Whether you're up for an all-day trip or a quick adventure in Sterling, the educational and interactive Heritage Farm Museum in Loudoun Country is one of the best places to enjoy and have fun. Located in Sterling's Claude Moore Park's grounds, the museum is geared and quaint towards the interactive learning of children. All over the museum, countless hands-on exhibits include a general store, cow milking area, and horse stable. The imagination of the children will boost by the experience that they can get through the play options of each area in the museum.
Historical Significance of Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum
The museum is one of the first to display the farming history of Loudoun County from 1720 to the present. The 250 years of farming and rural life in Loudoun County including the history of free blacks and slavery in the suburb is exhibited in the Heritage Farm Museum since 2000.
Africans enslaved the fourth part of the Loudoun County population in 1820. Slave owners resolved in selling their slaves in 1830 due to the decreasing prices of wheat. The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is committed to researching, collecting, housing, and exhibiting documents, photographs, and objects that are connected to the history of rural life and agriculture in Loudoun County.
Heritage Farm Museum Permanent Exhibits
Children's Farm
The interactive exhibit area of Children's farm gives kids and families a "farmer for a day" experience. Visitors can ride the Equi-ponies, play with the chickens, collect chicken eggs, and milk a life-like cow. Moreover, children can perform and create their imaginative farm stories in the puppet stage of Children's Farm.
Grandma's Kitchen
The interactive exhibit area is dedicated to showcasing the farm kitchens of 1900. It features furnishing and appliances used in the farm kitchen before farm homes get electricity.
It's Just A Way of Life
A time travel exhibit of Loudoun County's 10 generations of citizens that gives significance to the history and built the land and country.
Waxpool General Store
A role-play exhibit where children can play as a postmaster, shopper, or shopkeeper. There is a vintage cash register, baskets, and shelves full of foods that they can play with.
What's More
Outside the museum's surrounding grounds are more areas to explore. Located behind the museum, a large barn houses the exhibit of the American Workhorse. In addition to that, there is also a pond with docks where you can give food to the geese and ducks. The museum also annually holds some famous events such as the Princess for a Day Ice Cream Social, Bunny Bonanza, and Tractorpooloza. Kids' Night and summer camps are also offered at the museum. Currently, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum launched its remote learning resources and virtual museum on its website. This provides activities for their farm-related topics and highlighted exhibits that families can enjoy at home.
Good to Know
Location
21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, VA 20164
Contact
(571) 258-3800
Website
https://heritagefarmmuseum.org
Hours
Sun 11:30 am - 4:30 pm
Tue-Sat 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Mon closed
Admission
Free for children under 2 years old
$3 per children 3-12 years old
$5 per adults
$4 per seniors
