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An Overview of the Smithsonian Institution Museums in Washington, DC
What is the Smithsonian Institution? Collectively called the Smithsonian Institution, the world-renowned museum and research complex consists of 17 museums and galleries in Washington, DC, including the National Zoo. From the origins of man at the Natural History Museum to the future of space travel at the Air and Space Museum (and its even bigger sister facility, the Udvar-Hazy Center), Smithsonian museums are a guide to the most fascinating aspects of our world. The museum collection contains more than 150 million objects, works of art and specimens altogether. And the best part: you won’t have to pay a penny to experience it as admission is free at every location. At the center of it all is the Smithsonian Institution Building, better known as "The Castle". The vital information point makes for a perfect meet-up spot, and its America’s Treasure Chest exhibit inspires all with a sneak peek at the types of artifacts displayed in all of the museums. Don’t leave without paying your respects at the crypt of English scientist James Smithson, who, upon his death, gave every last penny he had to establish the Smithsonian Institution. Museums farther than the eye can see Smithsonian’s collection of knowledge centers serve as a treasure chest for visitors. The aforementioned Air and Space Museum and Natural History Museum are definitely fanned favorites. The American History Museum, with its endless array of Americana (read: the Star-Spangled Banner Flag), takes a comprehensive look at our country’s history, and the National Zoo, which features hundreds of species and the cutest panda cub around, Bei Bei, also draw millions each year. But with the whole Smithsonian lineup at your disposal, we recommend that you also dig deeper in the District. Witness the wonders of Asian art at the Freer | Sackler Galleries. Marvel at cutting-edge exhibits and Instagrammable architecture at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and have your mind blown by the crafty wizardry seen in the art at the Renwick Gallery, located steps from the White House. Take in centuries of artistic achievement at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and spend a lull or lunch at the architecturally riveting Kogod Courtyard. You won’t have to travel far to see the most complete collection of presidential portraits, because the building is also home to the National Portrait Gallery. Each president is immortalized in the “America’s Presidents” exhibit, and the works come from artists named Rockwell, De Kooning and Close. Worldly art lovers will want to check out the African Art Museum, which showcases traditional and contemporary art from the continent, as well as a collection of more than 500 African relics. Discover Native American history, culture and art through in-depth exhibits and cultural events at the American Indian Museum, which is set in a jaw-dropping facade on the National Mall. For a more locally-focused experience, explore the impact of social issues past and present on largely black neighborhoods at the Anacostia Community Museum. Delve into America’s enthralling postal history from colonial times to the present at the National Postal Museum, home to artifacts that tell the story of how America has delivered its mail. The newest Smithsonian Institution museum is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Situated on the National Mall, this new architectural wonder is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture. Where are the Smithsonian museums? Many of the museums are located on the National Mall and are easily accessible by Metro. In fact, the Smithsonian has its own Metro stop on the Orange and Blue lines. There are others scattered throughout Washington, DC (the National Zoo in Woodley Park and the Postal Museum near Union Station), and even one in Virginia (at the Udvar-Hazy Center). For the adults Kids aren't the only ones who love museums. The 21-and-up crowd get down with Smithsonian at 8, an after-hours party with varying themes and settings. Attendees revel in cocktails, live music, food and more, with exclusive access to some of the most adored museums in the world. Be there for its next event!
