Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads

Located inside of MacArthur Center, the Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads is open Friday-Sunday from 12-6. There is no cost to enter the museum, which is located on the second floor. While the museum isn't finished, visitors can see them building their models and see train sets zooming around. There is also a children's play area with wooden train sets. 

The museum does offer free school tours on Wednesdays, where they will talk about the STEM aspects of model railroading. They hope to continue to grow the museum. Stop by next time you're downtown! 

Smithsonian Visit

We were in the DC area a few weeks ago for a show, so we headed to two Smithsonian museums during the day. We always park outside the city and ride the metro in, which is not only easier, but our kids enjoyed. The concert we went to was in Silver Springs, so we parked at that station. Parking was $3 and we were there for about 6 hours. You'll need to purchase a metro card if you don't have one for $2 and then add money to it, or use your apple or google wallet.

We got off at the Smithsonian stop which is on the blue and orange lines. From there it is about a 3 minute walk to both the Natural History Museum and the American History Museum. We were there just after lunch and had no lines at either museum. You will go through metal detectors and have your bags searched. You can't bring in food, but you'll want to keep a water bottle on you. We found no regular water fountains, just bottle refill stations. 

Inside the Natural History Museum you'll find dinosaurs, all kinds of animal exhibits, exhibits on light, cell phones, stones and gems, exhibits on Ancient Mali and Egypt, and more. You could spend days at this museum. In the American History Museum, our favorite exhibits were the transportation and entertainment nation. We wanted to see the Wegman's Wonderplace which is for kids, but it is only open 10-4 Wednesday through Saturday. 

Most of the museums are open from 10:00-5:30 with a few exceptions. The American Art Museum, Portrait Gallery,  and Archives of Art Museum are open from 11:30-7:00 pm. The American Indian and Anacostia Community museums are open 10:00-5:00. The zoo is open from 8:00-6:00 in spring and summer and 8:00-4:00 otherwise. The museums are free, but you will need reserved passes to get into the American American History and Culture Museum, Air and Space DC Museum, and the National Zoo. 

Virginia Fine Arts Museum

Open 365 days a year, the Virginia Fine Arts Museum is free and has over 6,000 years of art. We spent a little over an hour at the museum, but we only visited two sections. The Museum is situated into geographical sections. We focused on the Ancient Art section in the Mediterranean, which has Pre-Dynastic Egyptian, Green, and Roman art, and some art from Western Asia. This section perfectly lines up with the Virginia third grade SOLs, for those with kids that age.

We also visited the children's exhibit, where they had hands on activities for the kids to interact with, and comfortable chairs for the adults to sit and watch. You'll want to be sure to walk around the outside of the museum, because the gardens around it are beautiful. There are stairs with fountains to climb and explore. There are also tables outside perfect for picnicking. 

There is a parking garage for the museum for $6 per day. We found free street parking right around the corner. It's a great indoor stop to cool off on a hot day or to get indoors when it's raining. I love taking small trips to art museums with kids because it teaches them museum etiquette in small doses that they can handle. Check it out the next time you're in Richmond, and checkout our index for other things to do in the city. 

Free Art Museums In Hampton Roads

I actually love taking my kids to art museums. We always plan to visit the museums in small doses, doing only one or two galleries. Sometimes I make a little scavenger hunt list for us to do, and sometimes we just talk about how some of the pieces relate to things they are learning about in school. One thing that I always do is to set expectations before we enter the museum. We talk about noise levels, running, and never touching the art. 

One reason we love these museums is because they are a great free thing to do on a rainy or super hot day. Here are six free museums in Hampton Roads: 

01. Chrysler Museum of Art: We love the Chrysler not only because they have so many galleries, many of which  correlate to topics from school, but also because they have an ever changing exhibit just for kids called The Wonder Studio.  It's engaging for kids as they can make their own art and move their bodies. For younger kids, check out their free monthly program, Tickle My Ears, with a story time and art activity. 

02. MOCA: Keep MOCA on your radar not just for their always free art museum, but also because they do monthly family days with activities geared towards children. 

03. Barry Art Museum: Located on ODU's campus, the Barry Art Museum has a large collection of antique dolls which might interest kids. We like to visit here and then walk over to get cookies and Insomnia Cookies as a treat. 

04. Hampton University Museum: Composed of the first collection of African American fine art, this museum is a great place to form conversations around equality and standing up for what is right. There is also a room dedicated to Native American art. 

