Legendary Santa: FAQ

We are delighted to have the opportunity to offer in-person visits with Legendary Santa for the 2025 season. Legendary Santa visits must be reserved in advance through tickets available for purchase on our website starting on October 20, 2025 for Children’s Museum members and November 3, 2025 for non-members. Click here for ticket links.

Please note that the Children’s Museum is unable to answer phone inquiries about Legendary Santa. For the quickest response, please email santa@cmorva.org and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.

Tickets for all of our paid experiences will go on sale at 9:00 AM on October 20, 2025 for Children’s Museum members and 9:00 AM on November 3, 2025 for non-members. Please follow our Legendary Santa Facebook page or join our mailing list (sign up using the form at the bottom of this page) for updates. 

Note: Members of the Children’s Museum of Richmond will receive first access to ticket sales.

Click here for ticket links.

​​​​​​​To purchase your early access Legendary Santa tickets, please make sure you have completed the following steps to create an account:

1. If you purchased member tickets during the 2022-2024 season or have an existing account, please click the red “SIGN IN” button in the top right corner on our member webpage. Once you’re signed in, you can purchase your Legendary Santa tickets starting on October 20 by visiting this link.
2. If you’re a new member, please click the red “REGISTER” button at the top right of the member webpage. On the new page, complete the web form with your contact information, including your name, address, phone number, and the email associated with your membership. Note: The email address you used to purchase your membership is the email you will use for your account registration. You must use the primary member’s email address to register and purchase members-only Legendary Santa tickets.

You must log in to this account to purchase members-only Legendary Santa tickets when they go on sale on Monday, October 20 at 9 am. Please note, members can purchase a maximum of two family tickets. Each ticket is valid for six people, children under one are not counted.​​​​​​​

We recommend logging in on only one device when reserving your Legendary Santa tickets during the CMoR member sale. Being logged in or attempting checkout on multiple devices at the same time can cause issues with your cart.

Yes! Although the Children’s Museum is closed to the public on Mondays, our administrative offices remain open, and staff will be available to assist with Legendary Santa ticketing support during regular business hours. The best way to reach us is via email at santa@cmorva.org.

There are two timed ticket package options available for in-person visits with Legendary Santa, each include 1 free emailed photo. All tickets must be purchased in advance on our website. There will be no possibility to walk in and wait in line to visit with Santa. One timed ticket includes a visit with Legendary Santa for up to 6 individuals. If you have more than 6 individuals in your party, you will need to book an additional ticket for the same 10-minute window of time. This will ensure that all members of your party will enter Santa Land during the same window of time. 

Please note: Children under 1 are not included in your group’s total head-count. 

1. Legendary Santa Chimney Time Tickets – Timed tickets to see Legendary Santa come down the chimney LIVE are $70. One timed ticket includes a visit with Legendary Santa for up to 6 individuals AND 1 free emailed photo of your visit with Legendary Santa. 
2. Legendary Santa Visit Tickets – Timed tickets to visit with Legendary Santa are $35. One ticket includes a visit with Legendary Santa for up to 6 individuals AND 1 free emailed photo of your visit with Legendary Santa.

All ticket packages are non-refundable and non-transferable. The Children’s Museum holds the right at any time during the Legendary Santa season to update any and all procedures for the safety of our team and guests.

Discounted tickets will be available for our scholarship membership families as well as for families who present their SNAP EBT card, EBT App, or WIC card. Please use the code SMFA at checkout to receive your 80% discount. Please note, you must present your card at check-in or your party will be charged the full price of admission to Legendary Santa. Eligible guests include one scholarship membership family per visit, or visitors presenting a SNAP EBT card, EBT app, or WIC card for up to six individuals.

All ticket packages are non-refundable.

Yes, the Fawn Shop will be open! The Fawn Shop is at the Children’s Museum Downtown from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve and allows children to go shopping by themselves for parents, siblings, teachers, grandparents, caregivers, and even pets!

The Holiday Village will be available to view in the Grandis Gallery and will feature an “I-Spy” experience. Children can explore six different festivals celebrated during this time of year: Christmas, Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Lunar New Year, all presented through a series of “Fan-style” houses that feature the symbols, traditions, and customs that enrich the holiday season in our own communities and around the world.

The Hilton Richmond Downtown is not offering Tea with Santa during the 2025 season.

No, virtual visits with Legendary Santa will not be available during the 2025 season.

Your visit will be as full of Santa magic as ever before! 

1. First, you will purchase a timed ticket on our website for a 10-minute window of time to enter Santa Land, visit with the Snow Queen, and wait your turn to visit with Legendary Santa. You should arrive 10 minutes prior to your ticket time. 
2. Ten minutes before your ticket time, you will enter the Children’s Museum. You may wait briefly in the Museum lobby before entering Santa Land.
3. You will be ushered into Santa Land where you may wait briefly before your turn to visit with the Snow Queen. *If you have purchased a Chimney Time ticket, you will then be ushered into Santa Land where you will watch as Legendary Santa comes down the chimney before visiting with the Snow Queen.
4. Your party will visit with the Snow Queen.
5. After your visit with the Snow Queen, Santa will call you over to see him.
6. Santa’s Elf will assist you and your family as you pose for your photo with Legendary Santa.
7. The photographer will then invite you to pose for your photo. You will be able to instantly view the photo taken via a large digital screen within the room.
8. You will talk with Santa, having the opportunity to tell him what you want for Christmas.
9. You will exit Santa Land and proceed to the cashiers’ desk, located in the Museum Lobby. Here you will select your photo, provide an email address for your free digital copy of the photo, and purchase any additional poses or printed photos.
10. Once your photo selections have been made, you will exit the Museum with wonderful memories of your visit with Legendary Santa! (We encourage a stop at the Fawn Shop first!)

At this time, we fully anticipate that your child may sit on Legendary Santa’s lap. If needed, please ask Santa’s Elf for assistance when posing for your photo.

Please note that phone calls may not be answered or returned immediately. The best way to reach us will be via email: santa@cmorva.org. We appreciate your patience.