Museum Play Times and Events
- dcstayathomeparent
- Nov 12, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 10
DC’s Smithsonian museums and other local museums hold weekly activities that you and your little one can enjoy in the DC area without spending a dime.
The Smithsonian’s events calendar can be found here. It is not always up to date, so be sure to check specific museums' websites.
Information last updated January 2025.
Hirshhorn (No passes required)
Information here
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: L’Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Blue lines)
Car: Parking on the National Mall and nearby garages
Great for: indoor and outdoor exploration, budding artists
Food options on-site: Dolcezza Coffee & Gelato on the first floor, serving coffee and espresso drinks, pastries, and locally-sourced gelato. You can also bring your own food as long as you eat it in the first floor lobby or outside
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Storytime Studio. Wednesdays 10am-1pm. Free; no registration required. Recommended for ages 0–8, plus adult caregivers
Current Schedule:
10am–1pm: Ongoing open play and art-making at Hirshhorn Art School, Lower Level,
10:30am and 11:30am: Read-alouds,
11am and Noon: Gallery tours
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Musem
Information here
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Judiciary Square (Red Line) -- National Building Museum exit, walk 1 block
Car: Public paid parking garage available at 3rd & G Streets, NW; Limited street parking available
Great for: Jewish families and those looking to learn more about Jewish history, traditions, activism, and more
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Story Time at CJM: second Thursday of each month
Presented in partnership with Bender JCC, Edlavitch DCJCC, Pozez JCC and PJ Library.
Each month features a different theme, book, and crafts suited for children of all backgrounds as they learn about themselves and the world around them.
National Air and Space Museum (Timed tickets required for entry, including for story time)
Information here
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: L’Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Blue lines)
Car: Parking on the National Mall and nearby garages
Great for: kiddos who are obsessed with planes and the solar system, independent walkers
Food options on-site: The museum has one cafeteria located on the lower level, offering a variety of lunch and snack items. You can also bring your own food, as long as you eat it in the cafeteria
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Flights of Fancy Story Times. Thursdays at 11am. Family-friendly stories, arts and crafts, fine motor activities, and airplane & space-themed toys.
DCSAHP Tips:
Aim to snag a timed ticket for 10:00am or 11:00am
The line outside of the museum - for timed ticket holders - is long. You may be waiting outside for a long time so dress accordingly.
National Building Museum (Tickets required, free admission if going to story time)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stops: Judiciary Square (Red line) or Chinatown (Green, Yellow, and Red lines)
Car: Street parking
Great for: kiddos who are runners (lots of wide open hallways and rooms!), and Lego enthusiasts
Food options on-site: No food options on site or within short walking distance
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Story time. Thursdays at 10:30am. Free and packed full of reading, songs, and activities designed to promote language and literacy skills! Story themes vary weekly, but relate to current exhibitions at the museum
National Gallery of Art (No passes required)
Information here
West Building: European and American masterpieces in neoclassical surroundings. Enter or exit from 7th Street, Constitution Avenue, or Madison Drive on the National Mall
East Building: Modern and contemporary works. Enter or exit from 4th Street
Sculpture Garden: Outdoor sculptures adorn our 6.1-acre oasis in the heart of the city. Enter or exit from 7th Street, Constitution Avenue, or Madison Drive on the National Mall
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Archives (Green and Yellow lines)
Car: Parking on the National Mall and street parking
Great for: budding artists, lovers of abstract art (East Building), sculptures (Sculpture Garden) and shimmering people movers (between the East and West Buildings)
Food options on-site: Multiple food options in both buildings including the Terrace Café in the East Building, Garden Café in the West Building, and the Cascade Café and Espresso & Gelato Bar in the connecting concourse
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
First Friday Story Time: First Friday each month from 10am to 11am. Story time is held in the East Building Atrium; the story is usually read twice, once in English and once in Spanish
DCSAHP Tip:
West Building: The Mercury Fountain in the Rotunda is a great spot for a stroller nap!
National Museum of African American History and Culture (Timed passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Federal Triangle (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines) and Smithsonian (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines)
Car: Parking on the national mall and street parking
Great for: learning about African American culture, past and present
Food options on-site: Sweet Home Café offers traditional, authentic offerings as well as present-day food traditions.
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Kids Connect: Select Fridays
National Museum of the American Indian (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: L’Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Blue lines) and Federal Center SW (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines)
Car: Street parking
Great for: imaginative play and yummy lunch
Food options on-site: Mitsitam means Let's eat! in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples. The museum's Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe has five food stations depicting regional cooking techniques, ingredients, and flavors found in both traditional and contemporary dishes. Selections include authentic Native foods such as traditional fry bread and corn totopos as well as contemporary items with a Native American twist-think buffalo burgers!
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
ImagiNations Activity Center. Tuesday–Sunday from 10am-4:30pm. Entry is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
National Museum of American History (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Federal Triangle (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines) and Smithsonian (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines)
Car: Parking on the national mall and street parking
Great for: imaginative play, STEM enthusiasts
Food options on-site: The museum has two cafeterias; LeRoy Neiman Jazz Cafe on the first floor and Eat at America’s Table Cafe on the lower level.
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Spark!Lab, where kids can try their hand at inventing. Open Wednesday-Sunday.
Wegmans Wonderplace is another kid-centric exhibition (geared towards ages 0-6). Open Wednesday-Sunday.
Diversión Fridays Storytime, National Museum of the American Latino, General Motors Learning Lounge Select Fridays.
