When you think of spring break, does it mean headache travel and traffic, long lines, and strained wallets? Do your children find the post-spring break return to pencils and textbooks as dreadful as the dentist? This year, trade the spring broke vacation for a spring break staycation, right here in the NRV. The New River Valley is stocked with amazing opportunities for learning and leisure without a long distance. Macaroni Kid NRV has brain-boosting, fun, affordable, and varied local staycation museum ideas from model trains to interstellar observations - satisfying everyone in the entire family. And as a bonus, they are all so conveniently located around the valley you will not have to grind your teeth to the cringe-worthy “are we there yet?” Excite. Explore. Enjoy spring break 2019!
- Virginia Tech Museum of Geosciences - Tucked away among the corridors of the Virginia Tech campus is the home for one of the ‘gem’s of geoscience research made available for public exploration. The museum's fascinating interactive displays include the Omniglobe with data information on global weather conditions and plate tectonics. For the dino-fanatic, the museum houses a life-sized cast of an Allosaurus dinosaur skeleton.
- Radford University Planetarium - Open during fall and spring semesters each year, Radford University planetarium is a phenomenal way to introduce the children to the celestial marvels of space. The planetarium hosts scheduled evening presentations throughout the week tailored to older teens and adults. However, Saturday mornings are starry wonders for the wee ones led by Big Bird and the Sesame Street cast. The event is free. For current screenings and dates, contact coordinator Dr. Rhett Herman, Professor of Physics rherman@radford.edu or visit their facebook page.
- Radford University Museum of Earth Sciences - An amazing educational exhibit. RU’s Museum of Earth Sciences guides visitors through captivating displays spotlighting the earth sciences fields of geology, meteorology, oceanography, planetary astronomy and physical anthropology. A teaching museum, the MES encompasses everything from the depths of the seas to the final frontier and everything in between and prides itself as a museum of both learning and leisure.
- D.C. Wysor Observatory and Museum - Not just a bird's eye view, but an astronomer’s eye view! The D.C. Wysor Observatory and Museum in Dublin holds a state-of-the-art Meade 16" LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope which holds data on nearly 65,000 stellar objects ready for your viewing. The facility also houses a first-floor viewing screen in which images can be projected so that visitors can explore the final frontier without the challenge of the climb to the dome of the observatory. Open every Friday evening year-round at 8:30pm and by appointments at 540-643-0755, it is located next to Dublin Elementary school and is free.
- Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center - At the crossroads of art, culture, and history of Montgomery County, you will find the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center celebrating the county’s richness, vibrancy, and thriving history. In addition to historic and contemporary art exhibits, the museum showcases rotating exhibits which shaped the traditions and character of Montgomery County.
- Glencoe Museum - Situated on a hilltop overlooking the New River in Radford, Civil War General Gabriel Wharton’s stately residence is a grand opportunity to appreciate the romantic beauty of the post-Civil War late 19th-century Victorian era. Historical archives appreciating the influences of Native Americans, the railroad, and post-war America are celebrated throughout the museum. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Tue-Sat 10 am - 4 pm & Sunday 1 - 4 pm.
- Raymond F Ratcliffe Transportation Museum - Located in Pulaski, the museum showcases the influential power of the industrialization era and historical influence of the town of Pulaski. Among the museum's archives are historical displays, early 20th-century automotive exhibits, and pristine town-owned fire engines dating back to 1906. A visit to this museum is a great opportunity to understand the importance and influence of industry in Appalachia in the mid-1900s.
- Floyd Center for the Arts - Adults and children alike can keep those spring break creative juices flowing with a visit to the Floyd Center for the Arts. Not only does it house phenomenally diverse exhibits from regional artisans, but its schedule of instructional workshops will also entertain and inspire everyone in the family at any artistic skill level. Pricing varies and event schedule is regularly updated. Visit their website for the latest schedule of exhibits and classes.
- Wilderness Road Regional Museum - Located just off 81 at mile marker 98, step back in time more than 200 years and experience the mountain way of life in the Newbern community which was once a thriving community along the primary migration route west. A living history museum, visitors can tour the six acres of the museum grounds which include, a kitchen building, granary, loom house, and barn. If your children are working on an American history project assignment, this is a great place for some local hands-on “research”. Open Tues - Sat 10:30 am - 4:30 pm.
 |