05. The Hermitage Museum: We love the outdoor space of The Hermitage, but the gardens surround the home, which is a free art museum with both permanent and rotating exhibits. We always visit in December for their Gingerbread Competition. 

06. Torggler Fine Arts Center: Celebrating their second year, the Torggler Fine Arts Center is a relatively new museum that is on our list to visit this summer. Be sure to follow their social media for updates, as they do have family fun days and other free events! 

Richmond Tacky Lights

Tacky Lights have been seen all over Richmond for the last 30 years, but this is the first year that we have seen them. The tradition goes back to 1985 when a Richmond DJ booked a transportation bus to tour ten houses. It was a huge hit then, and still is now. Official houses on the tour must have over 40,000 lights to be considered. 

You can drive around to check them out yourself for free, or book a tour through one of the many transportation services in Richmond. Checkout the list here:  Although many houses aren't officially on the list, driving around the city you'll see lots of houses that have decided to lean into the tacky decorations. 

Casemate Museum

Located on Fort Monroe, the Casemate Museum details the military history of the fort. Fort Monroe, also called Freedom Fort for its role in the Civil War, is the oldest defensive fort in the United States. Its construction began in 1609, and the museum shares more than 400 years of history. The brick casemates held both weapons and prisoners, the most famous being Chief Black Hawk and Jefferson Davis. 

The museum is free to visit and is open Wednesday through Saturday 10-4. Tickets are required and can be picked up at the nearby Visitor Center. There is free parking in front of the center. From there you'll walk across a foot bridge, over the moat, and into the museum. We spent about 35 minutes in the museum. Afterward, walk around the fort itself and up to the pet cemetery. 

Hampton University Museum

I've been wanting to get to the Hampton History Museum for awhile now, and it was one of the must do items on our summer list. I think it's really important to have the kids visit art museums and to see perspectives from cultures different than our own. 

The museum was founded in 1868 and was the first museum of African American art. It is also one of the oldest museums in Virginia. The museum has galleries dedicated fo African American, African, Native American, Asian, and Pacific art. 

We spent about 35 minutes in the museum. Some of the high points were the tools that we saw in some of the art, the colors, the way that different artists used different mediums, and the subject matter. We had some great discussions about the Underground Railroad and the life of Harriet Tubman. We also talked a lot about the way Native Americans lived in different houses depending on their needs, and the natural resources that they used. The museum hit several points that directly support the Virginia SOLs at the elementary level. 

If you'd like to visit, the museum is free. You'll pass a guard on the campus who will direct you to the free parking lot. The museum is open Monday-Friday 8-5, and closed on weekends and major holidays. No photographs or videotaping is allowed inside. 

REACH: Big Free Bookstore

The Big Free Bookstore has a new location at Janaf Shopping Yard. Visitors can come twice a week and get two free new books and two free used books at each visit. 

It's not a scam, REACH, which stands for Reading Enriches All Children, knows the impact that covid had on our community. They set up the bookstore so that people had books and literature, no matter what. The books range from baby books to adult contemporary. I loved that there was representation of different cultures and religions. 

The bookstore is funded by donations, the community, corporate partnerships, and grants. They also have programs for stocking daycares and classroom libraries for teachers. Take your kiddos by and check it out! 

Hampton Holiday Wonder Walk

Visit Hampton nightly from December 19th-25th, 5 - 8 pm for a completely free holiday experience. There's a trail that is part of the Waterwalk Path, which connects Hampton's Air Power Park and Bluebird Gap Farm. 

Head to the Hampton Coliseum parking lot and turn right, walking toward the water. When you reach the neighborhood, keep going back into it.  You'll pass through lighted and themed sections, including one where members of the Hampton community have decorated trees. There are also stations for a toss game, coloring, and making a craft. Hot chocolate and a few snacks are available for purchase. Santa's mailbox is on site for letter drop off. This is a great addition to your holiday plans!  

If you're spending the day in Hampton, there is lots to do for kids. Checkout Air Power Park or Bluebird Gap Farm. You can also checkout the carousel, Air and Space Science Center, Hampton History Museum or grab a coffee at Firehouse Coffee 1881. There are even more options on our index! 

