What stood out to me most is the intentionality behind each exhibit. This isn't just a place to let kids run around, every space is designed with a purpose. The Dream Machine climber builds problem-solving, risk assessment, and gross motor skills. Little Dreamers is perfect for the littlest ones, encouraging sensory exploration and fine motor development. Data Science Alley turns data collection into a hands-on game with pom-poms and wind tubes. And of course, Curious George: Let's Get Curious was a huge hit, blending STEM learning with a character they already love. There's also Engineering Games and Play, Art + Tech featuring Nickelodeon characters, and Placita Mágica, a special exhibit celebrating 50 years of the Capital Children's Museum. As a homeschool family, we're always looking for places that make learning feel like play, and this museum delivers on that in every corner. Highly recommend if you're local to DC or visiting with kids, plan for at least two hours, and go early if you can beat the crowd! read more

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So took my grandson to the National Children's Museum and he LOVED it! The space is definitely a kid paradise. Plenty of colors, sounds, interactive installations, so definitely kid-approved. The place was clean and bright. Not many cons as an adult we are overly excited about children's museums typically lol! I did feel like the slides and tubes are a bit unsafe because once your kid goes up to the tubes you can no longer see them so that feels a little sketchy to me! Overall, my grandson had a great time and that's all that mattered! Would I go back? Sure but not my first choice read more

National Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Luckily the two times we have visited we haven't had to pay for tickets (free museum days). I'm baffled as to how this can be the children's museum of DC!! For starters this place is so unkept, it's so incredibly dirty and the bathrooms are gross. I truly wonder if they ever clean this place? We visited 2 years ago and again this weekend, and I can tell they haven't updated a single thing. Including the nasty pom poms that have clearly seen better days and cost 2 cents a piece. This is the weirdest children's museum I have ever been to. Not even sure what the target age group is. They have like half of an exhibition appropriate for each different age group. The exhibitions are not cool, barely entertaining, half of them are broke or barely work, they are all dirty as can be. And the museum overall is tiny! I feel bad for the people that pay to visit this place. This was definitely the last time we visited, even with free tickets. Every single Smithsonian museum is 100000x better than this, and they are all free. So save your time and money and visit any of them, I'm sure your kids will be more entertained there and at least they won't catch a nasty virus from playing in this dirty place. read more

My child loved coming here and had fun. We got there early especially because they opened early for spring break. It's one of the few places that charges and it's a little pricey and small for what you get. However, as a parent there's a lot of seating and the kids have fun. My kiddo played over and over again on the slide and climbing structure. He explored other areas as well. Some things weren't working though, so that was hard. I did like that every bathroom was a family bathroom. read more

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My inner 12 year old enjoyed visiting the museum. It is located in the Ronald Reagan Building. Metro is close by. The museum has a few play/learning areas outside of the building. It is one of the few museums that charges a fee (just like The Bible Museum, Spy Museum & Museum of Illusions). All are worth a visit for different reasons. There are interactive exhibits and fun displays. read more

If you have kids and are looking for a change a pace, this should be on your list. Having.a12yo, going to the normal dc museums day after day was a bit much. The Children's Museum provided a much needed outlet for some of that pent up energy. Calling it a museum is a bit misleading. Activity center or stem center would be a better descriptor. Anyway, it's easy to spend a few hours in this space while you children explore all the different hands on attractions. . read more

National Children's Museum - Multi Story Climber - Children's Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is way overpriced for the entertainment that it provides. Adults pay the same fee as kids ($20 per adult and $20 per kids, so for two parents and one kid is $57), to follow kids around and the provided sitting is literally a white piece of flat metal so it is not like you can relax while your kids are playing. The activities are not better than any other play place (perhaps less entertaining), some don't work, and the ambience is metal industrial ceiling all over the place. I am not sure why this place still exists. read more

The national children's Museum was my kids' favorite stop on our most recent trip to DC. We spent over three hours here. My kid would've happily spent another hour or two had we let him. Thankfully, the place was closing at six and so we had to go. I love that they have lots of hands-on stuff for kids to do, but there's also lots of physical activities like climbing that he can do. They had a very large play place plus places to build things and race cars. They had a SpongeBob area, paw patrol area, and wild Kratts area. I think the wild Kratts was a special exhibit. The location was convenient not too far from the national mall; part of the Ronald Reagan building. The only thing that was frustrating was that all children and adults pay the same price. Anyone over one year of age is $18.95. There is definitely not as much stuff for a two year-old as there would be for a 6 or 7 year old so that seems a little silly. Additionally, it seems wild that parents who basically sit there on benches and play with their phones have to pay the same price as a child. That's really the downside. Children under 3 should be half price. Parents should be half price. read more