Family-Friendly Restaurants & Places to Eat in Washington, DC
Here’s a guide to some of our favorite family-friendly restaurants, where you’re sure to find a menu that pleases both you and your kids. Quick family-friendly spots There is so much to see and do on a visit to Washington, DC, and for that reason, fast food often fits best into your touring schedule. Fortunately, there are many high quality food options near the National Mall. Locations of Le Pain Quotidien serve delicious options for breakfast and lunch. Cava Grill offers a Mediterranean mix customized just for your taste buds. The steps are easy: you begin with a base, throw in a few delicious dips and spreads, stack it with a protein like braised beef or lamb, then top it off with crumbled feta, pita crisps, cucumber salad. After visiting the National Zoo, stop in Baked by Yael. Kids adore the rainbow of cake pops, delicious cookies and the freshly made bagels. Take a seat in the colorful shop and sample one of their many cake pop flavors at this nut-free and kosher bakery. Shake Shack has become a national sensation with its perfectly grilled burgers, adorned with soft potato rolls, crisp lettuce, ruby red tomatoes and legendary Shack Sauce. You can order yours at any of its DC locations. Kid-friendly sit-down restaurants A favorite of tourists and locals alike is Founding Farmers. The Foggy Bottom restaurant serves up a healthy, seasonal menu inspired by and sourced from family farms in neighboring Maryland and Virginia. While the name conjures signers of the Declaration of Independence, the dishes are all modern comfort food. Make sure to check out Farmers Fishers Bakers in Georgetown, too. Speaking of Georgetown: Pinstripes boasts bocce and bowling to supplement your delicious dining experience. The iconic Old Ebbitt Grill is one of the oldest restaurants in DC. Established in 1856, this DC institution is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with to-go sandwiches, shareable desserts and signature raw bar. Not too far away in Penn Quarter is Carmine’s, an ideal gathering place for families serving heaping plates of pasta and Italian favorites. Formerly a pharmacy with a soda fountain, Tonic at Quigley’s Pharmacy is located in a historic building in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood near the George Washington University campus. The restaurant specializes in hearty comfort food, and in good weather, Tonic serves meals on an outdoor patio and garden. Oyamel Cocina Mexicana is one of local celebrity chef José Andrés' most popular restaurants, located in Penn Quarter. Specializing in fine Mexican cuisine, kids are enchanted by the tableside preparation of guacamole, while parents will relish the margaritas and mojitos. Dining here will elevate your experience with Latin American food. There’s something reassuring about finding a Hard Rock Cafe in a new town. The menu, filled with American classics, is sure to satisfy a hungry family. The Hard Rock in DC is no exception. Kids will also be dazzled by the fun, star-filled decorations and memorabilia all over the restaurant. Originating in Maryland, and expanding to Virginia, Silver Diner has touched down in DC's Navy Yard to deliver a classic diner experience, elevated with locally sourced ingredients. Standout menu categories include all-day breakfast, seasonal selections, hand-spun milkshakes and an award-winning kid's menu. For a similar experience downtown, grab a burger or rocket dog at the 1950s-inspired Johnny Rockets. And if you like pageantry and lance-shattering action with your feast, visit Medieval Times in Hanover, Md. Museum cafes for everyone For something altogether unique and memorable, have a Mediterranean-inspired lunch or coffee and cake at the Courtyard Cafe at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. The breathtaking architecture and expansive open space provides room to explore for the little ones. Located in the lower level of the National Museum of the American Indian, the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe provides a stellar view and cuisine from different regions of the Americas. Native American chefs showcase distinctive food cultures with seasonally inspired dishes; try the fried bread, chili or buffalo burgers. The National Museum of American History has a very bright and busy cafeteria called the America's Table Cafe on the lower level. Open for lunch only, the cafe uses sustainable food products to make their pizza, barbecue and desserts. During the winter season, the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden offers meals at the lively Pavilion Cafe. Settle in to watch the spinning skaters while you enjoy pizza, pasta, sandwiches and soup. During the summer, the Pavilion has panoramic views of the fountain and gardens, and on Friday evenings in the summer, hosts live jazz for free. Washington’s historic markets Love exploring local farmers markets? If you do, plan to visit the famous Eastern Market, a historic community hub located on Capitol Hill. Inside, you will find vendors selling fresh seafood, flowers, produce and meats. Pick up a spicy empanada, a custom-made deli sandwich or sample local cheeses. Find a table at Market Lunch and order their beloved blueberry pancakes. On weekends, the Flea Market at Eastern Market opens to include more locally sourced products and artisans selling handmade crafts. Kids will love the street performers, too. And don't forget about Union Market, DC’s hippest feasting ground. This revived mid-century produce- and meat-selling bazaar is home to food stalls and informal restaurants with everything from Asian-inspired tacos and dumplings to made-in-DC sausages and Chesapeake oysters. Notable hotel restaurants Article One American Grill in the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill has a sunny five-story atrium and serves a deluxe breakfast buffet. In the evening, the Grill fires up the steaks and fresh seafood, but they also offer vegetarian and “Stay-Fit” healthy options. The Marriott Marquis Washington DC, near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, has multiple dining venues. BeerLab DC is their family-friendly sports bar that serves casual fare. A good meal and local brews The District has many beer-centric pubs where kids feel welcome, and adults get to sample from an impressive selection of local, national and international brews. City Tap House in Chinatown is known as a gastropub, because the dining room serves top-notch, family friendly fare along with 40 draft beers. On the Capitol Riverfront, Bluejacket provides beer lovers with an expansive range of lagers and ales, as well as kid-friendly starters and sandwiches.
