Children's Museum of Virginia Thanksgiving Weekend Family Play Days

About this adventure

As the largest children's museum in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Children's Museum of Virginia in historic Olde Towne Portsmouth is the ultimate destination for playful discovery during Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Spanning two expansive floors of hands-on exhibits, kids can climb aboard a life-sized tugboat, explore a real city transit bus, step inside a full-sized fire truck, and shop for pretend groceries in a realistic farmer's market. Upstairs, families can marvel at the Lancaster Antique Train collection—one of the largest toy train displays on the East Coast—watching model locomotives chug through detailed miniature landscapes. The Beazley Planetarium offers kid-friendly cosmic sky journeys, while special holiday weekend activity carts invite little makers to engineer marble rollercoasters, construct autumn wind turbines, and create harvest craft keepsakes. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Fully ADA-compliant facility with elevators connecting both levels, broad exhibit walkways, and convenient designated stroller parking stations. • Nursing & Rest Spots: Private, comfortable nursing alcove with glider seating, electrical outlets, and multiple family restrooms equipped with sturdy changing tables. • Age Suitability: Tailored specifically for children from infancy through age 12, featuring a dedicated Tots Island soft play space for toddlers ages 3 and under. • Sensory Tips: Energetic, joyful play atmosphere with diverse sound effects and flashing vehicle lights; quiet sensory backpacks with headphones are available at guest services.