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It was a fun day. They have lots of hands on activities for kids. The slides, green screen fun, race car attraction, paper airplane launcher and hands on art were a big hit with my 6 year old son. He didn't want to go initially but once he got inside and we spent two hours there he didn't want to leave. I would definitely recommend going here and would go back again. read more

I had plans to spend the day with my cousin and her six year old son, so decided we should make our way here after a friend of mine made the recommendation. It turned out to be a great rec after watching him run, roam and explore the place for hours. As adults, we even had our own child-like fun experiencing some of the stations and activities! As for logistics, our Lyft dropped us off in front of the Reagan Building, which was a little confusing. They share the same address but the Children's Museum was adjacent to where we entered, so we ended up going through a much longer security line that was for the entire building (and there was some kind of summit taking place at the time.) I'm not used to paying admission for places in DC since so many of the attractions are free and still lots of fun for kids. But it ended up being a great experience for my child side-kick that it was worth the money spent to see how much fun he was having, I was also happy it wasn't too crowded, but mind you I came here mid-day on a Monday. I'd probably try to steer clear of this place on the weekend if it were up to me, because even for mid-day on a Monday there were lots of families enjoying the space. But overall, found this to be a super fun afternoon spent with a 6 year old! read more

Honestly, I came in with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised! It's a very different type of children's museum from the kind I'm used to with a pretend grocery store and other pretend play scenes that you usually see in a children's museum. Instead, I'd categorize half of the museum as a giant play area and the other half as technology based activities. There's games like testing your reaction time to see whether you or your sibling can press the right button fastest and a station for launching paper airplanes to see which design is the best. My kids said this museum is awesome even though it's very different from children's museums they've been to before. The only part of the museum I didn't like is getting there. Parking is a bear on the weekends and Google maps led me to the wrong side of the building once we were walking. But my kids' delight at entering the museum and seeing the huge play area quickly wiped away their frustrations. I would definitely come again! read more

It isn't cheap, but man, my kids love this place. If you're looking for a spot to exhaust your kids, look no further. My kids love the many interactive experiences, especially the slides and climbing area right in the heart of the museum. There is a tiny cafe at the top of the place, but that is about it. I enjoyed just having some quiet time with my family. read more

It's a great spot in the city for indoor play. We need more of this kind of space for rainy/snowy days)... most places like this are in the burbs. All that said, it is on the small side for a children's museum (but easier to not lose your kid if they're adventurous haha). It's still worth getting a membership as a local IMO because they change out some spots to keep it interesting and kids love it. There are spots for under 3 and for older kids. They do bday parties as well. Sometimes it sells out on weekends and holidays. read more

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Totally engrossing for 8 and 10 year old. They especially liked the dream machine climber + slide. Many things for younger kids to do. However, the food was a total bust. Pizza and sandwiches were not good. Suggest you either bring your own food or go elsewhere to eat. read more

This was a great kids museum! We got there 0900 on a Sunday so bright and early, and didn't leave till nearly 1130! It was a little bit for entry but after we got in, I wasn't mad at all. It was huge and absolutely filled with fun things to do! So many activities of all kinds, there were some I'd never ever seen before and I've been to a lot of kids museums. I think one of the best parts was that the activities were actually in working order and not super worn or dirty. I've been to many museums including one that literally had stuff from the 90s still that just felt grimy; this was NOT that. Def a cute spot to go with kiddo, just be ready to stay for a while!! read more

Dare I say best children's museum ever?! I've visited several children's museums across multiple states and this takes the cake as the best. From the outside it looks small & unassuming but then inside has so many layers & much to offer for all ages. I was able to buy tickets same day without any preregistration. The staff was kind & family friendly. The building was immaculately clean & well kept. Lots of thoughtful touches with the stroller parking, lactation/quiet rooms, clean and well stocked restrooms, reading area, & plenty of seating throughout the building. The Spotify Dance pod was one of the coolest features. The tablet inside does take a few minutes to load but it's worth the wait for an epic dance party with the songs of your choice. HIGHLY RECOMMEND for all ages & a must visit when in the area! read more

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Oh... my God. I was invited for my goddaughter's birthday party and I didn't know what to expect. It's conveniently located near Federal Triangle metro. I was able to step inside and say I was there for a party. I got a wristband and they showed me a map of where to go. On the way to the room where the party was happening, I was left in shock by all the epic things to do. The light game that I LOVE at Dave & Buster's, sciency things, racing cars, building... they have so much cool stuff. There's a wall where you can turn dials to change the colors, forming patterns and things -- but I was so upset, because my fingers were too big to turn them fast LOL! Anyways, the space where the party was happening was really nice -- the tinkerer's studio. There were tables, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It's $18.95 for admission -- not sure how that compares to other children's museums, but I sure think it's worth it. And at the end of the day right before they close, they have a noise parade... literally. So much fun! read more

