Kid Friendly
While Washington, DC, is rich in history, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep children interested in looking at architecture, art and monuments. But remember, in DC, you can see the gun that killed Abraham Lincoln, the church pew where Civil War general Robert E. Lee sat, Julia Child's kitchen transported from her Massachusetts home, the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the flag that inspired our national anthem, a real dinosaur egg, the Kitty Hawk plane which flew Orville and Wilbur Wright, and many, many other interesting items. This list, which contains some sites that may not seem at first glance to be of interest to children, gives suggestions on how to pique the interest of younger members of your party. Should you still find that you have a need for an amusement park or water park, there are several within a two-hour drive of Washington, DC.
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia (877) 907-8585
Hours and Admission
8am-7pm April 1-September 30
8am-5pm October 1-March 31
No tickets needed for self-guided tours
Tickets required for tour buses, which operate throughout the day
The somber sight of hundreds and hundreds of white crosses lined up across a green lawn is a striking visual and brings into sharper focus the debt of gratitude owed to our nation's military heroes. It’s no surprise that it’s called “our nation’s most hallowed ground.” Final resting place of two U.S. Presidents, John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft, as well as thousands of American servicemen and women. The Changing of the Guard occurs on the hour each hour October through March, then occurs every half-hour April through September; one of my staff members describes The Changing of the Guard as "awesome". Tour bus services operate throughout the day; tickets can be purchased at the cemetery.
Einstein Memorial
2102 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Located near the intersection of Henry Bacon Drive, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW
No admission charged
This memorial to Albert Einstein gives children an invitation to climb into his lap. It is located in an elm and holly grove in the southwest corner of the National Academy of Sciences grounds. The sculpture depicts Einstein holding a paper with mathematical equations that summarize his three most important scientific contributions: photoelectric effect, theory of general relativity and the equivalence of energy and matter.
Ford's Theatre/Petersen's House
(202) 426-6924
511 10th Street, NW (between E and F Streets), Washington, DC
Hours and Admission
9am-5pm daily
Closed December 25
Petersen House 9:30am-5:30pm
Daily Closed December 25
Ford's Theatre offers a limited number of free, same-day tickets at the Ford’s Theatre Box Office beginning at 8:30 a.m. These daily tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance individual tickets may be obtained $3.00 through the Ford's Theatre website.
Admission charged for play performances.
The theatre offers a number of different tours for visitors include self-guided tours of the museum, guided tours by National Park Service Rangers. One popular tour, offered from March-October, is the "History on Foot" tour which recreates the investigation led by Washington Metropolitan Police Detective James McDevitt in the hours just after the assassination of President Lincoln.
The site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April of 1865 has been open to the public since 1968. The building itself has a colorful history, having started as a Baptist church. After Lincoln’s assassination, the theatre was closed, but served intermittently as a museum, office space and storage facility. A restoration effort started in 1954 brought the theatre back, and theatrical events still performed on its stage. At the museum located in the theatre, you will find artifacts related to the assassination, including the gun and knife used by John Wilkes Booth in the attack.
The Petersen House, where the mortally-wounded Lincoln was taken after the attack and later died, is located directly across the street from the Theatre.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
(202) 426-6841
400 West Basin Drive SW, Washington, D.C. 20242
Nearest intersection is West Basin Drive SW & Ohio Drive SW
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers are available from 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
This monument to our 32nd President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is located along the Cherry Tree Walk at the western edge of the Tidal Basin. It is a sequence of four outdoor rooms - one devoted to each of FDR’s four terms in office. The sculptures and artwork throughout the rooms strive to provide an accurate depiction of FDR, including a 10-foot statue of him seated in a wheeled chair.
Jefferson Memorial
(202) 426-6841
16 East Basin Drive, SW Washington, DC 200024
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers are available from 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
The monument to our 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson, resembles the Roman Parthenon with marble steps, a portico and a high dome. The walls are inscribed with Jefferson's ideas and philosophies. The memorial and the nearby Tidal Basin are surrounded by Japanese cherry trees donated by the city of Tokyo in 1912.
Korean War Memorial
(202) 426-6841
Located Southeast of the Lincoln Memorial, south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers are available from 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
The design of this memorial gives visitors a feel for what was faced by soldiers serving in Korea from 1950 to 1953. With 19 larger-than-life-sized statues representing a squad on patrol, a long black granite wall with photographic images, and a Pool of Remembrance, the memorial provides a stirring tribute to the one million and a half veterans who served in the Korean War.
