After we settled into resort #2, we tried to pick a day’s activity that we could all enjoy… because yours truly was not visiting another theme park, no matter how much I loved that child.
Hence the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. Part zoo, part aquarium and lots of interactive children’s exhibits.
Because who doesn’t love a velociraptor Santa Claus?
An extensive boardwalk wraps around the wildlife enclosure where little people can run to their heart’s content.
And the old folks can enjoy the beauty of a red fox…..
And a bobcat.
Who even though a wild cat, still enjoyed a cardboard box.
Insert required cute group photo here.
There was a plastic dinosaur section…..
Where little hands could get filthy excavating some plastic bones.
Injured vultures…..
And bald eagles were next… this one with a clearly broken wing. And if you’ve ever wondered how large an eagle’s nest is?
Yeah. They’re pretty damned large.
More boardwalks, more running.
And some shore birds…
Whose antics I could easily have stood and watched all day.
I realize this is the 5th post of our trip to the museum, but fear not…. it will also be the last.
Oh, stop being so dramatic and admit you learned something. Even if it was just how to use seashell toilet paper.
We’d spent all day roaming these halls and closing time was approaching before we were even a quarter of the way through.
So we literally trotted from exhibit to exhibit.
Vintage naval toys?
Check!
The hull of the Oracle that won the 33rd America’s Cup in 2010?
A ginormous check!
Submarine cutout?
Got it.
WWII memorabilia?
Yup. Tons…
They even had an Enigma!
How cool is that?
If you haven’t seen The Imitation Game about the life of Alan Turing, the man who broke the unbreakable code and then tragically took his own life… with an apple?
You should.
Teddy Roosevelt was there…
As was this precious little sword wielding cherub.
Because yeah…. what could go wrong with that?
There was too much to see…
And too little time.
Look… interesting, not to mention decorative, ways to kill people!
And I didn’t have a chance to read all the details.
And that.
What was that?
I don’t know!
Because the husband was bound and determined to watch the 3D movie about the coral reef before they closed. So we ran to the theater, put on our plastic glasses and found a good spot to watch and take pictures.
Until this woman moved seats and put her head in front of my lens.
Rude. Very rude.
The Great Barrier coral reef?
Beautiful.
The Great Barrier coral reef in 3D after I moved away from the back of that woman’s head?
Stunning.
It looked like all these little things were reaching out for you….
And I swear the husband jumped a foot when he thought this fellow was right beside him.
Beautiful. No two ways about it.
So that was it.
We spent 8 full hours in the museum that day….
And were too tired to go out to eat.
Oh, stop screaming.
We got Chinese take out and went back to the condo.
The absolute worst Chinese takeout I think I’ve ever had… but there.
So class, yesterday we learned about the CSS Virginia and how most people call her by the incorrect name of…..?
The Merrimack.
Sure you do… you just haven’t realized it yet.
It’s okay. I’ll wait.
Today, we’re going to the movies.
In a surround sound theater that promised an ‘edge of your seat exciting’ depiction of the Ironclad battle.
“You’ll feel like you’re right there!” exclaimed the docent.
Yeah.
About that…
It was a cartoon.
An informative cartoon, I grant you…
But a cartoon all the same. And even with the rolling smoke that issued from the walls and floor…. I didn’t feel any more there than I did watching Bugs Bunny as a child.
Oh well, there were better things ahead.
Like the USS Monitor… famous for her spinning gun turret.
Is it me, or does that thing look like a drunken owl?
She was built in 100 days, which was an amazing accomplishment for the time.
And the museum faithfully recreated what the officer’s quarters looked like upon completion.
Not too shabby.
If a wee bit small.
There were lots of interesting artifacts to examine.
As well as photos of the men who served aboard her.
Of course, being me…. you know I had to find some reference to alcoholic refreshment.
And then, in the next section of the museum….
A replica of the recovered Monitor’s turret.
The original is currently on site and being slowly and painstakingly preserved. Read about it’s discovery and journey to Newport News here.
This was basically what it looked like on the ocean floor.
All that rusty metal! You know my other half was thrilled….
But one of the most impressive aspects of this museum’s exhibit?
A life size USS Monitor right outside.
Of course it was raining and they advised you not to walk on her slippery deck….
So that’s exactly what we did.
Stand on the bow of an Ironclad?
Uh… yes. I will!
Husband even rung the turret’s bell for good measure.
Cool beans!
And if that wasn’t awesome enough? Back inside and down a flight stairs….
Took you inside the turret.
And literally inside the ship itself.
Admittedly the engines and engineering diagrams were above my pay grade.
But the display really gave you a feel for the ship.
And my inner history nerd was sighing with satisfaction.
We did climb up to the observation landing to peer into the lab where the original pieces of the ship are being restored, but it was just giant vats of seawater with electrical current running through them.
Not very photo worthy, so I’ll spare you the shots.
Fear not.
The second half of the museum starts tomorrow…. and it will be a little more fun.
If you’re not a fan of museums, or history, or naval war battles and the Civil War Ironclads?
Please feel free to skip the next dozen posts because that’s probably how long it’s going to take me to document this amazing place in Newport News, Virginia.
It was an overcast day that was threatening rain so I thought this would be a good choice. I had no idea what to expect and was ready to pay a large ticket price… so imagine my surprise when I saw this.
My first reaction was… man, this place must bite.
But oh, was I wrong.
Upon arrival this magnificent eagle greets you.
It’s a remarkable carving and was lovingly restored from it’s original perch on the bow of this ship.
Look closely, it’s there. And gives you some perspective of how large those ships really were.
Next up was a light.
But not just any light.
And if these were the items in the lobby?
I knew we were going to have a great day.
There are 2 distinct areas of the museum to visit, but being a Civil War buff? I had to choose this first.
The Ironclads.
If you know nothing about them? Hang on.
You will by the time I’m through with you.
Great.
Let’s continue….
Turning the corner, we entered this bizarrely blue movie theater that told the story of the Monitor’s sinking.
Turn another corner…. and there she was.
Right under your feet.
And by watching the films, you come to realize how truly dedicated these people are to preserving history.
I found it quite moving.
Around the next corner…
Some interesting artifacts and a glimpse into our Naval past.
I tend to read faster than the husband and am always a few exhibits ahead.
Interestingly enough most people think of the Battle of the Ironclads as the Monitor vs the Merrimack, but technically that’s incorrect.
This was the Merrimack.
She was originally a Union ship that was captured by the Confederates when Gosport fell.
She was damaged, but thanks to this man…
Would be overhauled, covered in iron plate and turned into the CSS Virginia.
The Confederate’s Ironclad.
This is the museum’s recreation of her outfitting.
And what she looked like upon completion.
The Merrimack no longer.
There, you’ve learned something.
Now that wasn’t so bad… eh?
No! Not boring.
It’s history!
And how many of your friends can say they’ve seen inside a Civil War Ironclad?
None, I tell you!
None.
But now you have…
And are sure to be the envy of all your neighbors at the next block party.
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