Tag Archives: Family Events in DC

September 23, 2026 · 9:08 am

Tinkerfest: A Museum-Wide Celebration of Curiosity at National Children’s Museum

Every great invention starts with a “what if?” Bring your biggest ideas to National Children’s Museum‘s first-ever Tinkerfest, a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on learning, on October 4. The whole Museum (and Woodrow Wilson Plaza, too!) becomes a giant workshop, with tinkering stations, live demonstrations, and STEAM activities around every corner. Test, experiment, discover, and of course, TINKER!

Outdoors on Woodrow Wilson Plaza (free and open to the public)
Step out onto the Plaza to meet with fellow tinkerers from partner organizations for live demos, showcases, and activities from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Partners include CentroNía, Chibitronics, DC Public Library, International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, National Theatre, Sitar Arts Center, Spark!Lab, and more. National Theatre, Sitar Arts Center, Spark!Lab, and more.

From 12:30pm to 3:30pm, grab some simple tools and find out what’s inside everyday tech by taking apart old and non-functioning devices.

Indoors at the Museum (Museum admission required)
Inside, explore tinkering pop-ups all over the museum! Tinkerer-in-Residence Chitra Sharma is leading a large-scale printmaking experience where you can press, roll, and stomp over fabric to leave your mark on a piece of the final exhibit installation. More activities around the museum invite you to stitch a felt quilt block, draw a stop-motion story inside a zoetrope, trigger a chain reaction, and turn real bicycle gears into oversized spirographs. Little architects can also join STEAM Storytime with Boxitects and build a cardboard structure together. See the full Tinkerfest schedule and purchase your tickets to join the fun!

Can’t make it on October 4? The museum is offering indoor pop-ups throughout the day on October 3 as a special Tinkerfest preview!

Tinkerfest
Where: National Children’s Museum | Downtown DC
When: October 4, 2026 | 9:30am – 4:30pm
Admission: $18.95 per person; purchase tickets in advance here

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This post is sponsored by National Children’s Museum, however, I only promote events, places, and programs that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

Join a Celebration of Stamps at the National Postal Museum!

Celebrate stamps and the stories they tell!

From iconic figures and historic milestones to cultural moments and natural wonders, stamps tell rich and surprising tales… one tiny image at a time. The National Postal Museum is celebrating that with Stamp Spectacular this coming Saturday, September 13 — and all ages are invited to join the fun!

Explore the vibrant world of stamps through hands-on crafts, storytelling, games, and gallery adventures. Whether you’re a longtime collector or just stamp-curious, there will be something for everyone to discover and enjoy. Highlights include:

* Curator-led stamp tours for kids at 11am and 1pm

* Storytime sessions at 12:30pm and 2:30pm

* Live stamp bingo at select times throughout the program

* A chance to DIY your own celebration stamp with guest artist Erin Robinson

* Goodnight Moon-inspired collage making with the National Building Museum

* Stamp sorting and a decoupage activity

* Create-your-own stamp album activity

* Kwanzaa-themed fun with the National Museum of African American History & Culture inspired by Erin Robinson’s 2022 Kwanzaa stamp

There will also be a Holiday Cheer Stamp Dedication Ceremony at 11am with the U.S. Postal Service. The public is invited to celebrate the unveiling of new stamps that will usher in the holiday season.

Admission to both the ceremony and festival are free!

Stamp Spectacular & Dedication Ceremony
Where: National Postal Museum | 2 Mass Ave NE, DC
When: Saturday, September 13, 11am – 4pm
Admission: FREE!

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This post is sponsored by the National Postal Museum, however, I only promote events, programs, and places that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

Celebrate 250 Years of the U.S. Postal Service at the National Postal Museum!

Go postal this coming weekend — in a fun, family-friendly way! The United States Postal Service is turning 250 years old, and the National Postal Museum is celebrating the milestone with a birthday extravaganza.

On Saturday, July 26, join the museum for a special Postal Party Family Festival. The day will be filled with hands-on activities, crafts, games, and stories inspired by the people, places, and technologies that have delivered mail across the country for generations.

This FREE, drop-in event welcomes families to create, explore, and play together throughout the museum through these activities:

* Meet Ben Franklin! Hear the story of the founding of the Postal Service directly from the Founding Father

* Forensic investigations to learn about the Postal Service’s law enforcement unit, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service

* Create Owney the postal pup inspired artwork with Erin Robinson, the National Postal Museum’s Guest Artist!

* Pick up and deliver airmail around the Museum inspired by the Stinson Reliant with the National Museum of Air and Space

* Write your own thank-you message to the U.S. Postal Service and hang it up on our Owney the Mail Dog wall!

* Discover the legacy of Benjamin Franklin through creative design activities with the National Museum of American History

* Library on the Go-Go Book Bike and story time with the DC Public Library at 12pm and 2pm

* Scavenger hunt across the Museum

* USPS trivia and temporary tattoo prizes

* And so much more!

Postal Party Family Festival
Where: National Postal Museum | 2 Mass Ave NE, DC
When: Saturday, July 26, 11am – 4pm
Admission: FREE!

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This post is sponsored by the National Postal Museum, however, I only promote events, programs, and places that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.