Museum of the Shenandoah Valley

Today we went to the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley for our field trip group (although my sister, our kids and I were the only ones who went). The museum is located in Winchester, VA. The museum complex includes the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, the 6-acre gardens, and Glen Burnie Historic House. We toured the museum and the gardens today.

The Shenandoah Valley Gallery shows a history of the valley from Paleo-Indians to the 1930's. It is very interactive. There are computers and video monitors where children can listen to traditional music or learn about early settlers. There are activities related to the German heritage and history of slavery in the Valley. All of the kids really got into the Scavenger Hunt. It was not very complicated. It could be completed by simply reading the titles for each of the displays or paintings. My oldest son actually said his favorite part of the museum of the Portrait Gallery in the Julian Wood Glass, Jr. Gallery. Currently they have an exhibit of O. Winston Link's railroad photography. My kids are train enthusiasts, so this was very popular with them too.

The gardens were beautiful. I think the kids liked the Asian garden the best. There is a water garden, rose gardens, a vegetable garden, and more. There was a garden Scavenger Hunt, which focused on the abundant statuary throughout the gardens.

When we left one of the older boys said that was a great field trip. Everyone was able to tell me at least one new thing they had learned. Some were about portrait painting, others were focused on the settlers having to make their furniture. The museum staff also gave me a pamphlet for the kids called "War Comes to the Valley," about the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. We didn't visit the Civil War Room in the museum, but the booklet is something we could read at home.

We took about 1 1/2 hours to tour the museum and 1 hour to tour the garden.

For more information about the museum, gardens or about Glen Burnie visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley's website at http://www.shenandoahmuseum.org/.