Project Team Celebrates Northern Virginia Science Center Construction Milestone

Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation and Balfour Beatty have topped out the Northern Virginia Science Center, marking a major milestone in the construction of this transformative regional destination for STEM education and exploration. The ceremony commemorates the placement of the final structural beam, a tradition that celebrates the progress and collaboration of the entire project team.

Since breaking ground in early 2025, Balfour Beatty has worked in close partnership with the Science Museum of Virginia and the Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation to bring this visionary facility to life. To reach this milestone, the team poured 5,500 cubic yards of concrete, set 700 tons of structural steel and installed 325 foundations, reflecting the scale and complexity of the work completed to date.

These metrics not only demonstrate the physical progress of the project, but also align with the educational and scientific themes that will be central to the science center’s experience:

• The total weight of the steel and rebar used for the building is 700 tons
• The largest steel beam
• The retaining wall is 300 feet in length.

Located on donated land within the Kincora development in Dulles, the 70,000-square-foot Northern Virginia Science Center will feature five themed galleries, a flexible multipurpose space, public atrium and outdoor educational areas. Designed to inspire curiosity and innovation, the center will serve as a hub for hands-on learning and community engagement for children and families across the region.

With the building structure and exterior and interior framing substantially complete, the project team is advancing into the next phase of work, the interior buildout. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2026 and opening in 2027.