DAY TWO – the next day, put on your walking shoes.
Although Washington, D.C. is a very concentrated town with lots of buildings, most museums and memorials are near grassy, wide-open park spaces. Devote an entire day to the FREE Smithsonian Museums & National Mall buildings (Smithsonian.org).
DC by Foot, a walking tour company, gives FREE, kid-friendly tours (gratuity recommended) infused with games, fun facts and trivia. Or, just wander from one building to the next. Be sure to go online first and print off any “Hunts” (scavenger hunts) that interest you.
Play pilot in a mock cockpit at America by Air, an exhibition on permanent display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Teach kids about history at the newly renovated National Museum of American History for a rare look at the original “Star-Spangled Banner,” the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem. The museum’s Spark!Lab uses fun activities to help kids and families learn about the history and process of invention through games and conducting experiments plus there’s an Under 5 Zone just for pre-schoolers.
Walk among the butterflies or witness a view of the blinding Hope Diamond at the National Museum of Natural History.
See the original Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights at the National Archives, then stick around to research your own family’s immigration records.
Whatever memorials you didn’t get to view, fill in after 5pm, when most museums in the national Mall close.
Facebook
LinkedIn