STEM Programs in Newport News, VA

Explore Virginia's spectacular ecosystems in the only place where museum, zoo, aquarium, garden, and planetarium combine into one unforgettable adventure for all ages. Journey from indoor touch pools and a 32,000-gallon aquarium to a real cypress swamp with live alligators, then venture outside to our ¾-mile boardwalk trail featuring playful river otters, endangered red wolves, and 16 lifelike dinosaurs. Experience hands-on learning at our Wild Care Center, Conservation Command Center with seahorse nursery, interactive dig pits, and butterfly gardens, while discovering sustainable living at our Conservation Garden and Green House. Cap off your visit with a cosmic journey at the Abbitt Planetarium, where full-dome shows reveal how we're all connected in one big ecosystem—all proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and certified as a Virginia Green attraction.