Smithsonian Pollinator Garden, in the space between Madison Drive NW and Constitution Avenue NW, a “pollination investigation to explore the who, what, when, where, why, and how of pollination.”
National Museum of Natural History (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stops: Federal Triangle (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines), Smithsonian (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines), and Archives (Green and Yellow lines)
Car: Parking on the National Mall and street parking
Great for: kiddos who love animals, dinosaurs, rocks, and/or ocean animals (there's even a great fish tank!)
Food options on-site: The museum has two cafeterias; Ocean Terrace Cafe on the first floor, and Atrium Cafe on the ground floor. They say that outside food is prohibited but folks regularly bring their own snacks or lunch and eat them in the cafe or in the Q?rius (pronounced "curious") learning space.
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Play Date at NMNH. Tuesdays from 10:30am-12pm. Various locations throughout the museum. Museum educators design themed activities with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
National Portrait Gallery (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Chinatown (Green, Yellow, and Red lines)
Car: Street parking and various garages
Great for: budding artists, runners (the Kogod Courtyard is a great place to stretch those legs and eat a snack!)
Food options on-site: Courtyard Café in the Kogod Courtyard. Casual fare, coffee, and snacks.
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Portrait Gallery Kids. Select Mondays 11:30am-12:30pm. Join educators on select Mondays as kids explore topics like colors, emotions, STEM and history. Portrait Gallery Kids incorporates looking at art, hands-on activities, music and movement. This program is a fun way to engage with art and each other. Where: Education Center, E151
Portrait Gallery Art Studio. Select Fridays. Join the National Portrait Gallery for a free, drop-in art program.
National Postal Museum (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Enter the building on First St NE.
Closest metro stop: Union Station (Red line)
Car: Street parking or the garages at Union Station.
Great for: kiddos who love planes and trucks
Food options on-site: No cafe on-site but lots of snack and lunch options in Union Station
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Hello Museo! Every other Tuesday 10:30am–11:30am (note, does not run throughout the year, check here for up-to-date-calendar). A bilingual program featuring music, stories, crafts, and gallery exploration. Designed for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers, but all are welcome! Where: Byrne Classroom, 3rd floor. Enter the building on First St NE.
National Zoo (Passes required, free, parking onsite $30 for non-members)
Information here.
Winter hours begin Sept. 15: 8am. to 4pm.; last admittance at 3pm.
Summer hours begin March 15: 8am to 6pm; last admittance is at 5pm
Membership benefits: Walk-up entry, no passes needed; free rides on the carousel, free parking passes (with premier level membership and above), 15% discount on in-park food and retail purchases, early access to Boo at the Zoo and Zoo Lights, and much more. Cost: annual plans range from $74 to $122
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Woodley Park (Red line) and Cleveland Park (Red line)
Car: Paid Parking lot (reserve a space when getting your entry passes), street parking in Mt. Pleasant and Woodley Park
Great for: kiddos who love animals (including aquatic animals! check out the Amazonia building, the Bird House, or the Reptile Discovery Center to see all kinds of fish, turtles, and more)
Food options on-site: You can bring your own lunch and snacks, but there are also numerous dining options throughout the zoo including food trucks in various locations, Elevation Burger at Mane Grill (Lion-Tiger Hill), Zoo Market Cafe & Deli (outside Small Mammal House), and Sbarro (Panda Plaza)
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Little Critters: Nature Play. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9:30am-1:30pm. Where: Think Tank Classroom (until February 2025, then will return to the Bird House)
DCSAHP Tips:
Bring a change of clothes for your kiddo. Little Critters' activities sometimes include painting and sensory bins with dirt and sand. Messy but fun!
In the summer months, bring a bathing suit, water shoes, and hat - the water tables outside of the Bird House are a hit!
While you are at the zoo, don't miss:
Daily Animal Demos, every day between 10:30am and 3pm. Get a front-row seat to keepers working with animals in these daily demonstrations! Throughout the day, you can meet elephants, watch sloth bears slurp ants, see sea lions catch fish and more.
Two playgrounds - Me and the Bee Playground in the Kids' Farm area and the Prairie Playground located behind the prairie dogs enclosure.
Renwick Gallery (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Woodley Park (Red line) and Cleveland Park (Red line)
Car: Street parking and various garages
Great for: kiddos who appreciate large-scale, abstract art
Food options on-site: No cafe on site, but very close to multiple coffee shops and casual lunch spots
Smithsonian Castle Enid A. Haupt Garden and Moongate Garden (No passes required)
Information here.
How to get there:
Closest metro stop: Smithsonian (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines)
Car: Parking on the National Mall and street parking
Great for: kiddos who need some fresh air, want to see saucer magnolias in the spring
Food options on-site: No cafe on site, but very close to multiple concession stands on the National Mall
DCSAHP Tip:
Visit during the magnolia bloom in early spring. They usually bloom a couple weeks earlier than the cherry blossoms!
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (near Dulles) (No passes required)
Information here. Free admission, no passes required, parking $15
How to get there:
Car: Parking lots available. Parking $15 before 4pm, free after 4pm.
Public transportation details can be found here.
Great for: kiddos who love planes, rocket ships, and space; runners
Food options on-site: Cafeteria that serves pre-packaged salads and sandwiches, and Shake Shack that serves its standard menu along with two Udvar-Hazy exclusives, the Constellation Crunch Concrete and Out of This World Shake.
Specifically for babies and toddlers:
Flights of Fancy Story Times. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11am and 11:30am in Chantilly, VA. Family-friendly activities held at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
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