Located on the Track Level:
WATT WALL
Take a a real time look at the world’s energy consumption, alternative energy sources and new developments that will power your home in the future.
Located on Level Two:
ECOLAB
Have you ever looked into the water and wondered what’s below the surface? Get your hands wet with your own water sample and separate invertebrates from leaf debris, and then use a microscope to identify their origin.
EcoLab is generously funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Located Outside:
VIRGINIA TECH SOLAR HOUSE
Open for tours Tuesdays 11 am –noon and Thursdays 1–2 pm
The award winning Virginia Tech Solar House was designed and built by engineering, architecture and urban studies students and faculty for the 2005 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. To find out more about the Solar House, download an information sheet. For groups of 10 or more contact the Sales and Information office.
Tours Monday-Friday, 10 am
Our urban farm, Green Acre, invites guests of all ages to get their hands dirty, while learning the basics of sustainable farming. Our first season produced over 2,000 pounds of vegetables for our community.
Thank you to our sponsors:
The Richard Gwathmey and Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust
Wachovia Wells Fargo Financial Services
Southern States Cooperative, Inc.
BAYSCAPES GARDEN
The Museum has joined forces with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to create a BayScapes Garden on the museum's front lawn. BayScaping is an environmentally sound method of landscaping which benefits people, wildlife and Chesapeake Bay.
Additional BayScapes Garden partners include the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. Philip Morris USA and the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund sponsored the project.
NEW ENERGY VIRGINIA
Find out how Solar panels, a wind turbine and geothermal energy combine to power the building's lighting and heating systems.
New Energy Virginia is made possible by a grant from the Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy and the U.S. Department of Energy.
GREEN ROOF AND RAIN KEEPERS Coming Soon!
We're preparing for the installation of a green roof on the flat roof of the IMAX® wing. The green roof, consisting of low profile plants, will function to improve water quality and reduce the amount of runoff, both of which improve water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Museum guests will have a wonderful view of this space and be able to observe the amount of storm water that is reclaimed, as well as the insulative properties of the vegetation by monitoring the roof temperature.
Other storm water mitigation projects currently under design include the installation of pervious pavement on our parking lot to allow rain water to seep into the ground, along with bio retention pond and tree pits. We are also installing a cistern and irrigation system that will allow us to use reclaimed water to irrigate our new Green Acre, urban farm, behind the Museum.
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The Science Museum of Virginia is a proud member of Virginia Green, for details visit www.virginiagreen.org |
