Kid*Vention
Annual Family Science Festival
Strap on your goggles and slip into your lab coat for Kid*Vention, the Virginia Discovery Museum’s annual celebration of everything science! Every spring, this community event inspires children to explore the world around them with all their senses. Meet dozens of local exhibitors as you investigate biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, physics, zoology, and more through fun, hands-on demonstrations, experiments, and games.
Details | Sponsors | Featured Exhibitors | Event Policies | FAQs | Contact
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
2026 Featured Exhibitors
Local exhibitors are at the heart of Kid*Vention, which is celebrating its 26th year, and the Museum is excited to welcome more than 50 diverse groups to this year’s festival. Meet our 8 featured exhibitors for 2026 below as we take a sneak peek at some of the things you’ll see at the event!
Animal Hospital of Ivy Square
Activity: Hands-On Pet Activities
Step into the shoes of a veterinarian! Kid*Ventors will scan microchips, explore feline and canine medical models, and practice “fear-free” handling techniques as they discover the essentials of responsible pet care and how to keep our furry friends happy and healthy.
Blue Ridge Boost
Activity: STEM Discovery Zone
Build, code, and create! Kid*Ventors will tackle beginner-friendly coding challenges, program and drive a small robot, and solve math and logic puzzles as they discover the fun side of robotics and coding.
Free Union Country School
Activity: Unbounded Science – All About Energy!
Explore energy in action! Kid*Ventors will test battery-free flashlights powered by motion, watch radiometers spin using light energy, build simple circuits, and experiment with phase change tubes to see heat transfer as they discover how energy changes from one form to another.
GA-Intelligence
Activity: Mission – Detect!
Scan the skies and seas! Kid*Ventors will build planes and ships from Pix Brix and attach reflective tape then use flashlights to scan for light wave “reflections” as they learn how radar similarly uses radio waves to track these vehicles in real-time.
High Tor Gear Exchange
The Virginia Discovery Museum is excited to welcome High Tor Gear Exchange, an outdoor clothing and equipment shop in Charlottesville, to Kid*Vention as a 2026 event sponsor and featured exhibitor.
MicroKits
Activity: Play the Banan-A-Synth Using Conductivity
Make melodies with musical fruit! Kid*Ventors will play a keyboard made of real bananas and experiment with analog conductivity sensors as they learn how to complete a circuit and identify conductive materials.
Rivanna Conservation Alliance
Activity: Explore the Rivanna River
Dive in! Kid*Ventors will examine preserved bugs that live in the local waterways, view bacteria trays under UV light, and interact with a virtual stream filled with rocks, leaves, and laminated “critters” as they learn how biological monitoring helps protect the health of the community’s waterways.
Skye’s the Limit Vacations
Activity: Human Spirograph
Spin, twist, and create! Kid*Ventors will sit on a skateboard, markers in hand, while being guided in a circular motion to create geometric art on giant sheets of paper as they learn about spirographs and how physical motion can create mathematical curves.
Event Policies
Event Participants
- Event participants with any of these symptoms are asked to refrain from attending Kid*Vention.
- Kid*Vention will take place indoors at Key Recreation Center.
- All event participants must Check-In before participating in any activities.
Check-In & Check-Out
- 9:30 a.m.: Event Starts
- Although activities start at 9:30 a.m., event participants may arrive and check in anytime during the event.
- Check-In takes place at Key Recreation Center’s main entrance.
- Kid*Vention will take place rain or shine.
- 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Festival Activities, Experiments & Games
- 1:00-1:10 p.m.: Event Ends
- Exhibitor tables close. The Virginia Discovery Museum, located just a short walk down the pedestrian mall from Key Recreation Center, will be open until 5:00 p.m. for playtime. Any event participants who visit the Museum are asked to pay general admission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Germ Concerns
How many people are expected to attend Kid*Vention?
Kid*Vention typically draws between 800-1,000 visitors throughout the day in addition to VDM staff, exhibitors, and event volunteers.
Event Admission
How much does it cost to attend Kid*Vention?
Event admission is a suggested donation of $15 per family. All donations directly support the Virginia Discovery Museum, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, including exhibit creation and maintenance, educational programs, and VDM’s Sponsored Admission Program.
Does my Virginia Discovery Museum membership grant me free admission to Kid*Vention?
No. Membership only applies to general admission visits to the Museum but does not include free admission to annual events hosted by the Museum.
Do I need to purchase or reserve tickets in advance?
No. Kid*Vention takes place indoors at Key Recreation Center, and there is no maximum capacity for the event. Families are welcome to show up anytime during the event from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Does my $15 entry donation include free admission to the Virginia Discovery Museum?
No. Due to limited capacity inside the Virginia Discovery Museum, we are not able to offer free admission to Kid*Vention attendees. Event participants are still welcome to visit the Museum, but they are asked to pay general admission.
Parking & Directions
Where can I park for Kid*Vention?
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. Key Recreation Center, where Kid*Vention takes place, is also located across the pedestrian mall from 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
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? To learn more about VDM’s Kid*Vention family science festival, contact Director of Operations Lindsay Jones at operationsdirector@vadm.org or (434) 977-1025 x102.