Date Night Drop-Off
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Friday Night Childcare
Parents, need a Friday night out? Let the Virginia Discovery Museum watch the kids on select Friday evenings while you enjoy some much-deserved time to yourselves! Children will enjoy hands-on crafts, games, activities, and plenty of playtime in our exhibit galleries, all while interacting with other kids in a safe setting. Due to food allergy concerns, VDM does not provide dinner or snacks itself during Date Night Drop-Off, but the program does include a break for dinner. Participants must pack a nut-free, ready-to-eat bagged meal and labeled water bottle.
Program Details | Upcoming | General Policies | FAQs | Contact
Frequency
Select Fridays
Times: 4:30-7:30 p.m.
(Child Packs a Meal)
Upcoming Drop-Offs
General Policies
Program Participants
- Program participants with any of these symptoms are asked to refrain from visiting the Museum.
- All program registrants must be at least 4 years old and fully independent in the bathroom.
- All parents/guardians must Check-In with the VDM staff member in the Creation Station program room before dropping off program participants at the Museum.
- No food, gum, or drinks are allowed in the Museum, except for program participants’ approved nut-free, ready-to-eat bagged meals and labeled water bottles.
Check-In & Check-Out Procedure
- 4:30-4:40 p.m.: Arrival & Check-In
- Takes place in the Museum’s Creation Station program room.
- All parents/guardians must check in with a staff member before dropping off their children at the Museum.
- 4:40-7:30 p.m.: Program Activities, Gallery Playtime & Dinner
- Due to food allergy concerns, the Museum will not provide dinner or snacks itself, but the program does include a break for dinner.
- Participants must pack a nut-free, ready-to-eat bagged meal.
- Participants must pack a labeled water bottle.
- 7:30-7:40 p.m.: Pick-Up & Check-Out
- Parents/Guardians must check-out with the VDM staff member at the front desk before picking up their children.
- All visitors must exit the Museum by 7:40 p.m. to allow for the arrival of VDM's cleaning crew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Germ Concerns
Will VDM be open for general admission during Date Nights?
VDM will be open to the public for general admission visits until 5:00 p.m. From 5:00-7:30 p.m., the Museum will be restricted to program participants only.
Who else will be in the Museum during Date Nights?
At least one VDM staff member and one Museum volunteer will be present during every Date Night Drop-Off.
How often is the Museum cleaned?
The Museum is cleaned daily, and a crew will be on site following all Date Night Drop-Offs to clean and sanitize. All program participants must exit the Museum by the scheduled Check-Out time before the cleaners arrive.
Registration & Waitlists
What is required to be eligible for Date Night?
Children must be at least 4 years old and fully independent in the bathroom.
What if the Date Night I want to participate in has filled?
Date Night Drop-Offs have a maximum capacity of 16 children. If you have an interest in a drop-off that is full, please contact Education Manager Courtney Edmund at courtney@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x106 to add your child's name to the waitlist. In the event of a cancellation, those on the waitlist will be contacted in the order their requests were received.
Financial Assistance
Does VDM offer financial assistance for Date Nights?
In accordance with the Museum’s mission, VDM does offer a limited number of scholarships for all of its programs, including Date Night Drop-Offs. For information about applying for a scholarship, contact Director of Operations Lindsay Jones at operationsdirector@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x102.
Annual Members
How do I apply my 10% annual member discount?
To apply this discount to program registrations made online, you must have an active annual membership and will need to create a Website User Account and link it to your membership record by following these instructions. If you have already created a Website User Account, click the registration link for the program you wish to register for and sign in using the link at the top of the registration page. If you need help applying your 10% discount when using our online order forms, please contact Visitor Services Manager Matt Berman at matt@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x103.
How do I set up my Website User Account?
You can follow the instructions here or contact Visitor Services Manager Matt Berman at matt@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x103.
Did I successfully link my Website User Account and membership?
Contact Visitor Services Manager Matt Berman at matt@vadm.org or (434) 97701925 x103, and we’ll make sure everything is all set.
Cancellations & Refunds
What is VDM’s cancellation and refund policy for Date Nights?
A minimum of 6 children is required for a program to run. If a program is canceled by the Museum due to insufficient enrollment or other extenuating circumstances, the registration fee will be refunded to all registrants.
Individual cancellations must be made at least 48 hours before the corresponding program’s posted start time to be eligible for a refund. If an individual cancellation causes the program roster to fall below the required minimum, the refund will be contingent upon the vacancy being filled. If an individual cancellation is made within 48 hours of the program’s start time, the registration fee will be forfeited. No refunds will be issued after a program begins.
Drop-Off & Pick-Up
Does VDM provide food or should I pack dinner or a snack?
Due to food allergy concerns, the Museum will not provide dinner or snacks itself during Date Night Drop-Offs, but the program does include a break for dinner. Participants are asked to pack nut-free, ready-to-eat bagged meals and labeled water bottles to help us maintain a nut-free environment for our friends with food allergies.
Where can I park to drop off and pick up my child?
The Market Street Garage (550 E Market Street) or Water Street Garage (200 E Water Street) provide the first hour of parking for free, then charge $1 per half hour (or portion thereof) before capping at $12 maximum. Both locations use pay-by-plate technology through the Metropolis App, which requires visitors to create an account with their name, phone number or email address, license plate number, and a form of contactless payment. Museum guests receive an additional hour of free parking – for a total of two hours – when they scan the validation QR code at the Museum. The Museum is also located next to the Downtown Transit Station, and Charlottesville Area Transit offers a Free Trolley that stops at the station as it travels through Downtown and the University of Virginia. Click to learn more about parking downtown or more about public bus routes and fares.
Click the icon in the upper left corner for map legend and details.
Contact Us
To learn more about Date Night Drop-Offs, contact Education Manager Courtney Edmund at courtney@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x106. For scholarship information, contact Director of Operations Lindsay Jones at operationsdirector@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x102.