Lincoln Memorial
(202) 426-6841
2 Lincoln Memorial Circle, NW Washington, DC 20002
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers are available from 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
A solemn remembrance of the legacy of our 16th, Abraham Lincoln, has some great opportunities for tour-weary children. The stairs to the memorial entrance are a good exercise opportunity for young legs. Have the kids check out Lincoln's hands; the sculptor's daughter was hearing-impaired, and it's believed he placed Lincoln's hands in the American Sign Language symbols for Lincoln's initials. The columns around the Memorial are so big that five adults could not grasp hands all the way around. The word "future" is misspelled as "euture" in the Second Inauguration speech that's carved on an interior wall of the memorial.
The memorial was modeled after the Temple of Zeus at Olympia and other Greek masterpieces. The building is made of limestone from Indiana and marble from Colorado. Lincoln's statue is made from marble from Georgia.
One of the most moving times to visit the memorial is at sunrise, when you can sit on the top step of the Lincoln with a view to the east and watch the sun rise over the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol with light reflected in the Reflecting Pool.
Mount Vernon (George Washington's home)
(703) 780-2000
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Hours and Admission
April-October 9am-5pm
November-March 9am-4pm
Admission charged
Home and final resting place of America's 1st President, George Washington. During the time that Washington lived here (more than 45 years), Mount Vernon was an 8,000-acre plantation, which was divided into five farms; each was a complete unit. The farm where Washington and his family lived was called the "Mansion House Farm," and is the part of the plantation that we refer to today as "Mount Vernon." Washington inherited the property from his older half-brother, who named the property in honor of his commanding officer, Admiral Edward Vernon of the British navy.
A newly-renovated visitors' center includes interactive displays, short films and high-tech, immersive experiences that appeal to children.
National Air and Space Museum on the Mall (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-2214
6th Street and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20560
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily, though hours sometimes extended to 7:30 pm during peak-summer months
Check website for today's hours.
Closed December 25
No admission charged; tickets to IMAX theatre must be purchased
With hundreds of historic aviation and space artifacts on display, including space capsules from America's first astronauts, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, and the Wright Brothers aircraft, this museum is among the most popular in the country. You can explore the history of flight, how things fly, learn about the effort to land a human on the moon, experience a flight simulator and many other interesting subjects. The museum also has a five-story IMAX theater and two options for food service.
Beginning December 3, 2018, the Air & Space Museum will begin undergoing a 7-year rennovation project. Visit their website for more information.
National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Smithsonian)
(703) 572-4118
14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily, though hours sometimes extended during peak-summer months
Check website for today's hours.
Closed December 25
No admission charged for museum, but IMAX tickets must be purchased. Fee for parking.
One of the most recent additions to the Smithsonian museum system, this is a companion facility to the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. With the space provided in the Boeing Aviation Hanger in Chantilly, Virginia, thousands of aviation and space artifacts that could not be exhibited in the D.C. building are on display. It features three levels with aircraft hanging from an arched ceiling. Exhibits include the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the Boeing Dash 80, the Enola Gay, the Mobile Quarantine Unit used by the Apollo 11 crew, the Gemini VII space capsule and other aircraft. The space shuttle Discovery is the centerpiece of the museum. The museum has two options for food service, as well as several simulator rides available for an additional charge.
National Archives
(866) 272-6272
700 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408
Between 7th and 9th Streets, NW
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily
Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 25
No admission charged.
Those wishing to make an advance reservation can do so online for a small transaction fee.
Millions of documents are created in the course of government business, but less than three percent are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept forever. It is in the National Archives that you will find some of those documents, including the Declaration of Independenceand The Constitution, which are in display in the Exhibit Hall. You can also make arrangements to visit the Research Room to conduct your own research in the textual and microfilm records kept at the National Archives. The Archives were collected starting in 1926. While no tickets are needed, the lines form early during spring and summer months. To skip the line line, call ahead to (202) 357-5450 to make a reservation for a 9:45 a.m. tour Monday through Friday.
Children might be interested to know that the doors on the National Archives Building are the largest bronze doors in the world. Originally the building’s plan called for a courtyard in the center of the building. But the need for more storage space quickly filled that space in.
National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall
(202) 857-7700
1145 17th Street, NW (17th and M Street, NW), Washington, DC 20036
Hours and Admission
Open daily 10am-6pm
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25
Admission charged.
The National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall brings past and current expeditions, adventures and scientific research to life for its visitors. Exhibits cover weather, geography, astronomy, space exploration and much more. Children will enjoy a visit to this entertaining, high-tech museum.
National Museum of American History (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-1000
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily
Closed December 25
No admission charged
This museum, recently renovated, features a state-of-the-art gallery for viewing its most famous exhibit: the Star Spangled Banner that served as inspiration for Francis Scott Key. Among other exhibits you will find Mister Rogers' sweater, Kermit the Frog and First Ladies Exhibit. The museum explores the social, political, cultural, scientific and military history of our country.
