In our “Give BOLDLY” series, we highlight local residents and businesses who are dedicated to making a difference in our communities. From volunteering at a food bank to running a nonprofit, and everywhere in-between, these individuals are passionately giving back through their philanthropic efforts. In this installment, we learn about the Virginia Discovery Museum, a nonprofit educational museum.
For more than 25 years, the Virginia Discovery Museum (VDM) 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.
A nonprofit resource, VDM primarily serves families with newborns to children age 8 and works to prepare local children for elementary school by offering engaging, developmentally appropriate exhibits, programs, and events.
The museum welcomes more than 70,000 visitors annually, and a dedicated staff of six oversees the museum’s 15 hands-on educational play areas and facilitates a variety of STEAM programs throughout the year, including weekly free-with-admission programs for children 6-months to 8-years old, after-school workshops for children 4 and older, multi-week class series for children 6 and older, and half-day camps for children 4-8.
VDM also organizes four major annual community events including Kid*Vention (an elementary-aged science fair), the Discovery Dash (an annual children’s track race encouraging families to get active), Boo Bash (a safe and fun family Halloween party), and Santa Pancake Breakfast.
In an effort to make its space and programs more accessible, the museum has created the Sponsored Admission Program, which allows client families of 50 community agencies to attend the museum free of charge. Nearly 11 percent of VDM’s annual visitors are welcomed through sponsored admissions.
“We are so thankful that VDM is accessible to our families through the Sponsored Admission Program,” Ashley Howard, of City of Promise, said. “Our mothers believe VDM has a safe, welcoming environment, and they love seeing children of all ages, races, and socioeconomic statuses learning, playing, and creating together.”
Additionally, the museum hosts more than 1,500 field trip visitors each year, over 1,000 of whom visit for free or at a reduced rate through Sponsored Group Visits including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, Bright Stars, the Charlottesville Preschool Program, and Head Start. VDM also provides scholarships to families experiencing financial hardship that would prevent their children from participating in camps or other fee-based programs.
“The Museum has allowed our youth to participate in an Olympic-themed summer camp and provides a generous open invitation for the children to use the Museum,” Claudette Grant, of Piedmont Housing Alliance, said. “This partnership has enriched our young residents with a great opportunity to learn and create in a fun setting that is close to home.”
Community is a central part of the museum’s mission, and VDM works to cultivate this sense of community through robust volunteer and summer teen internship programs and community partnerships with UVA researchers, UVA student groups, high school clubs, and local organizations. Annually, VDM depends on more than 350 volunteers who donate over 4,000 service hours to help with daily operations, program facilitation, exhibit installation and maintenance, special events, and more. Partner programs bring visitors face-to-face with unique, hands-on experiences and provide families with opportunities to actively participate in current child development research.
To raise funds for the Virginia Discovery, Nest Realty is hosting a DRINK IT FORWARD event on Wednesday, June 19th beginning at 5:30 p.m. at South Street Brewery. Click here for more information. We hope you’ll join us in raising a glass to raise funds for this wonderful nonprofit that services the families of our community.
To learn more and get involved at the Virginia Discovery Museum, visit vadm.org.