Where we come from

Our History

Serving Hampton Roads Since 1980

We are proud to have a long history in our community.

1980
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1980

Children's Museum Established

The Tidewater Children’s Museum is established as a project of the Portsmouth Service League. The first location of the museum was the Main Branch of the Portsmouth City Library system on Court Street.
1982
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1982

City of Portsmouth Takes Over

At the request of the Portsmouth Service League, the city of Portsmouth takes over the operation of the Children’s Museum. The museum becomes the fourth museum in the Department of Museums.
1984
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1984

Children's Museum Moves

The 1846 Courthouse at the corner of High and Court Streets was repurposed as an arts center by the City of Portsmouth. The children’s museum moves to the first floor with the second floor housing the art gallery.
1991
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1991

Planning to Move Again

The city purchases the former Leggett building on High Street with plans to relocate the Portsmouth Children’s Museum to the first floor.
1992
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1992

The Portsmouth Museums Foundation Is Founded

The Honorable William B. Spong, Jr. and his wife Virginia founded the Portsmouth Museums Foundation, Inc. with a group of civic minded and philanthropic individuals to raise public and private support for the exhibits for the museum project, called “Phase I.” $1.8 million was raised for the exhibits. The first board, in addition to the Spong’s, included C. Randolph Hudgins, Rear Admiral W Ted Leland, Mr. Kenneth Wright, Mr. Roger Brown, Mr. Tony Brown and Mrs. Richard Fuller.
1993
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1993

Installation of the Planetarium

An agreement was reached between the Portsmouth Public Schools and the Department of Museums to move the school’s planetarium from Manor High School to the Children’s Museum and install a state-of-the-art planetarium that both the public and the school system could utilize. The planetarium was sponsored by the Beazley Foundation and is named in honor of the founder Fred W. Beazley.
1993
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1993

Rebranded and Relocated

The museum was rebranded as the Children’s Museum of Virginia and relocated to the newly renovated first floor of the former Leggett building.
1996
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1996

The Lancaster Toy Donation

Portsmouth Philanthropists Junius and Millie Lancaster donated their vast antique toy and train collection to the Portsmouth Museums Foundation, Inc. for display at the Children’s Museum of Virginia.
1996
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1996

$2.4 Million Expansion

A second capital campaign was launched by the Portsmouth Museum Foundation, Inc. in collaboration with the city of Portsmouth for $2.4 million for expansion of the Children’s Museum of Virginia to the second floor. This expansion would showcase the Lancaster Antique Toy and Train collection.
1998
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1998

Phase II Opens

“Phase II” of the Children’s Museum of Virginia opened in 1998.
2004
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2004

Coleman’s Nursery’s Winter Wonderland

When Coleman’s Nursery in Churchland closed and was sold, the Foundation raised private support to purchase the iconic Coleman’s Nursery’s Winter Wonderland collection. Winter Wonderland was a holiday exhibit that opened in 1965 at the nursery to the delight of thousands of visitors each year. The collection comes to life each year at the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center.
2004-2011
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2004-2011

“All Aboard for the Future”

The Portsmouth Museums Foundation, Inc. signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the city of Portsmouth for the “All Aboard for the Future” capital campaign for the renovation and expansion of the Children’s Museum of Virginia. The expansion added approximately 20,000 square feet and relocated the entrance to High Street. The campaign raised $4 million for the project.
2012-2014
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2012-2014

Batten Endowment Challenge Grant Awarded

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation awards the Portsmouth Museums Foundation, Inc. a Batten Endowment challenge grant, which established an endowment for the Children’s Museum of Virginia.
2017-2024
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2017-2024

Multiple Exhibits Updated

  • 2017: Hampton Roads Transit upgrades the bus exhibit.
  • 2019: Toddler Tracks was renovated with support from the Batten Endowment.
  • 2019: The grocery store was upgraded by Wegmans and the exhibit carries the Wegmans name.
  • 2019: The Townebank exhibit was upgraded supported by TowneBank.
  • 2021: The Pets & Vets exhibit was renovated into a new exhibit, Happy Paws, funded by the Batten Endowment.
  • 2021: The Beazley Planetarium operating system was upgraded by the Beazley Foundation.
  • 2022: The Wacky Racers exhibit opened with support from First Team Auto.
  • 2024: The Bodyworks renovation and expansion, sponsored by Sentara/Optima Health, opened.
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