friends activities, so be on the lookout for that down the road! The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday,, Saturday 9-4 and Sunday and Wednesday 1-4.
Next door to the museum is the Grey Goose bakery, which has huge cupcakes in several flavors. They had vegan cookies and they also offer vegan and gluten free cakes and cupcakes if you preorder. We love finding local shops like this, and the woman at the counter was so kind to a hands- all-over-the-glass-couldn't-make-up-his-mind four year old.
