Science Museum of Western Virginia

Virginia's first chartered science museum began in a 400-square-foot basement in 1970. The collection moved twice — first to an abandoned World War I-era schoolhouse, then in 1983 to Center in the Square, a renovated five-story warehouse in the downtown market district that now houses several cultural organizations. The museum occupies the upper floors. The exhibits zero in on what's actually around you: Appalachian ecology, Blue Ridge geology, the health of local environments. A Chesapeake Bay touch tank lets you handle live animals tied to Virginia's eastern watersheds. The rooftop butterfly garden opens to valley views — a place to see what pollinators do, with the mountains as backdrop. Other galleries cover computer coding, engineering method, healthy bodies, and the physics hiding inside toys. There's a maker space and a garden focused on agriculture. In partnership with Virginia Tech, the museum sponsors the annual Virginia Science Festival. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Admission charged. Check hours before you go.