At a Glance: Arts & Crafts Studios Charlottesville
- Charlottesville art studios that have open hours for adults and kids include Foster Art, The Glass Palette, and Lazy Daisy Ceramics.
- Other arts and crafts studios in Charlottesville offer classes and workshops, including Blue Ridge Brushes, The Scrappy Elephant, and IX Art Park.
- After school art programs and art camps in Charlottesville are available through Foster Art, The Glass Palette, The Scrappy Elephant, and IX Art Park.
- Local art museums with programs for families include the Fralin Museum of Art, Second Street Gallery, the New Arts Initiative, McGuffy Art Center, and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection.
- Children’s museums like the Virginia Discovery Museum and Amazement Square in Lynchburg have many art activities for kids of different ages.
If you have creative kids, then you’re in luck: there are dozens of family-friendly art activities and artistic day trips near Charlottesville, Virginia. Looking for hands-on arts and crafts? Museums to explore? Artsy environments to encourage creative thinking and problem-solving? No matter your kids’ ages, you’ll find something to interest them just a short drive away from home.
Adults can get in on the fun too. After all, we all need an opportunity to take time out away from our busy schedules. So plan an artistic day trip that will let the whole family build their love of imagination, creation, and exploration!
Hands-On Art Studios for Families in Central Virginia
Whether you need an after school class or a fun activity for a rainy weekend, there are many artistic day trips close to home in Charlottesville!
Arts and crafts are an engaging way to inspire your child’s imagination, encourage curiosity, and build creativity. But if you don’t feel like dealing with the accompanying mess in your own home, try one of the many art destinations in and around Charlottesville.
Let these local arts and craft hubs unleash your inner artists as the whole family stretches imaginations and takes creativity to new heights.
Foster Art Studio (Charlottesville)
Foster Art offers teacher-led art discovery and exploration for kids 5–15, as well as classes for preschoolers, teens, and adults. Summer camps, parties, kids’ night out, and after-school art programs are also options.
Have a budding artist in your home? Foster Art also offers private lessons in one-on-one or small group settings. Be sure to check out their open studio nights to explore all the space has to offer.
Learn more: fosterartforall.com
Amazement Square (Lynchburg)
Amazement Square in Lynchburg allows visitors of all ages to engage their sense of wonder as they explore this imaginative children’s museum. Paint the walls of the Kaleidoscope Gallery’s Paintbox, create beats and rhythms in the Beat Box exhibit, or explore indigenous art in the Native American gallery. Kids will learn as they sing, dance, paint, and create throughout this interactive and engaging museum.
For additional fun, join the museum in August for the Annual Riverfront Chalk Festival. Artists of all ages are invited to create chalk masterpieces and enjoy a block party featuring activities and live music.
Learn more: amazementsquare.org
Looking for other local activities to do with creative kids? Check out our guides to Virginia’s best children’s museums and Virginia LEGO experiences!
The Glass Palette (Charlottesville)
Explore the stunning world of glass art at The Glass Palette in Charlottesville’s Downtown. This interactive glass art studio welcomes artists ages 5 and older to create unique glass pieces. From plates and picture frames to earrings, there’s a project here for everyone to enjoy. You can even craft your own piece if you’re inner artist is feeling truly inspired.
Though registration is required, there’s no studio fee; you only pay for the project you work on. The Glass Palette will provide all the materials necessary for your next work of art. They also offer summer camps, workshops, and glass art parties.
Learn more: theglasspalette.net
Blue Ridge Brushes (Charlottesville & Waynesboro)
This local painting program started as a one-woman pop-up at local wineries and event spaces. Now, after opening a new studio in Downtown Charlottesville, Blue Ridge Brushes offers even more painting programs, including private parties, small group workshops, kids’ classes, and art camps, as well as paint ‘n’ sip events for adults.
Blue Ridge Brushes also continues to do mobile events around Charlottesville and Waynesboro, including paint ‘n’ sip programs and offsite parties.
Learn more: blueridgebrushes.com
Lazy Daisy Ceramics Studio (Charlottesville)
Artists of all ages can get creative at the Lazy Daisy Ceramics art studio. Choose from hundreds of pieces in the Pottery Paintin’ Place, grab your paint and a brush, and get to work creating your new favorite ceramic piece.
Can’t stay in the studio for long? Not a problem! You can get a Pottery-To-Go-Kit with all the materials necessary to paint your piece at home, then bring it back into the studio to get fired in the kiln. Studio fees range from $10–$12 by age, plus the cost of the ceramic piece.
Learn more: lazydaisyceramicsinc.com
The Scrappy Elephant (Charlottesville & Lynchburg)
The Scrappy Elephant is a creative reuse store that encourages creativity and reduces waste. Community members can donate unwanted arts and crafts materials to keep them out of the landfill. The materials are then given back to the community at extremely reduced prices through their store and studio.