Free demos with Music Together of Hampton Roads

I posted about Music Together of Hampton Roads several years ago on our first visit, and I'm so excited to share that they are offering several free demo classes this week. The Music Together program dates back to 1987 and has spread all over the world. Locally, classes are held in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and virtually on Zoom. There are both indoor and outdoor classes available. 

Classes are family style and range from birth to age four. Children will explore different instruments, shake their hands, wiggle, and shake their bodies. Classes last nine weeks during fall, winter, and spring, and six weeks during the summer. Each class is 45 minutes. Check out one of the free demos happening this week! Please sign up online to reserve your spot and instruments! 

Demo options: 

• Tuesday, March 22nd, 10:00-10:45: Outdoor Class - Larchmont United Methodist Church, Norfolk. Meet in the side yard. 
• Wednesday, March 23rd, Outdoor Class - Chesapeake City Park, Chesapeake. Meet in the shelter by the Fun Forrest. 
• Thursday, March 24th 10:00-10:45 Indoor Class - RPM Dance, Suffolk 
• Friday, March 25th, 10:30-11:15 Outdoor Class - Wycliffe Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach, meet on the front lawn. 
  

Bluebird Gap Farm: Updates!

We stopped by one of our favorites, Bluebird Gap Farm in Hampton, and were so excited to see that they are working on new updates! Besides the usual animals, playground, and gardens, the city of Hampton has added in a pathway which leads around to a beautiful duck pond, more structures for all kinds of birds, and is currently building aviaries for what looks like three birds. One is a red-tailed hawk, but the other two don't have signage yet. There is also a new section with three emus. 

Also new is the rock play garden inside the Adventure Woods section. I am so excited to come back as it gets warmer to see what else is coming! More details about Bluebird Gap Farm here. 

Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum

Downtown Suffolk's Seaboard Station Museum is a free must stop for train lovers. The museum is small but has displays of railroad memorabilia and exhibits. The two room station itself was built in 1885 and has remained pretty much the same since. The building has a winding staircase up to a tower with a great view of downtown. There is a caboose outside and trains run by the museum regularly. While we were there a diesel engine was starting up. 

The museum is open daily from 10-5, with a closure from 12-1. Admission is free, but groups of over 10 should make a tour reservation. Strollers are not allowed inside the museum. We spent about 45 minutes in the museum between the the museum and the cars outside. The museum is located at 326 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434. As a note, the Brighter Day Cafe' is close to the museum and has $.98 ice cream cones!

Four Free Art Museums in Hampton Roads

Art museums are typically quiet places with stark white walls and "no touch" signs. Babies and toddlers are the complete opposite, with loud, stomping feet, and sticky fingers. But art museums allow kids to experience things outside of their own lives, to see colors, shapes, and creativity. Discuss high contrast images, portraits of the human face, animals, the sun and moon, and challenge your kids with new vocabulary based on what they see. Bring something for your kids to hold to keep their hands busy, and scope out a place for them to create their own art in a sketchbook. Here's some of our favorite art museums around Hampton Roads. The best part is, with these museums all being free, you can go for an hour at a time and return whenever you'd like! 

• Chrysler Museum: It's no surprise that Chrysler is at the top of our list. I love that they mix in exhibits that kids love like one on Eric Carle and another on video games. Precovid they had a monthly story time with crafts. The Wonder Studio is closed currently, but it is a hands-on changing art room for kids. 

• Barry Art Museum: On O.D.U.'s campus, the Barry Art Museum has free designated spaces in the garage behind it. Show kids the doll exhibit and compare to dolls today. We like taking a stroll through the museum before getting a cookie at Insomnia Cookies. 

• Museum Of Contemporary Art: The Oceanfront's M.O.C.A. has regular family days as well as classes and camps for kids. Be sure to check out the room where kids can draw. 

• Hermitage Museum: We absolutely love the Hermitage Museum. The outside of the museum is something dreamed up from a story book. The water overlooks the Norfolk Terminal, and kids can look out and watch the cranes taking the containers off the ships. Inside, the museum has a section of rotating exhibits (we loved the gingerbread houses in December), as well as permanent exhibits. Ask for a scavenger hunt at the desk. 

U.S. Army Transportation Museum

Planes, helicopters, tugboats, trucks, jeeps, trains, and even hovercrafts are on display at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum in Newport News. The museum's collection begins at the Continental Army in 1776 and continues to present date. There are large exhibits and displays that wind around inside and then a train yard outside. We saw several types of jet packs and other flying vehicles that I had never seen before as well as information on how the army went to the circus to learn acrobatic techniques. 