Awesome experience for kids they have lots of sections and safe space for different ages. Both my kids had so much fun and didn't want to leave till they closed, and the closing time noise parade is so fun too read more

We were so excited to visit this place for the Daniel Tiger exhibit! I was expecting it to be incredible, and unfortunately that just wasn't the case. The museum itself is only one floor worth of activities. For the price, I was expecting a little more. Most of the activities were geared towards older kids (5+). I would considering coming back when my child is older. My child did enjoy the play areas designated for younger kiddos though. Would I considering coming back? Yes. But probably not until my kiddo hits 5 years old. Their cafe menu was also very bizarre to me. There's really nothing much geared towards kiddos, except smoothies. We tried to order a smoothie and were told the blender was broken. Then we tried to order some berry toast, and were told they were out of berries. Very strange to me and I think they would greatly benefit from adding some kid friendly choices. (Fruit cups, hummus and veggies, flatbread pizzas, mac and cheese). read more

Such a fun spot! The staff were super friendly and excited to help, which made the whole experience even better. The exhibits are really hands-on--our favorites were the slime cave, Bernoulli fountain, and race car area. There's tons of sensory play and activities for kids of all ages (even adults will have fun!). Bonus: right outside the museum is an international food market in the pavilion--perfect way to grab a bite after exploring. Definitely recommend if you're in DC with kids! read more

We chose this place for my daughter's 3rd birthday party, and it was a great experience! Yes, they do offer birthday party options, and if you're looking for something different from the usual pizza-and-games kids' venues, this is a fantastic choice. The facility is packed with plenty of activities to keep both kids and adults entertained. The staff is energetic, helpful, and clearly knows how to run a well-organized operation. With so many kids running around, having a solid system in place is crucial, and it was refreshing to see how smoothly everything went. We had a private room downstairs, which worked perfectly for our group. While they don't provide food, we were able to order pizza from a nearby Domino's, and it was easy to coordinate--they delivered, and we just met them to bring it in. One of the highlights of the party was the slime-making activity at the end. A staff member came in and guided the kids through the process, which they absolutely loved. They do politely ask everyone to wrap up after the activity, which they explain during the initial walkthrough. It makes sense--they need to clean up quickly, especially after kids and slime! Overall, this was a fun, unique option for a birthday party, and we would definitely recommend it! read more

Every time I visit the National Children's Museum, I keep telling myself that I am visiting on a "bad day" and I just need to come back for a better experience. Well, I'm done lying to myself and I am here to say, the National Children's Museum is a skip for tourists and locals like myself. + Understaffed: Besides the front desk, gift shop, and dream machine there are nearly zero employees around, which brings me to my next point... + Exhibits are badly run down, dirty, broken, or missing key components. While playing in the little dreamers sections (ages 1 - 3) I saw toddlers trying to pull on loose lighting cable components that were not properly installed and get their hair stuck on nails sticking out of the playground area. There was a thick layer of grime on everything we touched. + Overcrowded: Museum is badly organized so you are almost always walking into or walking into a crowd. There are no clear pathways to move. + Exhibits are not really enticing or fun....most likely because they were overcrowded or broken. My eldest daughter wanted to leave in an hour. + I actually love the fact that they have a Bluestone Lane attached to the venue. This is a total plus for parents ... but the staff is out-of-this-world rude and they don't have much child friendly options so that makes it kind of a dud. My family loves visiting children's museums all across the country and I am so sad to say that our hometown is not that great at all. Do better! read more

My son loves this museum, it's a great activity for a rainy day or a school break. Pros: My son is four and for him this is a great space to run around, get some energy out and try some different activities. It's not huge, but there's enough to keep young kids occupied for several hours. He loves the big slide/climbing area in the middle. There is also a tunnel that looks a bit like a human car wash that is always a big hit. They also have a rotating exhibit room so it's a little different every time we go--last time they had an area where kids could pretend to move construction blocks and that he really enjoyed. Cons: It can feel a little more like a play zone than a museum. If you're really looking for a learning experience for your children I'm not sure this is the space. I think it's also a little overpriced--about $15 a ticket for both kids and adults so that can add up if you have several children and adults in your group. Personally, I think calling it the National Children's Museum is also a tad deceptive because it could give someone the impression it's part of the Smithsonian museums (which are free). Bottom line: This is a good place for an occassional outing for my 4 yr old. A little overpriced, but it keeps him occupied when we're in need of an activity. read more

National Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Nice children's museum with a great indoor playground (the dream machine) that spans three stories. Nice that the kids can't get out except on the bottom floor. Frustrating that you can't really see the space and figure out where your kid is or if they need help. Beyond that, there were lots of science demo spaces, e.g., paper airplanes, air jets to hold balls in place while you guide them into basketball hoops and other things. Perhaps an unfair comparison, but not as amazing as COSI in Columbus, which had a much bigger set of science demos and things like rat basketball. The cafe was very disappointing. The museum overall was better for kids from 2--6 than over that. I'm glad I left my 9-year-old at home. read more

