SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE
MUSEUM; NATIONAL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM; TONY POWELL
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
Museums across the country are starting to reopen after being forced to close during the pandemic. Many of them,
such as Baltimore’s Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum and the National
Children’s Museum in Washington, D.C., are geared just for kids. But “grown-up” museums can be as fun and
engaging for children with a little planning and preparation on your part.

Explore these expert tips on how to successfully visit — and dare we say, enjoy — museums with your kids.

BEFORE YOUR VISIT
Consider everyone’s interests
You can find a museum to fit almost any
interest. Is your child a budding astronaut? Try
the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and
Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Does she
love trains? Baltimore’s B&O Railroad Museum
is a good bet. Consider your interests as well, as
your enthusiasm can rub off on your kids.

Or pick a museum based on what your child
is learning about in school, even if he doesn’t
seem into it. “Sometimes magic can happen
in unexpected places,” says Beth Maloney,
director of interpretation at the Baltimore
Museum of Industry.

the details ahead of time. How will you get
there? How long will it take? Are you allowed
to eat inside? If so, can you purchase food
on-site or will you need to bring your own? Is
the museum wheelchair or stroller accessible?
Are bags allowed inside? What are the
COVID-19 and masking policies? Be sure to also
check what days and times the museum is open,
as many have limited hours due to COVID-19
or are closed on certain days of the week.

Discuss proper behavior
“Talk with your kids about ‘Museum Manners’
— quiet voices and bodies, touch only what
you are allowed to and be respectful of other
visitors,” says Sarah Erdman, a museum
consultant with Cabinet of Curiosities in
Work out the logistics
Visit the museum’s website and figure out all Northern Virginia. “Kids can absolutely be
joyful and excited about what they see, but
they should behave more like they are visiting
a library than a playground.”
Set up a game plan
Explore the museum’s website with your kids
and have them choose which exhibits they
most want to see or programs they want to
participate in. This involvement will help get
them excited for the visit and ensure you fit in
what they most want to do.

DURING YOUR VISIT
Meter your expectations
“You will not see the whole museum, and you
may not have this deep philosophical discus-
sion about the meaning of art — and that’s
OK,” says Erdman. “If you and your children
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