5 Best DC Attractions for Kids
When visiting America’s capital city on holiday, there is much to do especially if you have many young children. However, if you haven’t visited Washington, D.C. before, here are the five best attractions which this marvelous city has to offer and the reasons behind why you should check them out:
The National Zoo
[3001 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest Washington, D.C. 20008] http://nationalzoo.si.edu/
- As free entry is provided for this very popular destination, you won’t have to pay a single cent in order to get in. Therefore, if you want to keep your kids entertained for a very long time, you can and it won’t have cost anything at all.
- Situated inside the zoo are eighteen museums and many galleries.
- Set in 163-acres of land, the National Zoo is open 364 days of the year and there are 2,000 individual animals found there, including 400 different species.
- Many animals, such as Cheetah cubs, which were born at the zoo can be seen throughout.
The National Museum of American History
[14th Street and Constitution Avenue, Northwest Washington, D.C. 20560] http://americanhistory.si.edu
- Located on the Mall in Washington, D.C., three million artifacts are housed at the museum which dates from the War of Independence through to the present day.
- The museum has many activities for children such as ‘Spark! Lab’ as well as having the chance to ride a Chicago Transit Authority car (otherwise known as ‘America on the Move’).
- Other displays are found at the museum, such as Kermit the Frog and the much-loved Disney character Dumbo.
- The museum is open every single day of the year except the 25th of December.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)
http://www.mncppc.org
- There are four Nature Centers that are based in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
- Each nature center offers children the opportunity to explore the animals which are found in the Washington, D.C. area.
- Programs that are suitable for toddlers are run by the M-NCPPC.
- Junior Naturalist programs, which are designed for children that are aged between six and twelve, offer participants the chance to explore local nature via hikes and how to follow tracks. During these programs, children can also learn a greater understanding of trees and plants as well.
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
[2 Massachusetts Ave, NE Washington, D.C. 20002] http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu
- The museum can be visited throughout the year, except on the 25th of December. Admission is free too.
- The Smithsonian National Postal Museum details the history of the American Postal Service thanks to many exciting exhibitions, such as ‘Fire and Ice: Hindenburg and Titanic’ and the permanent military exhibition ‘Mail Call’.
- The museum offers children of any age the chance to see how rewarding stamp collecting can be as a hobby.
- Many life-size models of the modes of transport which have been used in order to deliver posts are found throughout the museum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1ZFLeJuOIc
The International Spy Museum
[800 F Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20004] http://www.spymuseum.org
- Open since 2002, the museum offers children the chance to know about the many different tactics which have been used by real-life spies.
- The museum houses one of the largest collection of international espionage artifacts; these can be viewed up close and personal and children of all ages will look at them in amazement.
- Many exhibitions are found at the museum, such as ‘School for Spies’ which profiles microdots, invisible ink, and disguise techniques which have been created by the CIA.
- Real-life exhibits are situated throughout the museum which can be explored first-hand, such as believable Berlin tunnels which are similar to what East German spies used during the Cold War.