Since my last review, I ended up purchasing a family membership to the Children's Science Center…read moreand it is the BEST purchasing decision I have made all year. It's close proximity means that I have a go-to spot to bring the kids on school breaks, rainy days, cold days, or whenever we simply have nothing to do. While there are a few standing exhibits, the staff does a really good job at changing things up (and keeping things topical) so each visit feels special. And the best part... SLIME. We've made slime conductors, spider slime, fluffy slime, snowflake slime, glow-in-the-dark slime .. basically alll the slime. The experiment lab always has a slime option and it is a highlight of every visit. My eldest daughter went from barely reading and needing help at the beginning of our membership to fully reading and creating experiments on her own. It is so much fun to see. For the littles, there is a small playroom with building blocks, magnatiles, books, and those large blue fort/construction material building materials. My two-year old loved spending time in this room but now that she is three she likes making her own hovercrafts and setting them sail in the wind tunnel. The staff is SO kind, SO helpful, and so passionate about what they do. I love how they offer volunteer/internship opportunities to teens and will also set up special traveling science labs to Title I schools. If you are a member you also get discounted or free visits to children's science museums all across the United States which has made this membership 100% worth it for our family. If you are looking for an experience gift to give a little one this year, I highly recommend the Children's Science Center!

Had a great time with my toddler today. She's not quite two so her admission was free and there's a…read more$2 discount for purchasing tickets in advance. I was worried there wouldn't be enough activity for her age but she had a blast playing with exhibits and blocks in the interactive room. She also made "play dough" as an experiment. The staff were all friendly and helpful, we will definitely be back.

Glenstone has been on my shortlist of cultural places to visit for a while! Everything is so…read morebeautiful and engaging to the senses. From the moment you arrive to the walking path, outdoor installations, and the patios and galleries - it is quite the site to see. The team is gracious and helpful if you have questions or would like to learn more about the art. I went on a weekday midday, and I need to go back to take it all in. It got a little hot in the direct sunlight, though each building had umbrellas, which was super helpful. There was plenty of outdoor seating and spaces to reflect and contemplate and just take it all in. I can't wait to go back with my friends and family. I'd love to make it a regular spot - you can accomplish a lot! Reflection, legit exercise :-) art, appreciation, and a yummy meal all at once. Loved it!

This museum is absolutely worth a visit with both friends and family…read more I booked a 1:30 p.m. Sunday entry and arrived about 20 minutes late without any issues. Crowd levels were manageable when I arrived, with only a brief wait to check in, but it was noticeably busier when I left around 3:00 p.m., with about 10 people waiting in line. The experience includes both indoor and outdoor art, so be prepared for a fair amount of walking, including some uphill sections. Plan on spending 2-3 hours if you want to see everything. I also recommend booking tickets at least a couple of weeks in advance. When I visited, all remaining time slots for the day were sold out. Because of the extreme heat, part of the grounds was closed during my visit. The museum provided white umbrellas for sun protection, which I highly recommend, even if you have a hat and sunglasses and the stamina of a horse. Just note that umbrellas are not permitted inside the pavilions or gallery buildings. One thing that could be improved: I found only one water station, and it dispensed warm water. There are benches throughout the property, but much of the outdoor area is unshaded so on hot days you're unlikely to sit for long. The map provided at check-in was very helpful for navigating the grounds. AC is ample in all the buildings including the food venues. My favorite installations were Alex De Corte's exploration of humor, satire, violence, and tenderness through neon installations in The Pavilions and Faith Ringgold's "Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima?" You'll have to check them out for yourself to see why!

Can't believe no one's rated this yet. AMAZING place if you're an aircraft aficionado. It's got…read moresome legendary aircraft's like the Discovery shuttle, the SR-71 Blackbird, the STOVL model of the X-35B (which is now the F-35 Lightning) including the engines on display, F-14 Tomcat, the Concorde and HUNDREDS of more civilian and military aircrafts & artifacts. Parking is $15 standard and Entry is "FREE" which means you get here at 10 and can spend until 5:30pm any day of the week! There's restaurants, an Airbus IMAX experience and a souvenir shop. Guided tours provided as well which are EXTREMELY informative. https://maps.app.goo.gl/7AJTEZ5TxQeY1q1k8?g_st=ic

This is a free exhibit with many things to do on the inside. Some cost aliitle money and some are…read morefree. The imax theater had show ever hour regarding various topics dealing with space and travel. Also. There were simulators to make you think you were out of space. Big planes, small planes, helicopters , missle and rockets. They were upright. In the air and full of wonder. The institute was very handicapped accessible with elevators to boot. We checked all 3 floors. We did not do the Imax since wifey said no. I wanted to do the simulator to feel like an astronaut but did not. Both were affordably priced under $20. There is a small cafeteria to get something to munch on. On our way out, The smell of popcorn burned the roof of our nose. I was all in for popcorn. There is a observatory deck. We saw planes going into Dullies airport. It was a sight for soar eyes. Admission was free but you can donate to the institute to help maintain it and preserve items in it. We had a spectacular good time!

