THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, December 11, 1995 TAG: 9512110038
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
On Sunday, Portsmouth had reason to celebrate.
Since its Children's Museum of Virginia opened a year ago Sunday, 197,147 kids and adults have trooped past the bright pastel-colored entrance to climb rocks, steer cranes and blow outrageously big bubbles.
For $3 apiece, youngsters have suited up as firefighters, ``driven'' a police officer's motorcycle and shopped at a grocery where all the produce is plastic - and within a 4-year-old's reach. They have felt the pull of gravity, gazed at the stars and created designs of light and color.
More than any other attraction, the Children's Museum has drawn people to Portsmouth - and lured them back.
``It's the biggest draw we've ever had,'' said Mayor Gloria O. Webb. ``It means we have more people downtown than ever before.''
City officials, museum staff and the public gathered Sunday to toast the museum's success and look ahead to the second phase of the project.
Unlike other museums around the country, the Children's Museum goes a long way toward supporting itself. About 46 percent of the museum's income comes from admission fees versus 20 percent at most museums, said Betty Burnell, the city's director of museums.
The museum has dozens of hands-on exhibits that are aimed at entertaining and educating visitors. That concept will be duplicated in the second phase, to be built on the second floor of the museum on High Street.
The second phase will be completed in the next two years, said Burnell. That phase, costing roughly $2 million, will include an extensive train and antique toy collection donated by philanthropist Arthur ``Junie'' Lancaster and his wife, Millie. Amassed over more than four decades, the collection is valued at $850,000.
``We want this to be an effective place for education,'' said Burnell. ``That's the theme all along.''
On Sunday, as a tiara-adorned Little Miss Portsmouth, 7-year-old Brittany Timbreza, dished up birthday cake to children and city officials, kids and adults played nearby.
Grace and Alexandra Calvin were eagerly learning the differences between reptiles and mammals on a computerized game called the Puzzler.
Alexandra, 7, was having more luck than her younger sister.
``It's three different levels so it's kind of hard,'' she explained.
Meanwhile, Linda and Keenan Johnson took a break from the exhibits to eat cake and drink punch with their two children, Charise, 10, and Christopher, 8.
``We had been wanting to come for awhile. It's a lot of good learning and fun,'' said Linda Johnson.
In the past decade, the city has spent many millions of dollars to spruce up its downtown. Small shops and restaurants now line High Street.
The museum's first phase, built for $3.5 million, was intended to entice tourists and residents of other Hampton Roads cities to the downtown area and to bolster business.
Before last year, the city had operated a considerably smaller version of the Children's Museum in the 1846 Courthouse.
``It's been an overwhelming success since day one,'' said Webb. ``It looks good. It's better than anything we ever anticipated.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
Charise Johnson, 10, of Hampton plays in the rock-climbing area of
the Children's Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth Sunday afternoon.
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN photos
The Virginian-Pilot
Tina Gill of Virginia Beach and her daughter, Kerri, 3, take a break
from Sunday's festivities at the Children's Museum of Virginia in
Portsmouth.
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
The Virginian-Pilot
A young visitor aims a toy ray gun in the holography exhibit at the
Children's Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth. The museum on Sunday
marked one year at its new location. During that time, 197,147
people have visited the facility on High Street.
by CNB