MSV at Night - Winchester, VA
Night at the MSV, or Night at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, is a lovely event series held at the museum. It costs the same as general admission to the museum: $15. However, it is after normal hours and includes much more. You get access to the museum galleries and grounds as well as live music, a food truck, and mini bar.
Museum Features
With Night at MSV you can access to the museum galleries and grounds as well as live music, and refreshments.
Live Music
There was a solo artist performing at the event I attended. I really enjoyed his set. He had a very good, interesting voice and played several well-known songs. I believe he performed a few of his own songs as well. He was a very passionate singer that favored more somber ballads than up beat tunes. One thing to note is that he only performed two sets and they started around opening time for the event (5PM). The second set was around 6:30PM. They did not have music all evening until 8PM. So, if you want to be there for the music come right when they start the event.
Lego Sculptures
The sculptures in the garden at the time were from Sean Kenny’s Nature Connects series. It is a series of huge LEGO sculptures of endangered or extinct species. They included a plaque next to them raising awareness for the species as well as indicating the number of hours it took to build the sculpture (Hundreds of hours!). I really enjoyed the sculptures. They had arranged them as a scavenger hunt. You could hunt for the sculptures throughout the gardens and try to find them all. They were really impressive!
The Gardens
Everyone also had access to the gardens on the grounds of the museum. There are a variety of gardens including a rose garden, perennial garden, kitchen garden, bamboo forest, and a water garden. The gardens are not very big and easy to walk around. I thought they were quite pretty and the Asian and water gardens were very relaxing. The bamboo forest is really neat to walk through. It is quite beautiful the way the bamboo filters the light.
The Galleries
There are several galleries available to view as well. The main museum has sections about the local history, some art, and a dollhouse collection from notable benefactors. You can also tour the historic Glen Burnie Home with all of its antiquities. There is a rotating art exhibit in the drawing room as well. At the time this was a charming photography exhibit.
Refreshments
Night at the MSV did have a food truck and a bar available. The evening I attended it was a street taco truck. There was quite a large line at the food truck. I found that the food presentation was great, but I did not think the tacos tasted as good as they looked. They were also quite pricy. I believe they rotate out food trucks though, so this may vary. The bar was on the other side of the stage and sported local brews and wines. I though it refreshing that they only had local offerings, supporting local businesses.
Who Goes Here?
This event was attended by a wide variety of people. There were a lot of elderly couples and families. There were also a smattering of college students and young professionals.
Venue
The atmosphere during this event is quite lively. It was very busy. People were encouraged to bring there own lawn chairs or blanket and set up in front of the stage to enjoy. Many people were chatting, eating, and drinking. Smaller groups of people were roaming the grounds looking for the LEGO statues. Also, everything was pretty clean and well organized. You are given a map of the grounds when you enter. You do have to walk through some gardens to get to the music and refreshment. There is not direct route. Additionally, there were only a few trash cans around the refreshments area, so you did have to walk to that area to throw away your trash. The grounds and museums were very clean and well kept though. Overall, it was a calm but fun atmosphere.
Location
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is in a decent location. It has beautiful grounds and ample parking. It is not in close proximity to any shopping, dining, or hotels.
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Summary
Overall, I though the Night at the MSV was a great value and very nice. It included a wide range of activities, arts, and refreshments. I think that most people could find something to enjoy. I would definitely recommend attending one if you are looking for something to do on a Friday evening in Winchester, VA.
