CHARLOTTESVILLE — Strap on your goggles and slip into your lab coat this Saturday for Kid*Vention, the Virginia Discovery Museum’s annual family celebration of everything science!
Send a secret message using invisible ink, extract the DNA of a strawberry, create your own caddisfly case, get the inside buzz on the life of a real honey bee hive, and so much more as children are introduced to astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, environmental science, physics, and zoology through hands-on experiments, demonstrations, activities, and games.
More than 40 local exhibitors, comprised of area businesses, community organizations, and student groups, will be at the event, including featured exhibitors ALOHA Mind Math, Camp Holiday Trails, Charlottesville Gas, Charlottesville Pediatric Dentistry, Child Development Labs at UVA, UVA’s Chemistry LEAD Program, and UVA Engineering Student Council.
Just a short walk from the Museum at Charlottesville’s Key Recreation Center, Kid*Vention is ideal for families with children ages 2 to 10, but all ages are welcome to attend. Doors opens at 10 a.m., and the festival runs until 3 p.m. Admission is a $5 suggested donation per family, which includes a free visit to the Museum the same day.
This community event is sponsored by Apex Clean Energy, CharlottesvilleFamily, Charlottesville Press, the city of Charlottesville, Dominion Virginia Power, Draft Taproom, Hot 101.9, Susan Parmar Photography, and Ting Charlottesville.
For more than 25 years, the Virginia Discovery Museum, located at 524 East Main St., has provided educational and enrichment opportunities in literacy, science, math, and the arts to the children of the Charlottesville-Albemarle area. It is the mission of the Museum to foster intellectual curiosity and development for all children in the community. VDM works to prepare local children for elementary school by offering engaging, developmentally appropriate exhibits, programs, and events. In addition to Kid*Vention, the Museum also hosts the Discovery Dash, an annual children’s track race focused on health and wellness. The Museum welcomes more than 51,000 visitors each year. Learn more by calling (434) 977-1025 or visiting vadm.org.
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What: Kid*Vention family science festival, present by the Virginia Discovery Museum
When: Saturday, Feb. 18 (10 a.m.-3 p.m.)
Where: Key Recreation Center, 800 East Market St, Charlottesville, 22902
Who: Recommended for families with kids ages 2 to 10
Cost: $5 suggested donation per family (includes free, same-day Museum admission)