Chesapeake Bay Aquarium

Schedule a self-guided visit of exhibits that feature over 500 live animals and plants, native to Virginia, in their natural settings. Trained interpreters are located throughout the exhibits to work with your students, making exhibits "hands-on" - so students learn by doing, as well, as by seeing. Advance reservations are required for groups of ten or more students.

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Reservations Coordinator at (757) 595-9135 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., or fill out the on-line request form.

Funded in part by SunTrust.

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for a tour of the indoor exhibits and outdoor trails.

Groups of ten or more

$7 per student, $10 per adult

Classroom teacher and one chaperone are required for every 10 students and are admitted free.

$2 additional per person for Changing Exhibit Gallery.

The exhibits in the new Virginia Living Museum were designed to correlate with and reinforce Virginia's Standards of Learning for Science. While taking a tour of the geographic regions of Virginia, students can observe:

	Live animals and plants in their natural habitats

	Plant and animal life cycles, food chains and food webs

	Animal survival adaptations for finding food and shelter, rearing young, avoiding predators, defensive measures

	Animal migration, camouflage and hibernation

	Endangered and threatened species

	Vertebrates and invertebrates

	The importance of conserving Virginia's animal, plant and mineral resources

	Pond, forest, stream, Chesapeake Bay, cypress swamp, mountain cove, cave and more habitats

	Virginia's prehistoric past: rocks, minerals, fossils

	Phases of the moon, reasons for the seasons, earth's revolution and rotation, planets in our solar system

While the Museum’s science programs and exhibits are targeted to Virginia’s Standards of Learning, their topics have universal appeal. Predator and prey, plant and animal life cycles, animal survival adaptations, endangered and threatened species, geology, dinosaurs, weather and astronomy are applicable to science studies throughout the United States.

Click here to learn about some of our exhibits.

Click here to learn about the Abbitt Observatory.

Click here to learn about the Planetarium.

Click here to learn about our Visiting Exhibits.