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National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
Downtown
view websiteNational Mall Building
Independence Ave at 6th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20560
202-357-2700
Good-for-Kids Rating
BabiesToddlers & Pre-K
School-Age Kids
Pre-Teens & Teens
National Air and Space Museum Description
Little astronauts, engineers, and aspiring pilots will be fascinated by checking out full-size, original planes and space ships up close, and those enamored by the starry nighttime skies will love delving deep into interplanetary space. Young flyers can practice their piloting in flight simulators—the next best thing to actual flight! Technically-minded children really dig the interactive exhibit called "How Things Fly," which features hands-on demonstrations, 50 interactive exhibits, and a paper airplane contest. A walk-through Skylab in the Space Race exhibit sparks the imagination of what it's like to be in space, and astronaut suits worn during the first mission to the moon are on display. The Albert Einstein Planetarium takes the star-struck through a cosmic journey through the stars.
Science & Nature Museum
Special Collection
Planetarium
Kid Tips
Toddlers & Pre-K: The museum offers an activity guide for children 3-5 and their families called "I Spy in the Sky," which is available online or at the Museum's Welcome Desk.
School-Age Kids: The museum offers several activity guides for children in the fourth grade and older and their families: "Exploring Space," Exploring Planets" and "What's Tops?" All are available free online or at the Museum's Welcome Desk.
Pre-Teens & Teens: If your visit to the Air and Space Museum leaves your teen wanting more, take her to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a museum outpost at Dulles Airport filled with an amazing collection of historical aviation and space-travel artifacts (202-633-1000).
Planning Notes
- Fun in the dark. Get advance tickets for a show at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater (for fabulous films) or the Albert Einstein Planetarium (for a superior space show).
Just the Facts
Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (every day except Christmas)
Fees: Admission and tours are free; theater and planetarium shows $8.50 each
Recommended Time: 2 to 4 hours
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