The Virginia Living Museum is a wildlife attraction and botanical garden in Newport News, Virginia. More than 250 living species native to Virginia are displayed across indoor and outdoor habitats spanning the state’s ecosystems from the mountains to the sea. This guide covers opening hours, admission, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
Updated May 2026. The official tickets page was last updated on 25 May 2026 — two days ago. One key change from 2025 is that timed entry has been eliminated: tickets now allow entry at any time during operating hours. Several existing guides still refer to timed entry windows — that system no longer applies. Book your admission through Viator to confirm your visit in advance.
Quick facts: Virginia Living Museum
Ticket prices were confirmed from the official tickets-and-pricing page and last updated in May 2026.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601 |
| Opening hours | Daily, 9:00am–5:00pm |
| Outdoor areas (Boardwalk) | Close at 4:30pm |
| Closed | Thanksgiving, 24 December, 25 December, 1 January |
| Adult admission (ages 13+) | $21.95–$23.95 |
| Children (ages 12 and under) | $16.95 (ages 2 and under free) |
| Members | Free |
| Planetarium show (add-on) | $6 per person |
| Parking | Free, on site |
| Typical visit duration | 3–5 hours |
Virginia Living Museum opening hours
The museum is open every day, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Outdoor areas, including the Boardwalk, close at 4:30pm — 30 minutes before the rest of the museum.
Closed: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve (24 December), Christmas Day (25 December), and New Year’s Day (1 January).
Why visit the Virginia Living Museum?
- 🐺 Endangered red wolves — one of very few places to see them: The Virginia Living Museum is one of a small number of institutions caring for the critically endangered red wolf, a species once declared extinct in the wild. This is a genuinely rare wildlife encounter.
- 🦖 Touch a real dinosaur bone and fossilised tracks: The Outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail includes real fossilised trackways and dinosaur specimens that visitors can touch — one of the few places in Virginia where this is possible outside a research setting.
- 🦞 Native Virginia wildlife from mountains to sea: More than 250 species native to the Commonwealth — including 12 listed as endangered or threatened — are displayed across habitats ranging from a mountain cove and cypress swamp to tidal estuary and open ocean. Everything here lives in Virginia.
- 🔭 Digital planetarium and observatory: The Abbitt Planetarium presents shows on astronomy and natural science throughout the day. The attached observatory is open for evening star-gazing programmes. Planetarium shows are an affordable add-on to general admission.
- 🐦 The Wild Care Center — wildlife rehabilitation in action: The Wild Care Center treats injured and orphaned native Virginia wildlife. Visitors can see current patients and learn about the rehabilitation process — a dynamic, constantly changing part of the museum where no two visits are the same.
Virginia Living Museum ticket prices
As of 2025, timed entry has been eliminated. Your ticket now allows entry at any time during operating hours on your visit date. Older guides that describe timed entry windows are out of date.
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults (ages 13+) | $21.95–$23.95 |
| Children (ages 12 and under) | $16.95 |
| Children (ages 2 and under) | Free |
| Members | Free |
Planetarium show (Abbitt Planetarium — add-on): $6 per guest; members free; children 2 and under free. The current planetarium schedule is listed on the official events page.
Discounts:
- Military (active and veterans): $1 off with valid ID, at the door
- Seniors (65+): $1 off with valid ID, at the door
- AAA members: $1 off with current membership card and valid ID, at the door
- Museums for All (SNAP/EBT or WIC cardholders): $5 per person, up to four tickets per card. Present EBT or WIC card and photo ID at the admissions desk
- CNU students: $10 admission at the front desk with valid Christopher Newport University student ID
Book your admission through Viator to confirm your visit.
How to get to the Virginia Living Museum
The museum is at 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard (J. Clyde Morris Blvd is also called US-17 and Avenue of the Arts in this area) in Newport News.
By car from I-64: Take the US-17 South/J. Clyde Morris Boulevard exit. Continue straight where the road becomes Avenue of the Arts/J. Clyde Morris Blvd. Turn left at Deer Park Entrance and follow it to the parking area.
From downtown Hampton Roads: The museum is approximately 30–45 minutes from Norfolk and Virginia Beach by car, and about 25 minutes from Williamsburg.
Parking at the Virginia Living Museum
Parking is free in extensive lots adjacent to the museum. A secondary lot (the first car park as you enter the grounds) accommodates buses and larger vehicles. No advance parking reservation is needed.
How long to spend at the Virginia Living Museum
Allow three to five hours. The museum includes substantial indoor gallery space, an outdoor boardwalk (which closes at 4:30pm), an outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail, a living greenhouse, a conservation garden, and the Wild Care Center. Families with young children who want to attend a planetarium show and Behind-the-Scenes Encounter should plan a full day.
Accessibility at the Virginia Living Museum
The Virginia Living Museum holds KultureCity Sensory Inclusive™ certification. Sensory bags are available on request. The museum is accredited by both the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Specific accessibility information, including wheelchair access and provisions for visitors with mobility limitations, is on the accessibility page at the official site. Children under 16 must be accompanied at all times by an adult guardian aged 18 or older.
Inside the Virginia Living Museum: what to see
The Main Building houses indoor aquarium tanks, amphibian and reptile exhibits, a mountain cove environment, a cypress swamp, an open ocean gallery, and the Virginia coastal plain — all displaying species native to their respective Virginia habitats. Notable residents include colour-changing poison dart frogs, cave fish with no eyes, moray eels, a loggerhead sea turtle, jellyfish, and horseshoe crabs you can touch.
Endangered Red Wolves are displayed in an outdoor enclosure. The red wolf is among the most critically endangered canids in the world; the Virginia Living Museum participates in the AZA Species Survival Plan for this species.
