PORTSMOUTH — The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is expanding its summer programs for children that aim to connect hall of famers of the future with those of the past.
Located in downtown Portsmouth, the hall's numerous exhibits provide an opportunity for an educational day trip for kids and adults alike.
The museum offers one-day group programs and weekly workshops as part of its summer education program.
The group programs are tailored for summer camps and are designed around team building and acclimating children with the history of Virginia sports. The summer workshops begin in July and continue through the middle of August.
The museum's education coordinator, Elaina Trafny, said that the summer camp programs have been revamped to be more educational.
"Our goal is to take the fun parts of sports and sports history and tie in some educational themes," she said. "All year, in school, the kids have been exposed to scary terms, like physics and geometry, but we want to show them how those words can be fun and exciting."
The two summer workshops are 90-minute sessions that mix a love of sports with a rewarding learning experience, said Corry Gross, the museum's marketing and sales coordinator.
Topics for the summer workshops are "Baseball from a Different Angle" and "Moneyball.
"Baseball from a Different Angle" takes a closer look at the math and physics behind America's pastime, dissecting the game's most intricate measurements and angles. In "Moneyball," campers will focus on statistics and the important role that numbers play in sports.
Outside of the summer programs, the museum is open daily, with a variety of multimedia and interactive exhibits, Gross said.
In the Hall of Honor, guests can check out the most recent inductees into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, which include NFLstars, Lawrence Burton, Robert Pratt Jr. and Cornell Brown; college basketball star Frankie Allen; former James Madison University Athletic Director Dean Ehlers; Virginia Tech sports broadcaster Bill Roth; and former University of Richmond men's basketball coach Dick Tarrant.
Scattered around the Stars of the Commonwealth exhibit are the displays of Virginia sports greats of both the past and present, as well as an assortment of plaques dedicated to various high school state champions of recent years. There's also an extensive Redskins exhibit.
At the "You make the call" Media Center, visitors can record their own commentaries of some of the most exciting highlights in Virginia sports history.
Want to go?
WHERE: 206 High St., Portsmouth.
PARKING: Middle Street garage behind the hall.
WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday (through Labor Day).
ADMISSION: $7 (children 2 and younger are free). Discounts available for military personnel, senior citizens and AAA members. Summer kids workshops are $10 a session.
MORE INFORMATION: vshfm.com.
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