One of our favorite parts was a section of lego trains and other sets along with legos for kids to free build.

The museum is open 9:00-4:30, Monday through Saturday. The museum is on the Joint Base Langly-Eustis, so you will have to stop at the brick building on the right hand side and show your ID and run a background check. It only takes about five minutes, and you'll then head to the gate. Once inside the gate, the museum is only about a two minute drive. 

Hometown Christmas: First Baptist Norfolk

First Baptist Norfolk is hosting Hometown Christmas this year, a free family friendly festival with local vendors, train rides, music, sock skating, and a petting zoo. Hometown Christmas is open this Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19th. Saturday's food trucks are Luvabowls and Mello Beans. On Sunday Yolees G-Dawgz, Miami Fuzion, and Bear House Coffee will be there. Grab a scavenger hunt when you arrive, and get stickers from each station, On your way out grab your prize, an activity book, stuffed animal, and gingerbread house. 

Schedule as follows: 

2:00-6:00:Barrel Train 

4:00-4:30: Brass Quartet 

5:30-7:30:Pictures with Santa

5:30: Tree lighting and snow

5:45: Roaming Carolers 

7:00 Carol Singalong

8:00 end 

City Center at Oyster Point Lights and Holiday Cheer

We took a visit to Newport News' Oyster Point for the first time this week. Take a walk around the lake and see the ten minute light show that plays every half hour. While walking around, you'll encounter 16 snow machines, 55 trees, and a 50 foot tree, all tuned to music. The lights are on between 5-9, with a photo pavilion Thursday through Sunday from 5-8. 

If you head there this Saturday, December 18th from 12-3, you'll catch their Holiday Cheer program with free hot chocolate and cookies, be able to paint homemade ornaments, and take photos with an 8.5 foot elf!

Hermitage Museum and Gardens: Gingerbread Houses

We visit the Hermitage Museum and Gardens a few times a year because the boys love watching the cranes moving the containers outside, but we have never been during the holidays before. On display now is their second annual gingerbread house contest and display. From now until December 19th, stop in to view and vote on your favorite house. There are three categories; adult, child, and family. I had kits ready at home, so we left and made our own. We actually did the best we have ever done, but it still ended up falling before I could snag a picture! The Hermitage is free to visit until 2021, but donations are accepted. 

Tidewater Big Train Operators 2021 Annual Holiday Train Display

Avalon Church of Christ is once again hosting the Tidewater Big Train Operators Holiday Train show. Stop by this week from 5:30-8:30 or Saturday from 10:00-4:00. This event is totally free, but raffle tickets for a G-scale train are on sale and donations are accepted. Grab a scavenger hunt from the front table and look for items as you walk through. Masks must be worn at all times. Children should bring their letters for Santa! 

Avalon Church of Christ is located at 844 Woodstock Rd., Virginia Beach, Virginia 23464. 

MOCA Scholarships

We have visited the Museum of Contemporary Art during hot summers or rainy days. The museum is still free thanks to the Goode Family Foundation. And now due to many generous donations to the Cohen Memorial Fund, MOCA is able to offer scholarships for their children's classes, ages 2-17. The application process is simple, by filling out this form.  Additionally, MOCA is hosting a free family event on January 16th from 11:00-3:00. Details here. 

Pullen Park: A Revisit with TRAKID.

Whenever we are in Raleigh, we always stop at Pullen Park. It is actually the fifth oldest amusement park in the country and the 16th in the world, but you wouldn't know it from the latest technology they are using. TRAKID, an exploring quest for kids now has a kiosk inside the park, which drew us in because of the train theme. Once you download the app, each kid receives a band which serves as a both a light up compass to clue locations and uses sounds and vibrations to let kids know where to go. In our specific quest, we hunted down seven trail pieces within the park to become Junior Engineers. 

TRAKID is designed to allow parents the opportunity to control the experience. For example, you can give "bathroom points" at any time to encourage your kids to go, or skip points which might be too far. The quests are different at each location. Currently they are at Pullen Park and the Tampa Zoo , but they are expanding to other zoos and theme parks nationwide in 2022. 

I love that these bands encourage exercise, exploration, and throw in science and problem solving skills by using a compass and following clues. If you're down in Raleigh, be sure to check them out!