A hangar full of eye-popping displays at the U.S. Navy Museum
Monday – See an amazing collection of model ships, peer into a real periscope, sit in the gun seats of old fighter planes, view naval artifacts hundreds of years old, and much more at the U.S. Navy Museum. Located on the Navy base in southeast DC, it’s a treasure trove of fascinating exhibits. Hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free.
Tuesday – Make your way up to Baltimore to visit the Maryland Science Center, where you can explore a variety of cool hands-on exhibits, play in the Kids Room, see an IMAX movie (including the brand new Tornado Alley), and much more. Hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is $18.95/adults, $15.95/ages 3+, free for 2 and under. (I suggest checking out their membership options — if your family visits just three times in a year, it’s worth it. Plus, there’s reciprocity with other museums around the country.)
Wednesday – Catch a show on strings at Glen Echo Park. The Puppet Co. presents Bunny Business in celebration of spring and the upcoming holiday. Showtime is 10am. Tickets are $5.
Thursday – Celebrate Kids’ Farm Month at the National Zoo. Throughout April, there will be special activities and events for visitors everyday — animal encounters, keeper talks, and demonstrations. See the website for the daily schedule. Admission to the Zoo is free, but parking in the lot can be pricey. You can ride Metro to the Woodley Park or Cleveland Park stops (it’s s short walk from both) or try to find street parking nearby.
Friday – Visit the National Arboretum on one of the two weekdays it’s open to the public (it’s closed Tuesday – Thursday). Tour the plant collections, check out the Washington Youth Garden and play in the natural playground, romp at the old Capitol columns, see the details of the bonzais. There are acres upon acres to explore! Hours are 8am – 5pm, and admission is free.
