Children's Museum of Virginia

We had a wonderful time. It was great for everyone. My husband liked the trains and bubble room and my 18 mod loved everything. The top floor was closed but there was still so much to do. We spent about 2 hours there and your daughter didn’t want to leave.

It was very easy to buy tickets online. The staff was super friendly. My daughter had so much fun exploring and playing in the museum. The second floor was closed the day we went, but we still enjoyed it and were there for hours.

Very impressed with the curation and interactive exhibits at this museum. My kiddo loved it. We spent almost three hours here making many rounds - coming back to some exhibits several times. Great spot for kids. The staff was very friendly and the museum was very clean and spacious. One of the highlights was the model train room with an expansive and gorgeous collection of model trains and a really cool, and big, working model train village

We had to buy timed tickets online in advance. Very inexpensive, great for families. The second floor was closed when we were there, and our girls, ages 3 & 4 still had fun and played for hours! Lots of different areas to play and interact. One of their favorite areas was the music room where they got to make music banging on everyday items like different board lengths and Craftsman wrenches. Bathrooms were the cleanest I've ever seen. I highly recommend this Children's Museum!

We have a membership. The museum changes exhibits seasonally. Our favorite is the sock skating they offer in the winter and the New Year's Eve countdown. This spring, they had a huge storybook interactive exhibit the kids loved. There are bubble machines outside near the parking garage next to the museum. The upper level of the museum is all science and illusions, with an art gallery area. The lower level is set up like a pretend city with a bank, fire department, veterinarian, grocery store, bus, police motorcycle, library, and a music room. There's a huge ship the kids can fish on with magnetic fishing rods. A local must-see for kids 14 and under. The staff are super friendly.

Great place for kids. The upstairs area was off limits due to construction, the bubble room needed employee attention, the bubbles 🫧 were low and the wands were broken....keep an eye on your kids bc it's easy to lose them. Lovely place I'll return....oh yea only cost me 10bucks

Awesome place for my soon to be 5yo daughter. She had a wonderful time there playing and exploring. The place is a decent size with many different sections or departments for the kids. You and your kids can easily spend 2-3hrs there. Facility is very clean as well. Street parking is only I believe 2hrs limit. There is a parking garage available for visitors. If I visit around the area, I will surely stop by again.

By far, this was the best children’s museum I’ve ever been to. I’m from NJ and visited on vacation and I’m so glad we did. The kids had a great time. We loved how everything was so interactive and hands on. On top of the fun exhibits, the staff was so kind and helpful, especially when I left my phone and had to come back in to find it. 10/10 experience. Thank you so much!

Great place to burn off some energy with the little one. Once your done, have lunch at the Downtown Eatery. They love children and have wonderful food and prices.

They have so much to do for kids, we spent 3 hours here exploring every thing the museum had to offer. I really enjoyed the temporary Storyland exhibit they had, it's pretty cool that they change out those exhibits! My kids loved the "sock skating rink" I can't wait to see what they put where the dentist and doctor exhibits were!

What a fun place to take the kids. We purchased our tickets for the 12pm time slot the night before. We went on a Sunday and it was busy but not overly crowded where you don't know where to go. The kids had a wonderful time and we easily spend 2,5h there. We probably could have stayed longer. Thankfully they have a coat room where you can leave your heavy jackets. Very important in the winter time I think.
There are lots of different parts for the kids to play at, fishing, driving a bus, doing bubbles, watching model trains, building etc. There's also a special area for the smallest kids (3 and under).
The bathrooms were ok, there are water fountains and also plenty hand sanitizer stations.
I'd definitely recommend this museum and I would definitely return if I'll ever be back in the area.

We LOVE this museum! We bring the kids every time we visit VA! The staff is fabulous, and the limited number of tickets ensures it is never too crowded. The best place to park is behind the museum on the multi-level parking. The tickets fill up fast, so book in advance. We have free tickets since we are members of the ASTC passport program from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. Our 2 toddlers can spend an entire day here!

It was ANOTHER family affair with 4 adults, a set of 13 month old twin girls and a 7yr old & 2 yr old grandsons. We were the first ones in when the doors opened and were able to hold the young ones' interest for over 4 hours!!! We ALL had a wonderful, exciting time learning, playing and ENJOYING every minute together! Thank You to the wonderful staff and the creative minds behind all the interactive displays. We are SO fortunate to have it so close to visit every year!!

We went while under construction, so the entire 2nd floor was closed off to us. Still a great experience! Museum is split into themed sections; Bubble Room, Grocery Store, Bank, Animal Shelter, Fire Station, and train room. The train room was HUGE and was a favorite. There is a secluded and gated area for smaller children as well. It had padded floors and padded structures for young ones to crawl on without fear of them wandering or getting hurt. Very clean, and we regularly saw employees patrolling, cleaning and interacting with guests. You just reserve a time spot online in advance. Recommend highly!

It was a nice place to visit. Staff was courteous and kind . Admission and gift shop prices are extremely reasonable. My daughter got a $10 puppy toy from this gift shop that would’ve cost $40 at the Virginia aquarium. Parking was an issue, I had to park far away ( 3blocks by an alley of a bank) There weren’t any clear parking garage signs or notice that the parking garage was demolished, so google maps a parking garage near by ahead of time. If you have any “neuro-spicy” kids, they’re gonna love it! My 5 year-old loves the bubble room and the vet/animal room. Also , just a heads up, there are not any sensory corners or rooms. But the bubble room and trains are calmest if you need a quiet space for yourself or kiddos to decompress, etc.

This Museum is amazing! We have been bringing our kids for the past 5 years. We drive 3 hours, book a hotel room and visit at least once a year or every other year. The bubble room and the grocery store are the kids favorite rooms. This place is very interactive and educational.

Super fun museum, lots to do, I loved the planetarium shows and all the realistic activities for the kids.

Despite it being for children, this museum has a great number of exhibits that people of all ages can certainly find enjoyment in! Whether this is from watching the little ones play, admiring the various works of art, or learning about something from various subjects. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend checking it out! At times it can be crowded but there is plenty to do so it won’t feel like that. The tickets are also well priced, and the areas are kept clean and well sanitized! I have not been in the gift shop so I’m not sure how that is in regards to a review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this location. Wow! My 13 month old twins had a ball so I can only imagine the fun an older kid would have. This will be one a regular visit for my family. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the museum was super clean. Good job Portsmouth. Good job!

Far too much fun, even with half of the museum closed! I would definitely go back and I was fine solo with a group of 4 kids because of how it is set up in sections. Love it.