There are many attractions for families in Washington, D.C. that range from planetariums to national history tours. Many activities are linked to The Smithsonian Museum, a complex that includes 19 museums, zoo and aquarium. Museum admission and various programs are free throughout the complex, which makes a family trip to Washington, D.C. affordable and entertaining. Tours of buildings including The White House, Supreme Court and The Capitol are available throughout the heart of the city.
Sitting on 1.5 million square feet of space, this museum houses fossils, artifacts, minerals, rocks, plants and animals collections from Earth’s history. The National Museum of Natural History is the size of 18 football fields, large enough to house 126 million science and cultural specimens. The Johnson IMAX Theater offers daily movies on their big screen and The Discovery Room allows for an interactive, hands-on experience which children enjoy. There are also 400,000 photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives on site.
National Museum of Natural History
10th Street and Constitutional Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20560
202-633-1000
mnh.si.edu
The National Zoo houses 2,000 animals from 400 species, including elephants, tigers, lions, pandas and other exotics. Sitting on 163 acres, National Zoo offers daily family activities which include animal training shows, feeding demonstrations and talks with zoo keepers. The Kid’s Farm allows youngsters to get up and close to farm animals, allowing for hands-on experiences and contact. National Zoo is home to The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, which facilitates and promotes research programs. This family attraction is open 364 days a year.
National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
202-633-4480
nationalzoo.si.edu
This theater features puppet shows that are educational and fun, based on topics that range from world cultures to science and aviation. Discovery Theater’s hub is located at The National Mall, but many shows take place throughout the museums. Tickets can be ordered online, and Learning Guides are posted Discovery Theater’s website two weeks prior to a show. Discovery Theater was founded in 1964 as The Smithsonian Puppet Theater, and has grown into a family attraction that can’t be missed.
Discovery Theater
The S. Dillon Ripley Center 3rd Sublevel
1100 Jefferson Drive SW
Washington, DC 20024
202-633-8700
discoverytheater.org
The tallest structure in the city was built to honor the country’s first president, George Washington. An elevator takes visitors to the top, where the view expands to over 30 miles. Washington Monument was built in the likeness of an Egyptian Obelisk and inside there is a Memorial Stone which George Washington helped to create. One of the city’s oldest family attractions, Washington Monument is a vital stop on a tour of the city.
Washington Monument
Madison Drive NW & 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-426-6841
nps.gov/wamo
Part of The Smithsonian, this museum has the largest collection of aviation and spacecraft artifacts in the world. Attractions within the museum include the Apollo 11 command module from the famed trip to the moon. The Spirit of St. Louis, flown by Charles Lindbergh is also a must see. Visitors can touch a lunar rock sample and learn more about aviation and planetary science through daily shows at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and The Albert Einstein Planetarium.
National Air and Space Museum
on The National Mall
6th Street and Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20560
202-633-1000
nasm.si.edu
