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Courtney Bevan with Carter, 3, and Wyatt 2 1/2, interacting with the Air Tubes at the Children's Museum of Richmond's Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Ari, 3, checks out the Light Bright Wall with guest services associate Rachel Sitison at the Children's Museum of Richmond's Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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London (left) and Han, both 4 1/2, at the soy bean farm in the Children's Museum of Richmond's new Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Avery, 6, plays at the Soy Bean Farm at the Children's Museum of Richmond's new Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Four-year-old Tripp from Tappahannock tries out the tractor at the Children's Museum of Richmond's Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Turner, 18 months, plays in the dig pit at the Children's Museum of Richmond at Short Pump Town Center. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Children's Museum of Richmond mascot Seymour made an appearance at the Short Pump Town Center location's premiere. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Nate, 4, stops by the Silver Diner counter in the new Children's Museum of Richmond location at Short Pump Town Center. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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Here's the place to put on a play at the Children's Museum of Richmond's Short Pump Town Center location. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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The footprints of Seymour the Dinosaur lead to the new Children's Museum of Richmond location at Short Pump Town Center. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
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The new Short Pump Town Center location of the Children's Museum of Richmond opened July 11. (photo by Nicole Cohen)
Next time you’re at Short Pump Town Center, you might notice a new addition: red footprints along the main brick plaza. These are no ordinary footprints, they belong to the feet of Seymour the Dinosaur, and they lead you right to the brand new Short Pump location of the Children’s Museum of Richmond.
Formerly located at West Broad Village, the museum’s new home opens today inside the mall at 11800 W. Broad St. At a VIP premiere event on Friday, kids got to experience the new exhibits for the first time. New experiences like the soy bean farm, dubbed SoyMoR, were a hit. There’s also an ant farm climbing wall, where children can mimic what it’s like to tunnel through an ant farm. Eye Play is an interactive virtual play floor where images are projected on the floor and children can play games on it. Plus, a smaller version of a garage, grocery store and diner gives kids not only an opportunity to learn about the grown-up world, it also encourages physical and mental development, along with social awareness and collaboration skills.
Noting the large number of visitors drawn to Short Pump Town Center,
Meredith Screeney, vice president of mission for CMoR, says, “When we were presented with the opportunity [to move], we jumped on it.”
Sandwiches and treats provided by Silver Diner were served at the event, and Seymour himself even stopped in to say hello.
While the overall square footage is smaller, the exhibit space has remained the same from the former location, allowing for a more open layout. “A parent can stand in the center and see where their kid is at all times,” said Kim Hollon, communications manager for CMoR. “We’re really using the space more efficiently.”