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-1000
1000 Constitution Ave., NW in Washington, D.C. 20004
10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily, though hours sometimes extended during peak-summer months
Check website for today's hours.
No admission charged for entrance to museum, although tickets are required for IMAX theatre.
One of the first Smithsonian Museums opened on the National Mall, it houses exhibits focused on the natural world, with more than 126 million specimens. Among the 18 exhibit halls dedicated to geology, dinosaurs, animal life, plants and insects and other subjects, you will find displayed the Hope Diamond, a T-rex dinosaur display, an Egyptian mummy and Mammal Hall. There is also an IMAX Theater, which shows some of the films in 3-D. There are several restaurants in the museum.
Just outside the museum’s main building entrance toward the National Mall, you will find three natural wonders that date back millions and millions of years: two 220 million-year-old petrified logs from Arizona and a 2.25 billion-year-old boulder of banded iron ore from Michigan.
National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-1000
4th Street and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20560
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily
Closed December 25
No admission charged
One of the Smithsonian's newest museums on the Mall, this one specializes in exhibits that celebrate and commemorate the ideas and experiences in Native life and history. Its mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of the Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere. The exhibits include materials from North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, and include clothing, baskets, textiles, precious metals, featherwork, ceramics and other objects that are associated with Native life.
National Postal Museum (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-5555
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Hours and Admission
Open Daily 11:30AM-7PM
Closed on December 25
No admission charged
You will find one of the world’s largest collections of stamps and philatelic materials. The museum has postal history material that pre-dates stamps, vehicles that were used to transport the mail, mailboxes and mailbags, postal uniforms and equipment. Visitors learn how the process of mail delivery has evolved and the importance of letters in our history. The museum is housed in a Beaux Arts-style building that served for more than 70 years as the Washington City Post Office.
National Zoological Park (Smithsonian)
(202) 633-4888
3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Hours and Admission
October 1-March 14: 9am-4pm
March 15-September 30: 9am-6pm
Hours are subject to change due to special events. Please consult the National Zoo's website for today's hours. No admission charged, parking for fee.
The National Zoo is more than just a place to see wild animals. In the heart of the nation's capital, you can see giant pandas, cheetahs, zebra, bears, monkeys and gorillas. More than 2,000 individual animals of nearly 400 species are on display, including giant pandas. Tian Tian and Mei Ziang; their cub, Tai Shan, who was born at the Zoo, was flown back to China in 2009. If you visit the Zoo in early morning hours before the buildings open, the animals are more active, and you can watch zookeepers feed and care for the animals. A couple of cafeteria/carry-out food service options are available; the zoo is located in an area with a number of nearby restaurants.
Smithsonian Carousel
Hours vary by season
Cost for ride
The carousel, located on the National Mall outside of the Smithsonian Castle, is open seasonally. It was built in 1947 and relocated from Baltimore, Maryland, to the National Mall in 1981.
Theodore Roosevelt Island
George Washington Memorial Parkway Northbound lanes between Roosevelt Bridge and Key Bridge
Arlington, VA 22209
Hours and Admission
Island is open 6am-10pm No admission charged
This wooded 88.5 acre sanctuary in the Potomac River is dedicated to our conservation-minded 26th President. Nature trails run throughout the island; hidden deep inside the island is a large memorial statue of Roosevelt. One of Roosevelt’s greatest legacies was his dedication to conservation. The island is only accessible over a footbridge from the Virginia bank of the Potomac River. No bicycles are permitted, but there are plenty of walking opportunities.
The hunt for the memorial statue can be fun for children, as it is hidden deep within the island and has a feel of a long-abandoned site.
U.S. Capitol
(202) 226-8000 Automated visitors' information line
To schedule a tour, call (202) 224-6142 to schedule a tour through my office or fill out the Tour Request Form.
Hours and Admission 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday (including most federal holidays) No admission charged My office offers staff-guided tours at 10:00 and 2:00 every weekday, though we are more than happy to adjust those times to your schedule. With at least 21 days’ advance notice, we are also able to reserve passes on Saturdays.The U.S. Capitol Guide Service also offers tours.
You can book a tour online at Visit The Capitol or you can pick up same-day tickets in the Capitol Visitors Center. Tours operate Monday-Saturday, 9 AM to 3:30 PM. Please be aware of security guidelines and prohibited items in the U.S. Capitol.
In advance of a Capitol tour, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society's website offers a wealth of information about the Capitol's art and exhibits such as the National Statuary Hall Collection, murals within the Capitol corridors painted by Allyn Cox, and the large 12' x 18' paintings within the Rotunda to compliment your tour.
