The museum houses a complete skeleton of a mammoth discovered in Saltville, Virginia.
It operates as a state agency within the executive branch of the Virginia government.
The collection includes over 10 million individual biological and geological specimens.
The museum conducts active excavations at the prehistoric Saltville archaeological site.
The Paleo Lab is visible to the public, allowing visitors to watch real-time fossil preparation.
The Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) serves as the official state repository for natural history collections and is a Smithsonian Affiliate. It features permanent exhibits detailing Virginia's prehistoric past, including the life-sized Allosaurus and Acrocanthosaurus specimens. The museum maintains significant research collections in archaeology, paleontology, and geology, specifically focusing on the Appalachian region. Visitors can observe ongoing scientific research in the Paleo Lab, where paleontologists actively clean and prepare fossil specimens. The facility hosts the Ice Age exhibit, showcasing megafauna that once inhabited the region. The museum also offers interactive displays focused on the diverse ecosystems of the Virginia Piedmont. Educational programming emphasizes the natural diversity of the Commonwealth through changing temporary exhibitions.
Next to the full-scale Allosaurus skeleton in the main exhibit hall.
Check the museum's online calendar before visiting to see if a guest lecture or special researcher demonstration is scheduled.
Spend time in the Paleo Lab to ask staff questions about the current fossils being processed.
Review the temporary exhibit schedule on their official website as these displays rotate frequently.
Assuming the museum is purely for children; the research exhibits and specialized geological collections are designed for all age groups.
Closed on Mondays and major state holidays.
No food or drink in the exhibit halls; refrain from touching display cases.
