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Every week, the National Children's Museum scouts the best family friendly activities in the Washington, DC region just for you!

National Children’s Museum website:  http://www.ncm.museum/

The National Children’s Museum is scheduled to open in 2013 at National Harbor, but you can visit us every day at the Launch Zone at National Harbor! 

While we build our new home at National Harbor, here are a few more of our favorite places for families to visit: 

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Area of Anacostia Park preserving forests and natural scenery. Now is the time to see the HUGE Victoria Water Lilies. 

Fees: no fee Open daily 7AM - 4PM except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and January 1st

1550 Anacostia Ave., NE

Washington, DC 20019
T 202.426.6905
 www.nps.gov/keaq/index.htm
  
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate
Offers tours of the Mansion house, gardens, and more than a dozen outbuildings, in addition to an interactive visitor center.

Activities: During the National Treasure Tour (through Oct. 31), families can take a walking tour that includes behind-the-scenes information about areas where National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets filming took place. Tours are offered at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. The tour costs $5 in addition to Estate admission which is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, $7 for children 6 through 11, and free for children 5 and under. Purchasing tickets on-line is recommended!  Every child ticket purchase includes a free Adventure Map of Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon is open seven days a week. 

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
Mount Vernon, VA 22309
 703.780.2000
 www.mountvernon.org
  
American Art Museum
Smithsonian museum with an extensive collection of art covering regions and art movements in the United States.

Activities: Families are invited to enjoy the latest exhibit at the American Art Museum, Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. This exhibit features the connection between Rockwell’s iconic images of American life and the movies. Entrance to the Museum is free. Museum hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Eighth and F streets, NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.633.7970
www.americanart.si.edu
  
National Museum of the American Indian
Smithsonian museum dedicated exclusively to Native American history.  Hands on cart activites, story telling and family friendly events every week.
  
Fourth Street and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20560
202.633.1000
www.nmai.si.edu
  
Rock Creek Nature Center and Planetarium
Large National Park with an educational center and planetarium serving as an astrology laboratory.

Activities: 5200 Glover Road, NW
Washington, DC 20015
202.895.6070
www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm
  
Kennedy Center
Cultural entertainment venue promoting appreciation and education of the arts.

Families are invited to tour the Kennedy Center for free any day of the week. The Center is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stay to see a free show on the Millennium stage located inside the building any night of the week at 6 p.m.

2700 F St., NW
Washington, DC 20566
202.416.8289
www.kennedy-center.org
  
Arlington Cemetery
Sitting on 200 acres, the Cemetery was declared an official military cemetery in 1864.

Activities: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in any weather by Tomb Guard sentinels. Families are welcome to honor American service members by attending the Changing of the Guard ceremony which takes place every half hour, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

214 McNair Road
Arlington, VA 22211
703.607.8000
www.arlingtoncemetary.org

Bike the C & O Canal
Outdoor National Park providing adventure and activity for people in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas.

Activities:  Families can take a bike ride along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. The C & O Canal starts in Georgetown and stretches 13 miles to Great Falls Park, Va.  Bikers can choose to make it a family outing and enjoy a picnic at the end of a ride or stop in a nearby city and explore. The trail is free and open all day. Visit website below for a full map.

301.739.4200
www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm

DC By Foot
Walking tour through the heart of the National Mall.

15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
202.370.1830
www.dcbyfoot.com

National Museum of American History
Smithsonian museum featuring more than 3 million national artifacts.

Activities:  Families are welcome to view the new exhibit, Ain’t Nothin Like the Real Thing, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Apollo Theatre. The exhibit is open during Museum hours, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Spark!Lab, the newest hands-on space for families and others, hopes to show the real story behind an inventor’s work. You can play games, conduct science experiments, explore inventors’ notebooks, and even invent! The Lemelson Center's Spark!Lab will also feature a regular series of speakers, including contemporary inventors, to let you know just how they got the “invention bug” and put their creativity to use.

Invention at Play
This interactive exhibition for families is located in the new Lemelson Hall of Invention. With its highly interactive and engaging activities, it focuses on the similarities between the ways children and adults play and the creative skills and processes used by inventors. Visitors of all ages will experience various playful habits of mind that underlie invention, such as curiosity, imagination, visual thinking, model building, and problem solving.

1400 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.633.1000
www.americanhistory.si.edu