The long-awaited Blue Ridge Children’s Museum in Waynesboro is now bustling with kids for an assortment of activities including music making and story time.
From one woman’s vision to its opening on New Year’s Eve, the endeavor took nearly a decade to accomplish for founder and visionary Karen Orlando.
While the adults in the room on Thursday took part in the official business of the day: a ribbon cutting and speeches from local government officials, the kids took the opportunity to play.
From hand puppets to toy trucks and blocks, those in attendance could see something that Orlando and her staff have seen for weeks, a dream realized.
Orlando relocated to Waynesboro from Massachusetts when her children were two and five. While she loved the River City, she wanted to be a part of a solution that gave kids in the Valley some of the same opportunities as children on the other side of the mountain.
Located at 190 Race Avenue, the museum faced numerous hurdles over the years, most notably the COVID pandemic, which in the aftermath, caused construction costs to triple and slowed down efforts to open sooner.
ICYMI
While she oversaw everything from HVAC to plumbing to framing and electrical work, she got a glimpse of what was to come – with a natural playground installed outside the building, complete with a rock slide, building logs, outdoor kitchen and more – located just a stone’s throw from the already popular South River Greenway.
Through future donations and programming, Orlando is hoping to transform the entire 4,000-square-foot space into a wonderland for children to learn and explore. For the time being, opening the doors feels like a victory in and of itself.
“When I moved to here to this gorgeous mountain community 10 years ago, I didn’t know a single soul,” Orlando said at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I literally did not know one person, and so part of this project was for me, to get to know the community.”
What started out as an idea from a mom and dad to give their toddlers something to do, became much, much more. Orlando was able to “connect with the community,” and with the support of local businesses, foundations and individuals, help fill a need in Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County.
“We literally started this from nothing … so I want you know that this, what you’re seeing, is the beginning. There’s so many more ideas. I just want this to keep on growing.”
Daily admission to the museum is $8. Reservations are available online.
BRCM hours
- Tuesday and Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
A note from AFP: Our thanks to Chris Lassiter with the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge for providing Augusta Free Press with audio and photographs from Thursday’s ribbon cutting.
Related stories
- A decade in the making, children’s museum to hold ribbon-cutting event
- Wayne Theatre to mark two milestones: 10 years and 100 years
- Natural history museum funding under consideration by General Assembly
Support AFP
Share
Crystal Graham