Another resource with information about the architecture, art and grounds of the U.S. Capitol is the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) website. The AOC is the steward responsible for the maintenance, operation, and preservation of many of our nation’s most recognizable landmarks of democracy and government including the U.S. Capitol and its grounds, the U.S. Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the U.S. Botanic Gardens.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
(202) 488-0400
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily
Closed Yom Kippur and December 25
Free timed tickets are required and are available on-site
Tickets can be purchased online for a small transaction fee.
During World War II, approximately six million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. The Holocaust Museum is America's memorial to those who were killed. Its goal is to stimulate visitors to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity and strengthen democracy. Carefully-crafted exhibits carry stark reminders of what happened during the Holocaust. While this is a somber museum, it is an educational and personal experience that is unforgettable.
Children's programs are available, along with a special exhibit directed at younger visitors. The exhibit, Daniel’s Story, tells the historically-true story of a fictional German boy named Daniel, following him from his middle-class home to Auschwitz.
U.S. Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)
(703) 289-2500 for scheduled events
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 6am-midnight
No admission charged
During the summer, the US Marine Corps holds Sunset Parades at the memorial on Tuesday evenings. The memorial plaza is closed to the public from 6pm-9 pm on Tuesdays in June and July and from 5:30pm-8:30pm on August 5 and August 12.
The bronze replica of the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken shortly by news photographer Joe Rosenthal after the Battle of Iwo Jima commemorates the soldiers of the U.S. Marine Corps who paid the ultimate price for their country. The base of the memorial contains the names and dates of every principal Marine Corps engagement since the founding of the Corps. You can also enjoy the nearby Netherlands Carillon.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
(202) 426-6841
5 Henry Bacon Dr NW, Washington, DC 20037
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers available 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
"The Wall" is a somber tribute to those men and women who gave their lives during the Vietnam War. It honors those who died by listing their names on the Memorial Wall, a sleek expanse of black granite that sinks into the ground in a V-shape. The award-winning design by Maya Lin was selected from nearly 1,500 entries. Items are frequently left at The Wall by family members, friends and comrades of those who served in the war. You can locate specific names on The Wall through a directory placed at the west end of the memorial.
Nearby are two additional statues: The Three Soldiers and the Women’s Memorial that honor contributions made by those who fought in the Vietnam War.
Washington Monument
2 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20024
Please note: The Washington Monument is closed until spring 2019. The National Park Service is modernizing the elevator to increase long term reliability and safety.
The 555-foot monument to our 1st President, George Washington, is the world's tallest stone structure. Dedicated in 1885, it is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk and took 40 years to build. The 50 flags that surround the base of the monument represent the 50 states.
Washington National Cathedral
(202) 537-6200
3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday: 10am-5:30pm; Tours begin at 10:15am
Saturday: 1-am-4:00pm; Tours begin at 10:15am
Sunday: Worship services at 8am, Guided tours at 1pm.
Admission charged for guided tours; Sunday tours are free.
It took 83 years to build the Washington National Cathedral, officially completed in 1990. It is the second-largest cathedral in the U.S. and the sixth largest in the world. It is the highest point in Washington, at 676 feet, atop Mount St. Alban. As is the practice with other cathedrals throughout the world, architectural errors were purposefully incorporated into the design to show that man is less perfect than deity. These errors are highlighted in the tours offered by the Cathedral. The great organ in the cathedral as 10,650 pipes. There are 200 stained-glass windows, including a space-themed one with a moon rock embedded in it. You can also find Darth Vader on one of the outside carvings (top-cent, northwest tower)
The Cathedral offers several guided tours that may be of interest to children. One tour is directed at the gargoyles that are depicted throughout the cathedral. The tours are offered seasonally on certain days from April to October. You can view other tour options at the Cathedral's website.
Washington Youth Garden
(202) 245-2726
3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC
No admission charged
Located at the U.S. National Arboretum, this garden gives many youngsters their first taste of gardening. Local children in grades 3, 4 and 5 participate in lessons and activities; visitors can view the results of the children's handiwork in about 100 small plots along with a butterfly garden.
World War II Memorial
(202) 426-6841
1750 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20006
Hours and Admission
Memorial is open 24 hours
National Park Service Rangers are available 9:30am-10pm
No admission charged
The National World War II Memorial commemorates the sacrifice and celebrates the victory of the of the WWII generation. It honors the 16 million who served, those at home who supported the war, and the more than 400,000 who died in the conflict. The Freedom Wall contains 4,448 stars, one for every 100 Americans who died in WWII.
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