The Wild Care Center is a functioning wildlife rehabilitation facility where injured native Virginia animals are treated. Patients change regularly and may include raptors, river otters, white-tailed deer, and other native species. The transparency of the rehabilitation work is one of the museum’s most distinctive features.
The Outdoor Boardwalk winds through a riverside habitat with native plants, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Closes at 4:30pm. The boardwalk connects to the Outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail, which features fossilised trackways, dinosaur skulls, and specimens that visitors can touch.
The Abbitt Planetarium and Observatory presents digital planetarium shows throughout the day ($6 add-on; members free). The current show schedule is on the events page at the official site. The observatory is open for evening programmes on selected dates — check the events calendar.
The Living Greenhouse and Conservation Garden are accessible from the outdoor areas and focus on Virginia’s native plant communities, pollinators, and sustainable garden practices.
Behind-the-Scenes Encounters are separately ticketed intimate experiences with specific animals and exhibits:
- The Otter Side (river otter encounter)
- Browse Behind the Scenes (deer encounter)
- Animal Training Experience (with animal care staff)
- Cold-Blooded Encounters (reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates)
- Ambassador Animal Encounters (group educational sessions)
Check availability and book on the official website before your visit, as encounters often sell out in advance.
Practical visitor tips for the Virginia Living Museum
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timed entry is no longer required | Since 2025, tickets allow entry at any time during operating hours. Many older guides and some third-party booking platforms still describe a timed-entry system — this no longer applies. |
| The Boardwalk closes at 4:30pm | If the outdoor areas are a priority, visit them before 4:30pm. The indoor building is open until 5pm. Arriving by 2pm gives comfortable time for both. |
| Book Behind-the-Scenes Encounters in advance | Otter, deer, animal training, and cold-blooded encounters are limited and often sell out. Book on the official site before your visit rather than hoping for availability on the day. |
| Check the planetarium schedule before visiting | Shows run throughout the day but the schedule is updated on the events page and is not published well in advance. Check the calendar the morning of your visit. |
| All children under 16 require adult supervision | Children under 16 must be accompanied at all times by an adult guardian aged 18 or older. This is a firm policy throughout the museum and outdoor areas. |
Frequently asked questions about the Virginia Living Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Virginia Living Museum open every day? | Yes. Daily 9am–5pm, with outdoor areas closing at 4:30pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. |
| Do you need to book in advance? | Not required. Since 2025, tickets allow any-time entry on the visit date (no more timed windows). Booking in advance through Viator or the official site is recommended for busy weekends. |
| Is the planetarium included in admission? | No. The Abbitt Planetarium is an add-on at $6 per person. Members attend for free. |
| Are Behind-the-Scenes Encounters included in admission? | No. Encounters — including otter, deer, and cold-blooded experiences — are separately ticketed and must be booked in advance. |
| Is the Virginia Living Museum wheelchair accessible? | Yes. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and holds KultureCity Sensory Inclusive certification. Contact the museum at (757) 595-1900 for specific accessibility arrangements. |
Things to do near the Virginia Living Museum
Mariners’ Museum and Park (100 Museum Drive, Newport News, ~5 miles, ticketed) is one of the largest maritime museums in the world, home to the original gun turret of the USS Monitor and extensive collections on global maritime history. A 5-mile nature trail runs through the adjacent park around an ornamental lake.
Newport News Park (13564 Jefferson Ave, free park; activities separate) is one of the largest municipal parks in the eastern United States, with a wetland, lake, disc golf, and seasonal paddling and cycling.
Jamestown Settlement (Williamsburg, ~30 miles, ~40 minutes, ticketed) is a living-history museum reconstructing the 1607 English settlement with a recreated fort, Powhatan village, and full-size replica ships. Operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Colonial Williamsburg (~25 miles, ~30 minutes, ticketed) is the largest open-air living-history museum in the United States, with 89 restored colonial-era structures and costumed interpreters throughout the historic district.
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center (717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, ~35 miles, ~45 minutes, ticketed) is a large aquarium focusing on Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay marine life, with touch tanks, an IMAX theatre, and a Marsh Pavilion outdoor trail.
What to visit tomorrow: nature and wildlife museums within two hours
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center (Virginia Beach, ~35 miles, ~45 minutes) is the natural companion visit — an AZA-accredited aquarium covering the same coastal Virginia ecosystems from a marine perspective, with shark tanks, a loggerhead sea turtle pool, and an aviary.
Norfolk Botanical Garden (Norfolk, ~40 miles, ~45 minutes) is a 175-acre garden on the shore of Lake Whitehurst, with themed collections including a Japanese garden, rose garden, and native Virginia plant sections. Free for children under 3.
First Landing State Park (Virginia Beach, ~40 miles, ~50 minutes, state park admission applies) is a Virginia State Park with significant ecological diversity — one of the few places where a live oak/bald cypress transition forest reaches the Atlantic coast. Hiking, swimming beach, and paddling.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (Chincoteague Island, VA, ~100 miles north, ~1.75 hours) is the refuge protecting the Assateague barrier island with its famous wild pony herd (Chincoteague Ponies), shorebird habitat, and Atlantic beach. A classic Virginia wildlife experience.
New River Valley Aquatic Sciences Center and Claytor Lake State Park (Dublin, VA, ~200 miles west, ~3.5 hours) — too far for a day trip but listed here as the reference point for freshwater Virginia wildlife beyond the coastal region the VLM primarily covers.
More Virginia travel
Other Virginia travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Guide to visiting Booker T Washington National Monument near Roanoke.
- Plan your visit to Natural Bridge State Park.
- All you need to know before visiting Virginia Safari Park near Roanoke.
- What you should know before visiting the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond.
- What to know before visiting the White House of the Confederacy in Richmond.
