Mar 4, 2022

If you’re looking for a fun day out, why not visit one of the many museums near Sterling, VA? There’s something for everyone, from history buffs to art lovers. Here are four of the best museums to visit near Sterling.

Heritage Farm Museum

Heritage Farm Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Virginia’s agricultural heritage. It features exhibits on farming, forestry, and home life throughout the years. The museum has a blacksmith shop, live animals, and a mock tavern. The museum tours include cooking and small machinery demonstrations.

Located in Sterling, Heritage Farm has interactive exhibits for both kids and adults. The museum also has a variety of activities for children, including farming activities where children can learn about farm life. Children can even become farmers for the day and collect authentic-looking eggs and milk a play cow!

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a museum of aviation and space located in Chantilly, Virginia. It is adjacent to Washington Dulles International Airport in the National Air and Space Museum annex. The museum features thousands of aircraft and spacecraft artifacts, including the giant Space Shuttle Discovery, the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, and the Air France Concorde.

The nearly 200 aircraft on display are housed in the Boeing Aviation Hangar, which also includes the largest collection in the world of Japanese and German World War II aircraft. Visitors are often speechless when they see the massive aircraft, combined with space travel artifacts like space suits, satellites, and other space gear. The gigantic center also has a variety of interactive exhibits, educational programs, and the Airbus IMAX theater.

Children’s Science Center Lab

The Children’s Science Center Lab is a hands-on STEM museum located in Fairfax, VA. It features exhibits for children ages 2 -12, and their families. The Lab, conveniently located in Fair Oaks Mall, offers 2 hour timed entries on weekends and most school holidays. Children are able to tinker in the Tinkershop, build and explore in the Discovery Zone, meet creatures up close in the Bio Zone, get inspired in the Inspiration Hub and choose between 3 exciting experiments at the Experiment Bar.

In addition to the timed entries at the Lab, they also offer Spring Break, and Summer Camps, special events, birthday parties and more.

Reston Museum

The Reston Museum is a collection of over 3000 artifacts commemorating the unique community of Reston, Virginia. The social and cultural life of Reston, the country’s first planned community, is documented from 1965 to the present with newspaper, magazine articles, photos, and manuscripts. Reston began in 1964 as an integrated community, open to all, regardless of race, sex, and economic status.

The lovely town of Reston was designed to be a fully self-contained community in a large metropolitan city. Reston’s development plan, which is housed at the museum, used natural resources to achieve its social, economic, and civic goals. The museum documents the history of Reston and the impact it had on the development of America’s suburbs.

There are many great museums nearby, so there’s always something to do! Whether you’re interested in history, science, or aviation, there’s a museum waiting for you near Sterling. Stop by Ted Britt Chevrolet and take a look at our new and used cars. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and help you find your next vehicle!