On site, you’ll find a variety of classes and activities, from story and art time for toddlers to watercolor and mosaic classes for teens and adults. The Scrappy Elephant also offers summer camps, birthday parties, studio time, and a versatile professional photography studio designed to fit a variety of needs.
Learn more: scrappyelephant.com
IX Art Park (Charlottesville)
Located in downtown Charlottesville, IX Art Park is an indoor and outdoor art mecca. Artists of all ages can enjoy the outdoor mural and sculpture garden, art exhibits, play spaces, and community events. For kids, IX offers workshops, classes, and summer camps to keep little creative minds creating!
When they aren’t making art, visitors can enjoy The Looking Glass at IX. It’s Virginia’s first immersive art experience, featuring a larger-than-life interactive enchanted forest and kaleidoscopic cave that will enchant visitors of all ages.
Learn more: ixartpark.org
Charlottesville Virginia Art Museums with Programs for Kids
For another kind of artistic experience, visit one of the many art museums in the Charlottesville area. Explore local artists, indigenous art, or interactive art installations, all a short drive from home.
Your kids won’t just get a chance to wander and soak in art. You’ll also be able to participate in the hands-on creative opportunities and family-friendly activities that these art museums offer.
The Fralin Museum of Art (Charlottesville)
Located on the UVA grounds, the Fralin Museum doesn’t just have beautiful art galleries that are open to the public. It also offers free, all‑ages programming throughout the year. Family Day events feature gallery scavenger hunts, engaging art‑making stations, and guided kid‑friendly tours.
Other programs include creative writing workshops, student mentorship, and Fralin Fun Day. These programs invite children to connect meaningfully with both historic and contemporary art.
Learn more: uvafralinartmuseum.virginia.edu
Second Street Gallery (Charlottesville)
Just a short drive from the Fralin, Second Street Gallery on Charlottesville’s Historic Pedestrian Mall hosts dynamic Family Day workshops linked to its current exhibitions. These free drop‑in sessions each month let kids create original artwork inspired by the gallery’s featured artists.
Learn more: secondstreetgallery.org
Virginia Discovery Museum (Charlottesville)
A short walk from Second Street Gallery, the Virginia Discovery Museum features Creation Station, a dedicated craft and art‑making studio in their back gallery. Open Monday through Friday and some Saturdays, this multi‑purpose art room hosts coloring projects, Craft of the Week activities, and rotating artist‑show galleries.
Families can combine the two destinations for a a full, creative day. Kids can explore contemporary art at Second Street, then head to the Discovery Museum for hands‑on crafting time just blocks away.
Learn more: vadm.org
When planning your artistic day trips, be sure to check museum websites for special programming, events, membership options, and visitor discounts. Many museums offer free admission for SNAP recipients. Your local JMRL branch may also have museum passes available to check out!
The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA (Charlottesville)
The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is the only museum in the United States dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. It offers families an incredible opportunity to learn about Indigenous Australian art in an engaging and dynamic environment.
Kid-friendly activities include interactive learning, a scavenger hunt (ideal for ages 3–12) and the Tots and Dots workshops for the smallest art lovers. The museum also hosts a Night at the Museum event each month that features a Kids Zone with Australian-themed activities that can be enjoyed as the sun sets.
Learn more: kluge-ruhe.org
New City Arts Initiative (Charlottesville)
Located in the heart of Downtown Charlottesville, the New City Arts Initiative offers rotating exhibitions from emerging and established local artists in a welcoming, family-friendly space. Their small gallery is best suited to older kids and teens who enjoy contemporary art. However, families can often catch community events like artist talks and open studios. Be sure to check their website for current shows before planning your visit.
Learn more: newcityarts.org
McGuffey Art Center (Charlottesville)
This downtown Charlottesville institution is one of the oldest artist-cooperatives in the country. It houses 45+ renting artists within the building, as well as 100+ artists within the art center’s association. In addition to exhibitions, the space offers workshops and special events as well.
The Friday Night Art events feature open studios, mini workshops, demos, dance performances, refreshments, music, and more for everyone in the community to enjoy.
Learn more: mcguffeyartcenter.com
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond, VA)
Fine art isn’t just for grown-ups. Many may not know that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) offers countless programs for teens, kids, and even infants! The museum’s early childhood programs include events like Bonding With Baby, Musical Me, Fuzzy Friends, and Nature Babies. School-aged children can participate in art workshops like Wearable Art, Wild Weaving, and Plaster Sculptures. VMFA’s teen studio offers slightly more advanced classes like Painting: Avant-Garde, various drawing workshops, and photography options. VMFA also hosts Friday Family Art Nights during which visitors of all ages can participate in art making of all kinds.
Learn more: vmfa.museum
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DANIEL ROCHA is a graduate of UVA who enjoys exploring and writing about the unique opportunities afforded by the Charlottesville area.
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