Though the name might suggest that this includes a museum, it is not. The United States…read moreGeospatial Intelligence Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that promotes geospatial intelligence. What is geospatial intelligence, you ask? Good question. It is basically the analysis of maps and satellite imagery. Imagine looking at Google Earth all day for your job. Geospatial analysis can also help with non-spook things, though, such as flood control, assistance with natural disaster, community planning, etc.. But, though this sounds like a cool museum and a place to spend a few hours during a long layover at Dulles Airport, it is not. It is just an office.

The Heritage Farm Museum is one of my favorite ways to entertain a toddler on a rainy / hot / snowy…read moreday! You can spend a full morning here, running around, playing, and exploring all the different exhibits and not get bored. The general store is a personal favorite and my kiddos love putting on an apron, stocking and restocking shelves, and pretending to purchase bread and potatoes. There is also a little interactive farm, one room school house, and recreation of an old timey kitchen that are a big hit with our toddler set. In nicer weather days, they have actual farm demonstrations and lots of tractors and other wheeled contraptions for kids to look at. The cost of a morning of fun? $5 for adults, $3 for kids, and FREE NINETY NINE for the two and under set. You can tire your kiddos out, grab lunch at nearby Ridgetop Coffee (which has an indoor playroom), and have a peaceful car nap home. Truly one of the best hidden gems for families here in Nova.

Great spot to spend a few hours with your toddler! The museum is small but perfectly sized for…read moresmall toddlers that need to burn energy on a hot or rainy day. The woman at the front desk was incredibly nice and helpful. The play areas were clean and creative. There farm area and general store were our toddler's favorite! Would definitely recommend and we will be back soon

Located very close to the Dulles airport and the National Air Museum . There's free and easy…read moreparking.Entrance is also free.If you want to take a tour that does cost a fee . I came here without expectations and open to what I would see. The area is very walkable.There's a visitor center . It has information and artifacts from the property . It's also where tour tickets can be purchased .I was able to tour the grounds, including the recreated enslaved quarters. I was able to go inside of the enslaved quarters. Some of the buildings are undergoing renovations and can only be viewed from the outside. This includes the main house.The guide stood in the middle of the grassy area and talked about the main house. He also showed pictures of the inside. Yes, this area was part of the Underground Railroad , but not as a beacon of freedom. It is also on the national registry of historic places. Owned by north Virginia's first congressman and his family this was a working plantation. At one point it was also used by confederate soldiers. Give yourself at least 45 minutes for the grounds.

This is a nice little historic site from Richard Bland Lee. There is a small gift shop/visitor's…read morecenter, a couple of outer buildings, then the main house. Our tour guide was great at explaining the history of the house and all the people who lived here. She explained the uses of each room and what was authentic. There was a small, old-fashioned classroom (since they educated local children) and an upper floor with a bunch of spinning equipment they show off more on field trips. Our tour group had about 6 people, so it was quiet and easy to ask questions if we had them. It was a nice little site and window into life in the 19th century.

great collection. minimal data on displays which means you…read moreneed to use digital stations. wish could find item by case and number as opposed to exhibit section and number. section name is almost impossible to find. easy fix, since entering a section name displays a list of case number in that section.

Epic collection of firearms with a rich history. The staff at the museum were very professional and…read moreanswered all my questions thoroughly. The firearm collection is very extensive and goes beyond my highest expectations. We were immediately greeted at the front desk by Zack. He was very informative about the museum. 98% of the museum is made up of donations. About 8,000 firearms donated are in storage. Bill, one of the staff, was very helpful and talked about James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr.. I was impressed at the arrangement of the firearms and how they were organized in a meaningful way. It would take many hours to go through and read all the exhibits. We spent about two hours there. I was very impressed with the exhibit of weapons used in Hollywood movies. I adored the exhibit with taxidermy animals especially the bear. The Buffalo Bill and George Washington exhibit were very eye catching as well. The most spectacular moment in the museum was hearing about and see an exhibit piece owned by one of America's most notorious criminals, Charles Manson. The museum curator, Ernie, gave me vivid details of how the gun was confiscated by the police. Admission to the museum is free and one of Fairfax's finest and unique local attractions. Strongly recommend this museum.

First time to see robotic realistic Dino....I believe only place to see it…read more They could have done better in the set design...made it higher or cover the set better. Silk plants ??? That was the JOKE !!!

I took me and my boyfriend to see the prehistoric land animals of our ancient time and was heckled…read morefor $50 also I had a gentleman referring to the dinosaurs as "them" it's 2020 let the dinosaurs choose their gender. I asked for a refund at that point and couldn't imagine spending my money there ever again, those poor dinosaurs.