Virginia TimeTravelers was developed as a project of the Virginia History Initiative in 1995 – a project that would “put Virginia’s history to work for Virginia.” One of its primary goals at that time was to address the “brain shutdown” that so often happens to children in the summer vacation months.  As the program has developed, that education goal has expanded to include using the TimeTravelers experience to increase Standards of Learning scores as students gain a better understanding of history, art, science, and other topics.  Other major goals for the program were to increase visitation and visibility for museums and historic sites; to increase tourism within and to Virginia; and to encourage a permanent network of cooperation among libraries, museums and schools.

The program uses a passport and incentive system to encourage participants to explore Virginia TimeTravelers sites. Until 2010, passports were distributed through schools, libraries, museums, historic sites, and visitor centers. Now, ‘mini’ passports may be downloaded from the TimeTravelers website, or the newly designed passport books can be purchased at participating museums. Many participants repeat the program year after year. Teachers and parents have reported that children’s interest in Virginia history, science and the arts have improved dramatically after participating in the program. The “hands-on” approach of museums has proven to be a great stimulus for students. By requiring that participants visit at least six sites to receive a certificate and T-shirt, it assures that learning takes place in a variety of settings and topics. Most museums have targeted tours, exhibits and programs to address specific Standards of Learning.

Each year a theme is developed to highlight a certain segment of the museum community or important event in history. This began with 1999’s theme of George Washington’s Bicentennial celebration held by Mount Vernon and more than twenty other sites throughout Virginia. Mount Vernon donated approximately 1,000 commemorative patches to TimeTravelers that visited two or more Washington-related sites. This patch was so popular that 2,000 additional patches had to be ordered. In 2000, the theme was “Museums for the Millennium” and included sites around Virginia with exhibits and programs showcasing the vital role of museums in the local, national and international community in the new century. The theme for 2001 was “Virginia and the Civil War” and the patches were sponsored by Civil War Trails. Other themes have included “Science Adventures,” “Yesterday’s Tomorrows,” “Art Explorers,” and “Stories of a Nation.”