Family-Friendly Tours in Washington, DC
One of the great reasons to visit DC with children is the number of activities that are either affordable or completely free. Most are easily accessible, especially if you plan ahead. Here are some edutainment activities guaranteed to leave an indelible impression on both you and your child. And if you're looking for even more fun things to do, you can save big on popular paid attractions with Washington, DC’s best city and attraction passes. Tours on foot As you explore the National Mall, know that the National Park Service (NPS) has Park Rangers on duty that offer free, interpretive tours, ready to impress your kids with the impressive American history depicted on the Mall. NPS keeps a schedule of tours that you should be sure to check before you embark. For a true only-in-DC experience, join a docent-led interactive tour, available at nearly every Smithsonian Museum. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History guides offer daily events and family programming – you can even watch a tarantula feeding! On weekend mornings at 9:45 am, take a “Highlights” tour at the National Zoo, where topics like animal care and the protection of wildlife habitats are discussed in detail. Plan a trip around a Smithsonian Sleepover, an unforgettable experience that includes tours, games and crafts. Offered at the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of American History and the Natural History Museum, the sleepovers are designed for kids between the ages of eight to twelve (must be accompanied by one parent). And if you're looking for a more personalized museum-going experience, the whole family will enjoy private, guided tours of a number of Smithsonian museums from Washington, DC WeVenture. There are many tour guide services in DC, and each has its own area of expertise and price range. Many of these guides offer both private and group tours led by experts who have studied the city’s history and enjoy storytelling. DC Insider Tours offers themed and personalized museum tours. Fiat Luxe Tours offers private guides who speak multiple languages that will work with you to customize the route and sights. DC Design Tours offers historical walking tours of the nation's capital focusing on architecture, urban planning and design. Tours with transportation The District also features plenty of bus, trolley, segway and boat tours. Big Bus Tours' British-style double-decker open-air bus is popular with families and allows guests to pay one fee to hop on and off at various locations, then reboard later. Big Bus offers tours in multiple foreign languages and live commentary (book with coupon code VISITDC for the best available deal). Other sightseeing options include City Sights DC and Gray Line DC. Both companies run buses or motorcoaches through continuous routes around DC, with regularly scheduled stops at each landmark. Old Town Trolley Tours has multiple vehicles and different routes from which to choose, including moonlight tours, when the monuments and memorials are at their most beautiful. Families who love the outdoors will love taking a pedicab tour with Adventure DC Tricycle Tours. Options include an excursion through the traditional landmarks and a Kid’s Adventure Tour. The pedicabs are also pet-friendly – your guide will even watch your dog as you check out DC’s incredible memorials. Marveling at city sights on a Segway is also an option. Capital Segway Tours leads tours via individual motorized scooters. After an orientation and lessons in the art of riding a Segway, a guide-led tour will travel around the National Mall with stops for photo taking and history lessons via headset. Limited to ages 16 and over, this is a memorable way for your older teens to experience the nation’s capital. If your family loves to bike, Unlimited Biking offers abbreviated, manageable tours via bicycle. Ask about their tandem bikes, trailers, baby seats and child-sized bikes. The best days to ride are in the summer and on the weekends when the route is less crowded; both allow time for stopping at historic sites. Make sure to check out DC Cycling Concierge for a completely customized bike experience in the District, where their motto is "your ride, your pace." Families will love taking a pedicab tour with Adventure DC Tricycle Tours. Adventure DC Tricycle Tours offers private customized tours for families and pets to the traditional landmarks (as well as the secret fun stuff kids love when requested). Private tours can be conducted via pedicab (for all ages), golf cart (for all ages) or electric scooter (for ages five and up). Saturday public tours are conducted on scooters with promo codes available. Food tours Families who love to eat will enjoy one of the delicious food tours operating in the DC area. DC Metro Food Tours explores several neighborhoods known for their parade of noteworthy restaurants, including Capitol Hill, Georgetown, U Street, Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan. If your family loves Italian food, then try Mangia Food Tours, which focuses on Italian cuisine at four stops in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Or try a curated food tour with Blue Fern Travel and try local dishes in iconic DC eateries. Families with a sweet tooth can try an Underground Donut Tour. Tours by boat Stretched along the Potomac River, DC is a fun place to go for a boat ride, especially when you catch a view of a monument from the water. While onboard you may pass a few paddle boarders or college crew teams. Many companies offer waterfront tours and activities in the District, including family-friendly boat tours from City Cruises. Multilingual tours Families looking to experience the nation's capital in languages besides English will find plenty of top-notch tours. For a tried-and-true transport method, hop on a Big Bus Tour in one of six languages – or opt for a different kind of city traversing with a Capital Segway Tour in ASL and German, French or Spanish. For a private, more intimate outing in a language of your choice, reach out to USA Guided Tours. At DC Nation or Pascana DC, on the other hand, specialized Spanish-language services are the focal point. All guides at Washington En Français are native French-speakers, while WashingTours touts guides in seven languages, including German and Tagalog. Ready for more? Explore other family-friendly activities in Washington, DC.
