Meet a Sloth and Smell the Roses in This Virginia City

Filled with historic sites and monuments related to the Civil War, the capital of Virginia also has attractions more appealing to children. A science museum and an unusual botanical garden lead the list.

Science Museum of Virginia has something for every age group, including adults. Almost every field of science is covered in an array of exhibits, live demos, labs, dome shows and maker workshops.

A popular current exhibit is Survival of the Slowest, featuring live slow-moving animals including a hedgehog, Asian water dragon, blue-tongued skink, box turtle, horned frog, leopard gecko and everybody’s favorite, a two-toed sloth. The exhibit explores species that have used perceived disadvantages to survive and thrive in a world full of fast animals at the top of the food chain. At the sloth habitat, kids can learn more about this favorite tree-dweller. As the keeper feeds the sloth, guests can see how the sloth moves and interacts with the keeper.

At the Animal Lab, kids have up-close encounters with spiders, beetles and other creatures, learning what different animals need to survive in their environment. Live demos include a Sound Science Demo where sound is created with various objects to measure resonance, vibration, frequency and pitch.

In the Art Lab, kids can unleash their creativity with hands-on experiences to discover the intersection between science and art. The Forge, meanwhile, is a workshop and makerspace celebrating innovation, design and fabrication with a variety of projects ranging from hand sewing cuddly toys to designing wearable art from cardboard pieces they have cut and shaped.

A full lineup of Dome Shows includes such diverse subjects as Secrets of the Sea, Live Universe Exploration, and Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels. Volcanoes – The Fires of Creation is an immersive experience of molten worlds and exploding craters.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden also has a surprising number of things to do for both children and adults. The children’s garden is designed to encourage interaction, and here kids can dig, climb and even cool off in the water-play area, perfect on a hot day. This area is home to the unique CWDKids Tree House, also fully wheelchair accessible.

The domed Conservatory houses a variety of exhibits, including a model train display and a butterfly experience. A treat for everyone is a stroll through beautiful Grace Arents Garden, an elegant, Victorian-style garden filled with old-fashioned plants and a year-round succession of colorful flowers. Throughout the summer the garden is filled with the fragrance of the 30 varieties of roses in bloom.