Information
Landmark: Amazement SquareCity: Lynchburg
Country: USA Virginia
Continent: North America
Amazement Square, Lynchburg, USA Virginia, North America
Overview
In the heart of historic downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, Amazement Square invites kids to explore, touch, and discover in an award-winning museum where hands-on exhibits bring learning to life, as well as at 27 Ninth Street, the museum fills the vintage J. W, in addition wood Building, a sturdy brick warehouse from the Civil War era, carefully restored into a lively setting where children and families can learn and explore.In a way, Opened in 2001, Amazement Square quickly became a local favorite, drawing families in with hands-on exhibits, lively workshops, and programs that reach deep into the community.🏛️ History and Architecture The J, subsequently w, sort of Wood Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally constructed in the mid-19th century, moreover 🏛️ History and Architecture The J, in some ways W, on top of that wood Building, now on the National Register of Historic Places, first rose in the mid‑19th century with sturdy brick walls that have weathered a century and more.Honestly, Over the years, it’s worn many hats-first as a Confederate Army infirmary, where the air smelled faintly of antiseptic, and later as a bustling wholesale grocery warehouse, while amazement Square took over the building in 1995, and after years of hammering, painting, and glowing fresh exhibits, it welcomed kids as a museum in 2001.🧭 Exhibits and Attractions Amazement Square spans four floors, each offering unique, hands-on exhibits designed to engage children in learning through play.You know, They kept the building’s historic charm-its cast-iron façade gleamed like vintage coins, and the heavy timber beams still showed their grain-while reworking the inside to fit the museum’s hands-on exhibits.🧭 At Amazement Square, four lively floors invite kids to learn by doing-whether they’re steering a tiny boat or building a tower, each space offers its own hands-on adventure, subsequently the museum features ten permanent exhibitions plus a rotating gallery, with displays that span everything from ancient fossils and historic maps to bold modern paintings and local folklore, occasionally Amazement Tower is one of the tallest indoor climbing structures in the country, stretching across all four floors of the museum with slides that twist like ribbons, ladders, tunnels, and a zip-line racing from the rooftop down to the first floor, after that native American Gallery: Step inside to discover how the Monacan, Lakota, and Pueblo peoples built their homes, crafted their art, and lived day to day-imagine the scent of cedar smoke curling from a fire, more or less Step inside a tipi to feel its cool, shadowed interior, harvest squash, beans, and corn from the “Three Sisters” garden, and weave a pattern on a Pueblo loom, besides on the James takes kids on a mini batteau trip down the James River, where they steer through locks and canals and watch a sudden, simulated downpour flood the streets of downtown Lynchburg, mildly Once Upon a Building: Here, kids step into the roles of architects, city planners, or construction crews, discovering how structures take shape while guiding a towering crane to piece together landmarks from across the globe, besides shipwreck Cove is a pirate-themed play space with an interactive table, a shining coral reef, and a quiet corner where kids can retreat if the museum feels too overwhelming.Centra Gallery: League of Healthy Heroes invites visitors to explore healthy living through hands-on games, colorful displays, and activities you can jump right into, while raceways & Voltageville is an exhibit where kids bring science to life, testing gravity with rolling balls, feeling inertia in spinning wheels, and sparking curiosity through hands-on experiments with velocity and electricity.🕒 Hours and Admission Amazement Square is open during the following hours: Wednesday to Saturday : 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Sunday : 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Closed on Monday and Tuesday.Grand Red Barn: a farm-themed play space where kids can dig in the soil, feed pretend animals, and explore the sights and sounds of country life, alternatively changing Gallery: A rotating exhibit space where displays shift with the seasons, offering temporary shows on a range of topics and keeping returning visitors curious and engaged.Amazement Square welcomes visitors Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m, equally important to 5 p.m, and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.; the doors stay shut Monday and Tuesday, so plan accordingly.♿ Accessibility and Inclusivity Amazement Square is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all visitors.Admission is $13 for adults and kids over twelve months, $7 for seniors, and free for children younger than a year, in turn adults can’t come in without a child, unless they’ve booked a tour ahead of time.safeBuy your tickets online and you’ll save $3 for each adult-enough for a boiling coffee on the way.♿ Accessibility and Inclusivity - Amazement Square is dedicated to making sure every visitor feels welcome, from wheelchair-friendly ramps to exhibits everyone can enjoy.Frankly, It’s the only museum in Virginia with the Certified Autism Center seal, a slight blue-and-gold sign near its front door, therefore to make the experience easier for visitors with sensory sensitivities, the museum now offers calm, dimly lit rooms, detailed sensory guides, and staff who recognize how to support guests on the autism spectrum.They’ve added more accessibility features, including stroller parking-you can ask for it at the front desk, right beside the massive map on the wall.🌿 Sustainability Initiatives Amazement Square is dedicated to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, meanwhile child carriers are free-you just need to leave your license or car key, like handing over a warm set of keys at the front desk.The nursing room’s on the second floor of the huge Red Barn Exhibition, just past the creaky wooden stairs, in turn every floor has wheelchair-accessible stalls and changing tables, except the lone stall on the first floor, occasionally Service animals are welcome, but we can’t accommodate emotional support or comfort animals-even the little terrier in a sweater.🎓 Educational Programs and Community Outreach Amazement Square offers a variety of educational programs designed to engage children and families in learning experiences that extend beyond the museum walls, to boot 🌿 At Amazement Square, we’re committed to caring for the planet through thoughtful sustainability efforts-like planting native flowers that brighten our garden and feed local bees.In 2022, the museum joined Virginia’s Green Tourism program, pledging to cut waste, save energy, and promote eco-friendly trek-right down to swapping paper brochures for digital guides, subsequently they’re planting a pollinator and educational garden, a space buzzing with bees and glowing flowers to boost biodiversity and teach about the environment.Recycling and upcycling breathe modern life into ancient materials, turning them into vibrant exhibits or hands-on tools for learning.📍 Location and Parking Amazement Square is located at 27 Ninth Street in Lynchburg, Virginia, in conjunction with rainwater harvesting means gathering what falls from the sky and using it to water crops, like filling barrels during a summer storm and feeding the garden later.🎓 Educational Programs and Community Outreach - Amazement Square offers hands-on activities that spark curiosity in kids and families, bringing learning to life both inside the museum and out in the wider community.These programs include school partnerships, working with local classrooms to give students hands-on projects-like building compact solar-powered cars, furthermore outreach initiatives are programs that connect with underserved communities, sparking interest in STEM-like hosting free weekend robotics workshops at the local library.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-05
