Press Kit

Virginia Living Museum Fact Sheet 

The Virginia Living Museum:

• Is dedicated to preserving Virginia’s rich natural heritage through an educated public. 

• Introduces visitors to the uniqueness and importance of all living things through exhibits of more than 200 living species native to Virginia. 

• Fosters an appreciation of the importance of preserving the natural world through exhibits, hands-on classes, labs, safaris and special programs for students and the general public. 

• Is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network, which aims to foster a broader commitment to Bay restoration and conservation efforts by providing citizens the opportunity to experience the Bay and its rivers first hand. 

• Has provided formal, natural and space science education at the museum to more than 2 million students since 1987. 

• Provided formal science education programs to more than 93,000 Virginia students in fiscal 2007-08. All programs are correlated with Virginia’s Standards of Learning for Science and targeted for specific grade levels. 

• Has educational programs that are endorsed by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Education as outstanding enrichment opportunities.  

• Contracts with six Peninsula school systems to provide formal science education for students in grades K-12. 

• Annually teaches more than 30 Virginia life and earth science teachers new ways to teach science though summer graduate credit courses and provides internships to Governor’s school students. 

• Through its living exhibits, brings visitors in contact with more wildlife than could be encountered in a lifetime of outdoor adventures in Virginia.  

• Maintains native plantings in all exhibits, gardens and outdoor areas. 

• Collaborates with museums and tourist bureaus from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach and the Virginia Tourism Corporation to increase visitor spending in the area. 

• Demonstrates the inter-connectedness of earth and space through planetarium programs and viewing of the sky in the observatory. The planetarium is currently closed for renovation.  

• Participates in off-site events and festivals (such as Norfolk Children’s Festival) to bring its conservation message to the general public. 

• Has more than 400 active volunteers who contributed 39,143 hours in fiscal 2007-2008 (the equivalent of 20 full-time staff positions). 

• Attracted 215,000 people in fiscal 2007-2008 to its exhibits and programs. 

• Obtains more than 70% of its income from admissions, museum store sales, memberships program fees and fundraising efforts. 

• Has an 2008-09 annual operating budget of $4.25 million that remains balanced.  

• Is accredited by the American Association of Museums and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  

• Is a private, non-profit 501 (c)3 institution. 

• Is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of 23 elected and 3 appointed members. 

• Has a staff of approximately 45 full-time and 45 part-time employees