THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608060520
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: 141 lines
IT'S GOT TO BE native to be at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. Native flowers, native shrubs, native trees, native birds, native animals and native fish. If not native to Virginia, they're native to the East Coast.
The native life is the backbone of this center nestled in a wooded, lakeside setting off the busy J. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Newport News. It bills itself as a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, planetarium and, this summer, ``Dinosaur Jungle.''
``We have everything related to the state of Virginia, and it's all native,'' said Janice Miller, horticulture curator for the museum. ``They're all in their natural native settings. It's a natural history intrepretation of this region.''
And it's a living, hands-on interpretation. You can take a walk on the wild side along a path where animals are kept in their natural habitats. Racoons climb trees, beavers gather branches to build dams and bald eagles perch proudly.
More than 40 species of heron, egret and other waterfowl search for food and groom themselves in the ponds and woods.
``Museum is a poor term to describe what we do,'' said Randy Ray, the museum's director. ``Most museums have an education department. We are an education department that has a museum.''
The Virginia Living Museum is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating knowledge and awareness of the natural world and environment. The facility opened in 1966 and grew in 1974 with a renovation that transformed it into the first ``living museum'' east of the Mississippi River.
Inside the museum, a model of Virginia's James River lets you observe its diverse marine life. Salamanders crawl in a mountain stream, and a loggerhead turtle churns around an ocean tank. At the saltwater ``touch tank,'' children can pet horseshoe crabs, sea urchins and other creatures.
One of the most interesting indoor exhibits is big brown bats. In the same nocturnal animal exhibit, you'll find green tree frogs and Southern flying squirrels.
Also indoors, the museum's planetarium shows presentations that whisk visitors away to outer planets, stars and galaxies in the universe. A guide narrates and answers questions. Shows are held throughout the day and change periodically.
You leave the museum through a large atrium filled with shrubs and trees, inhabited by wild birds. One bluebird, raised by humans, is so friendly he may startle you.
Outdoors you'll follow a trail that runs by ground birds, water birds and more songbirds. Two bald eagles are kept at the museum, because they were injured in the wild.
The native animals, displayed in their natural habitat, include white- tailed deer, foxes and bobcats. All summer, there are demonstrations during which museum docents explain why and how animals act and react as they do.
If you want to see the animals when they're most active, visit in early morning or evening, Miller said. During the heat of the day, they do what many people would like to do - hide and take a nap.
The museum maintains some striking native plant gardens. Its butterfly garden has had flooding problems this summer, but the wildflower garden is ablaze with color.
Like many gardeners, the museum has rabbit problems. The rabbits especially love to devour purple coneflower.
In addition to the flowers, the museum has numerous native vines including coral honeysuckle, Carolina jasmine and crossvine.
One of the most unusual shrubs is shrubby Hypericum or St. John's Wort. It's much larger than the Hypericum most gardeners are familiar with. There are also native viburnum, blueberries and holly in a backyard habitat where animals and birds can find their own food.
In the spring blooming season, you will notice such plants as dogwood, mountain laurel, native azaleas, horse tail, button bush, soloman's seal, wild ginger, foam flowers and woodland ferns. Look more closely and you may see trout lily, May apple, blood root, Jacob's ladder, sweet cisely, Virginia bluebells, Jack in the pulpit, turtle head and wild geraniums.
Another seldom-seen treasure is a real dinosaur footprint. This summer, providing company for that footprint, Dinamation Dinosaurs are stomping around in an animated, outdoor display. Twenty-two realistic dinosaurs turn their heads, grab at you with their claws and roar.
Gurgling springs, fog creeping along the ground, a mossy jungle canopy and colored lights make a dinosaur fantasy that is a sure-cure for the ``Mom, there's nothing-to-do'' summertime blues. ILLUSTRATION: COLOR PHOTOS BY RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot
Among the native life that might be seen at the Living Museum are:
1) cup plant; 2) bald eagle; 3) coneflower; 4) black-eyed Susan; 5)
butterfly bush; and 6) a blond-colored raccoon.
Map
VP
To get to the museum, take Exit 258-A off of Interstate 64.
Photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot
A great egret is one of many waterfowl that may be seen at the
Virginia Living Museum.
Graphics
NATIVE FLOWERS AT THE MUSEUM
These are among the flowering native plants to be found at the
Virginia Living Museum:
Fire pink or Silene virginica - a beautiful native plant that few
gardeners grow. Bright red blooms on 1-foot stems.
Bee balm - Bright red, fragant flowers that attract hummingbirds.
Black-eyed Susan - Daisy-like yellow flowers.
Butterfly weed - Bright orange flowers with flat tops that
attract butterflies.
Cardinal flower - Tall spikes with brilliant red blooms.
Columbine - Rust-yellow colored, bell-like hanging flowers that
bloom in spring.
Coreopsis - Bright yellow, daisy-like flowers.
Joe Pye weed - Four- to 5-foot plant with lavender flowers.
Purple coneflower - Large purple or pink daisy-like flowers that
attract bees and finches.
Sweet Pepperbush - White or pink spikey blooms on a shrub that
grows up to 6 feet tall.
Wild Indigo - Small shrub with blue-green foliage and white or
blue flowers, blooming in the spring.
The museum's next native plant sale will be held Sept. 21 and 22.
All plants are grown from seed at the museum.
IF YOU WANT TO GO
What: Virginia Living Museum
Where: 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News; take exit 258-A
off of Interstate 64 and follow signs - it's near Riverside
Hospital.
When: Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday
and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Outdoor nature trail closes at 7:30
p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
How much: Museum admission: $5, adults; $3.25, children ages 3
through 12. ``Dinosaur Jungle'' admission: $5 for adults; $3.75 for
children 3 through 12. Combination tickets: $9, adults; $6.50,
children. Children under 3 and museum members are admitted free.
The planetarium show costs an additional $1 for adults and 50 cents
for children.
What to expect: Boardwalk and pathway are accessible to the
handicapped. Outdoor walk is less than six-tenths of a mile with
benches along the way. Allow 2 1/2 hours for your visit.
Info: 595-1900 by CNB