Reptile Festival

Slither, creep and crawl your way to the Virginia Museum of Natural History this April for a cold-blooded adventure like no other!! Reptile Festival takes place Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day!

Reptile Festival will feature a wide variety of live reptiles, like this eastern copperhead!

What it's all about...

Make plans for a jam-packed reptilian adventure for the whole family to enjoy! Marvel over extraordinary live reptiles and amphibians, including snakes, lizards, turtles, salamanders, toads and more! Don't miss species never before exhibited at Reptile Festival, such as the Egyptian Giant Uromastyx! You'll even be allowed to touch select animals, but be sure to ask their handlers before doing so...we don't want anyone losing a digit!

Investigate reptile and amphibian specimens from the museum's scientific collections, including preserved specimens, taxidermy mounts, and even fossil reptiles! Explore the reptile links between different scientific disciplines, such as herpetology, paleontology, archaeology and invertebrate zoology, while interacting with scientists who are leaders in their fields!

Reptile Festival also features hands-on, reptile-themed games, crafts and activities throughout the day! Be sure to capture your memory at the Reptile Fest Photo Booth and stop by the balloon animal and face painting stations while you're here...all at no extra charge! Grab a bite to eat from one of the many on-site food trucks at the Reptile Fest Food Truck Alley! Round-out your day by shopping for the perfect souvenir inside the Museum Store!

Special guests & exhibitors include...

• Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Box Turtle Sanctuary of Central Virginia
• Fairy Stone State Park
• Herping VA
• Mountain Lake Biological Center
• North Carolina Herpetology Society
• North Carolina State University Herpetology Club
• Radford University
• Virginia Department of Forestry
• Virginia Herpetological Society
• Virginia Living Museum
• Virginia Master Naturalists
• Virginia Tech Herpetology Club
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Philpott Lake

Admission is only...

• $15/Ages 18-59
• $10/Ages 3-17, seniors 60+, and college students
• FREE for children under 3, VMNH Members, and members of ASTC Passport participating institutions (membership card required).
• Admission is also free for EBT cardholders who present their EBT card and official photo ID. The free admission is valid for the cardholder and up to 5 immediate family members living within the same household.

Reptile Festival 2026 takes place at...

Virginia Museum of Natural History
21 Starling Avenue
Martinsville, VA 24112

Know before you go...

• All parking will be available off-site and free of charge. A parking map will be posted the week of the event.
• Reptile Festival takes place indoors and outdoors, rain or shine.
• All listed offerings and information may be subject to change.

Reptile Festival 2026 is made possible by: