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Museums in Washington D.C. have certainly swept away that old, dusty image. Your family can now enjoy interactive exhibits and displays that will leave the kids shouting for more, rather than begging to leave. Best of all, this city is literally bursting at the seams with history that shaped the U.S. So while the kids happily run from display to display they may even actually learn something too!
With so many museums in Washington D.C. you'll have to plan in advance which ones your family would like best. Our museum listings below should help you choose.
For parents researching a Washington DC trip with children, may we recommend a popular option in our Washington, DC for Families Travel Guide. It's packed with attractions, activities, special insider advice, what to pack, hotels and tons more--it's worth the download!
Check out the Castle... The Smithsonian Institution's first building, popularly known as the Castle, houses the Institution’s administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. Completed in 1855, the original Smithsonian Institution Building was designed by architect James Renwick Jr., whose other works include St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C...
Art and Torpedos... The Torpedo Factory Art Center is the highlight of the City’s revitalized Potomac River waterfront, attracting approximately 800,000 visitors annually. Visit artists’ studios, five cooperative galleries, the Target Gallery, and the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. Then stroll along the waterfront, window shop on nearby historic streets, have a picnic on the dock behind the art center, or eat in the area‘s many fine restaurants. This old torpedo factory was constructed just after WWI...
The Nation's Gallery... The National Gallery of Art houses one of the finest collections in the world illustrating major achievements in painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and works on paper from the Middle Ages to the present. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., was conceived, founded, and endowed in 1937 by the collector Andrew W. Mellon...
124 Million Speciments and Artifacts In One Building... The Smithsonian‘s National Museum of Natural History houses a collection of over 124 million specimens and artifacts. Their mission is to seek an understanding of the natural world and our place within it. The Museum‘s area is approximately 750,000 square feet, including a basement, three main exhibition levels, two office-collection levels, and a mechanical penthouse on the roof. The space includes workshops, laboratories, offices, libraries, archives, and other support areas along with an auditorium, a bookstore, gift shops, public and staff cafeterias, an ice cream parlor, and a working post office.
The Oldest Art in Town... The Corcoran Museum positions itself as "the oldest art museum in Washington, D.C." The Corcoran is both a museum of art and a school of art. The museum contains more than 14,000 objects of American and European art. In particular, it has the best collection of contemporary American art in Washington.
George's Home... Escape the 21st century at George Washington‘s Mount Vernon Estate. Explore his Mansion, stroll his gardens, take a special-focus tour. Mount Vernon is open every day, including holidays and is pleasantly situated just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C. on the George Washington Parkway. Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington from the time of their marriage in 1759 until General Washington‘s death in 1799.
So You Want to be a Spy... The mission of the International Spy Museum is to educate the public about espionage in an engaging manner and to provide a dynamic context that fosters understanding of its important role in and impact on current and historic events. The Museum focuses on human intelligence and reveals the role spies have played in world events throughout history. The International Spy Museum is the only public museum in the world solely dedicated to the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage.
Other kid-friendly museums in Washington DC include:
Anacostia Museum
Washington Doll House Museum
Freer and Sackler
Kreeger Museum
Marian Koshland Science Museum
National Air and Space Museum
National Building Museum
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Torpedo Factory Art Center
National Postal Museum
Renwick Gallery
US Holocaust Museum
Hirshhorn Museum |