
DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997               TAG: 9703150093

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E3   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: THINGS TO DO 

SOURCE: BY ANN BARRY BURROWS, CORRESPONDENT 
                                            LENGTH:   86 lines

FERRY OVER TO THE MUSEUM A BOAT RIDE AND HANDS-ON EXHIBITS EQUAL KID HEAVEN

MY DAUGHTER AND I have been to The Children's Museum of Virginia so many times that we have embellished the outing a little. We ride the Elizabeth River Ferry over to Portsmouth from Town Point Park in Norfolk.

The experience is high adventure, with a changing landscape. It's also easy. You're never far away from places to sit and rest, change diapers or use the restroom. And at the end of the journey, well, the museum can only be described as kid heaven.

Parking is available in Norfolk at The Waterside garage - plan to spend $2.25 for three hours. Crossing a pedestrian bridge over Waterside Drive, the kids can get a bird's-eye view of traffic. You can dawdle in The Dollar Tree and other Waterside shops, or head straight outside to the ferry dock.

On a recent trip, my 5-year-old daughter, Morgan, was so excited as we saw the Elizabeth River Ferry approach that I felt like a dog being pulled on a leash. After running down the dock and up the gangplank, we headed to the open-air upstairs section.

Morgan ran straight to the back of the boat to watch the enormous black paddle wheel lift and drop the river water.

Ferry passengers can see huge ships in drydock at Norshipco and possibly a tugboat or sailboat passing by. The shoreline of Portsmouth's downtown and Old Towne gets closer and closer.

If the weather's bad, passengers can go downstairs to an enclosed area.

In April, the ferry will add a stop at the foot of High Street, only about a block from the museum. For now, it stops just a little further away, at Portside, an indoor-outdoor food court, where there is a welcome center with indoor seats and restrooms.

To get to The Children's Museum from Portside, walk left on Crawford Street for two blocks and right on High Street for half a block.

The museum is soon in sight, with its candy-pink columns, turquoise walls, neon bubbles flashing in the windows and a rainbow of flags over its entrance courtyard.

Inside there are games and exhibits to give children hands-on experiences - 60 exhibits in all.

There is a Lego room, a slide, an inflatable boat, a giant-size chair, a make-believe grocery store, a real fire engine, a mailbox and a motorcycle. One of the most popular exhibits is a room where kids can make huge, person-size soap bubbles.

An entire wall is studded with rocks for climbing. And a planetarium gives several shows a day.

There is a quiet room with toys and books if you need a break and - our favorite - a dark nook where your every movement is projected in rainbow colors on a huge screen. It is a great place to dance and celebrate your life force.

Inside the tantalizing gift shop, kids can pan for ``gold'' or ``gems'' and keep what they find.

It is truly kid heaven. MEMO: To suggest an outing for this column, please dial 640-5555 and

press 4666. ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot

The Children's Museum of Virginia has 60 exhibits, including an

entire wall studded with rocks for climbing.

VP MAP

VISIT MUSEUM

The Children's Museum of Virginia: 221 High St., Portsmouth.

Parking on High Street or in pay garage (enter off County Street)

Cost: $4 (children under 2 free)

Hours: Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays.