Things to Do with Kids in Washington DC

Has the Hope Diamond, a T. rex, a live butterfly pavilion ($1 extra), an insect zoo, and an ocean hall. The Discovery Room lets kids touch things. Free, no tickets. Go at 10am sharp or the crowds pile up.

Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer, Apollo 11 command module, and Space Shuttle Discovery (at the Udvar-Hazy annex in VA). About half the museum is open during a multi-year renovation, but the new galleries and planetarium are worth it. Free, but you need timed-entry passes. Book up to 2 months ahead.

163 acres, 2,100+ animals, completely free. Pandas, elephants, great apes, big cats. The Kids' Farm lets children get close to farm animals. Everyone (including babies) needs a free advance pass. Woodley Park-Zoo Metro stop is right there.

STEAM museum for ages 0-12 near the White House. Building, science, and environment exhibits where kids actually touch and do things. Under 1 free. Open every day except Tuesday. Book ahead.

The actual Star-Spangled Banner, Dorothy's ruby slippers, Julia Child's kitchen, and the First Ladies' gowns are all here. Wegmans Wonderplace is a free play space for ages 0-6. Spark!Lab lets older kids invent and build. Free, no passes needed.

Architecture and design museum. The Great Hall alone is worth walking into (free). Galleries have rotating exhibits on building and engineering. They run building workshops for kids regularly. Under 3 free.

Smithsonian theater for kids in the Ripley Center. Puppetry, storytelling, music, dance, ages 3-10. Weekday shows at 10am and 11:15am. They sell out, so book ahead.

You get a spy identity, then work through missions based on real espionage history. Disguise galleries, code-breaking, a laser-beam obstacle course. Best for 7+. Kids 6 and under free. Timed-entry tickets required.

Free museum about language and words. Karaoke, poetry creation, word-origin games across multiple floors. Free with a suggested $15 donation. Reserve a pass online to guarantee entry. Closed Tuesdays.

Historic carousel on the Mall near the Smithsonian Castle. Reopened April 2026 after three years of restoration with new accessibility features. $6 per ride, any age. Card and tap payments accepted.

Splash park on the Anacostia River with dancing fountains, a waterfall, and a wading pool under a foot deep. Free year-round. Friday evening concerts in summer. Near Nationals Park and Navy Yard Metro.

Built in 1931. Oldest mini golf in America still running, and the only outdoor course in DC. On the Potomac with views of the monuments. $8 a person.

Two buildings connected by an underground walkway kids love running through. 141,000 works, all free. Daily guided tours, weekend film screenings, family programs. First Saturdays have free art-making for kids. Sculpture Garden has wading in summer, ice skating in winter (~$10). Friday evening jazz with a sangria cart in summer.

Free show every night at 6pm. No tickets, just walk in. Jazz, classical, dance, theater, poetry. Shows run about an hour. Day-of tickets at the box office from 4:30pm. The building is free to explore. Family festivals throughout the year.

300+ miniature trees inside the 446-acre National Arboretum. Kids activity pamphlet available. The grounds also have 22 original Corinthian columns from the US Capitol, a koi pond, and open meadows. Rarely crowded. No Metro access, so drive or rideshare. Bring food. Pair with Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens (also free) for a full day.

Where Lincoln was shot. Still an active theater. The basement museum has the actual Derringer pistol, Lincoln's coat, and Booth's diary. Includes the Petersen House across the street where Lincoln died. Free with advance timed-entry. Same-day tickets drop at 8:30am and go fast. No large bags.

Largest library in the world. The Thomas Jefferson Building's Great Hall and Main Reading Room viewing gallery will stop you in your tracks. Jefferson's personal book collection is on display. Free one-hour tours Mon-Sat. The Capitol is right next door (also free, book through your representative).

Underrated Smithsonian next to Union Station. Kids sort packages, design stamps, climb in a stagecoach, fly an airmail biplane simulator. Free, never crowded. When the Mall museums are packed, come here.

The actual Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are here. Older kids who've studied them in school lose their minds. Discovery Center has interactive stations on how government works. Free, but $1.50 timed-entry passes recommended on busy days. Walk-up when capacity allows.

12 acres of lotus ponds, water lilies, and wetlands. Kids spot turtles, frogs, herons, and dragonflies. Go in the morning when the flowers are open. The lotus bloom in late June/July is the peak. Free, ranger-led programs, rarely crowded.

Former amusement park on the Potomac, now an arts center. The 1921 Dentzel carousel still runs ($2/ride). Puppet theater (Adventure Theatre MTC), art studios, and nature play area. Free parking, free admission. 15 minutes from Georgetown. Art classes and camps year-round.

Free Saturday morning shows for families, two blocks from the White House. Magic, puppetry, music, dance, storytelling for ages 4-10. Shows at 9:30am and 11am. No tickets, just show up. Has been running for decades.

Mies van der Rohe building, recently renovated. Entire children's floor with play area, storytime room, maker space, and teen lounge. Free daily storytimes (multiple languages), STEM activities, craft workshops. Rooftop terrace with city views. Good summer cool-down spot too.

African American history from slavery through civil rights to today. Upper floors cover music, sports, and food and are especially engaging for older kids and teens. Free but timed-entry passes required. They release monthly and go fast. Same-day passes sometimes available at 10am.

Paddle boats and swan boats on the Tidal Basin. You pedal past the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and MLK Memorial. Two-person $38/hr, four-person $48/hr, swan $40/hr. March through October. During cherry blossom season (late March-April), go early or skip it.