Jenee and Allison have excellent customer service. The place is amazing. My children had the time of their lives. I did not even realize there was an entire other section of the floor. read more

The kids loved it but the food cafe not having ANY kid-friendly meals available (not even a grilled cheese or a cup of fruit) was a huge disappointment. We aren't locals so we couldn't have packed a lunch from home. read more

National Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I visited here on a Sunday afternoon around 2pm with my son while visiting the area. I booked tickets online day before. It was $16 a person. They had two times entry times and we came to the second one. There were several attractions and areas. In the racetrack area, you can build car, adjust track, and race it. They also have a batting area, pitching area, slides, dry erase wall where you can color the picture, a moomin valley room that has spaces to color or watch episodes from different years (1990, 1977, 1969, 1959, and 2019), and more! My kid enjoyed the experience and there was so many things do for children of various ages! I would definitely return to bring my kid back if ever I'm the area again. read more

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Came here with my friends and her kids recently and, not having kids of my own, never had a reason to come here before I was actually extremely impressed... this place is huge! They have so much to do for kids of all ages to keep them engaged and learning and having fun. They napped so hard after running around and crawling thru the play place for a couple of hours. read more

Visited early morning on a Sunday, it wasn't too crowded yet. My toddler is very happy with this place, we mainly played in the areas for 2 year olds and she had enough entertainment for about 2 hours. Barely got to the bigger kids areas but can see how those areas are very fun too. Can't decide if we want to get an annual membership yet, will have to come at least 6 times year to be worth it. read more

Lots of interactive activities. Great for ages 2-10. Building areas; open escape room and of course an amazing rope tube slide jungle gym at the entrance. Lots of STEM themes throughout. read more

It's not bad but very expensive for what you get. If you have children under the age of 3 I don't recommend. Really only one small area for toddlers. It is definitely setup for older children. read more

A day out in DC with my little niece: we paid a visit to the National Children's Museum. A two story play place with child friendly activities. There is the jungle gym that has places to climb and a slide at the very end. A bubble station to grow a bubble around yourself. A construction area to build using blocks and make a little car. Another section to do arts and crafts. My niece had a fun time running around and at max you could spend two hours there. Good for kids 1-9, though older kids could come it just might be a bit boring after a while. There are two sections for smaller children (under 3). At the very end there was a noise parade which led the kids outside of the museum once it closed. Definitely stop by if you're in the need of an activity to do with your little one. read more

This place is kind of hard to find! Our GPS took us somewhere else and when we were asking for directions from someone there was another group close by listening to the directions as they were lost too. Honestly, not going to lie, I thought the place would be much much bigger inside then it was. But we had a good time. Lots of hands on activities. I'd say its good for kids 1-10 after that, they may be over all of it. We spent about 2 hours and that was enough for us. read more

The national children's museum is really fun place to take your children for a few hours of engaging learning. There is a giant robe climbing structure in the middle of the museum and tons of others exhibits for kids to play on. *If you are local and thrown off by the admission price, check your local library they may have free tickets available like mine does. read more

We did a day trip here. We've been to several children's museums. This one was fun, but so busy. We went on a Wednesday thinking it wouldn't be that crazy. We were wrong lol. They have tons of activities for kids and toddlers. We spent about 2 hours there. I feel like other children's museums are bigger than this one, but overall it was fun for my toddler! read more

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This place sucks! The entire museum is confined to the small basement and it is crazy over-crowded. An absolute rip-off at $15 a ticket too. Take the train up to Philadelphia and go to the Please Touch Museum instead. read more

We had one of the greatest experiences ever at this outing. The staff goes out their way to be friendly and to parade us out the door at closing is beyond clever because I would have never been able to get my crew out of this place. Thank you for the hospitality and experience! read more

My three-year-old grandson had the time of his life in the Dream Machine. I was a bit frantic at first because I could not keep track of him; however, I soon realized the staff was on top of things and knew exactly where he was when I asked. The other hands-on activities kept him engaged for a long time. He had a blast! The next time we are in D.C. we will definitely return for another fun time. read more

We are local to DC and I brought my 10 year old son here to check it out. We had the best time! Lots of hands on activities. It was clean, the staff was friendly and the exhibits were super interesting. We loved the dream machine jungle gym. read more

National Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here with a 4 and 6 y/o and it provided hours of entertainment despite being on the smaller side of children's museums. Compared to what's accessible in the New York area, the National Children's Museum is certainly a lot newer and better staffed with employees actively engaging with the kids. I imagine for children older than 10 the activities lose their appeal a lot quicker. If you come in with the expectation of this being more of an exploratory playground instead of a STEM experience then I believe your expectations will be met. read more