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United States Capitol – Take a guided tour for kids
to see where the business of Congress gets done and history is always
in the making. The Capitol rotunda is sure to impress, as well as richly
tiled floors and painted ceilings, and the National Statuary Hall with
important figures from each state, bronze and marble statues. Tours are
Mon. - Sat., and last about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Although younger kids are
allowed on tours (you can bring strollers), older kids will better understand
the significance of the Capitol.
With little kids, you may want to just look at the outside of the building,
which is quite impressive. On the top of the Capitol is the statue of Freedom, a woman with a sword in one hand, a laurel wreath in the
other, and eagle feathers sprouting from her head. |
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Tip: You can get your free, timed-entry tickets for
the guided tours in two ways. First, in advance (a month is good), contact
your local Congressional representative to arrange a tour of the Capitol.
This requires some planning (you'll need to pick the day you want to see
the Capitol), but you can be sure of the guided tour. Second, arrive at
the Capitol Guide Service Kiosk at 9:00am to wait in line for a same-day
ticket (the kiosk is located near Independence Ave. and First St.) –
come early, the same day tickets go quickly. |
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On the west terrace of the Capitol building, on summer evenings,
listen to outdoor concerts by the U.S. Navy Band or the "The
Presidents Own" U.S. Marine Band. Here's the summer concert schedule
for the U.S Navy
Band and U.S.
Marine Band. |
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Click
here for a virtual tour and learn more about Congress, before you go
or after you come back. |
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Union Station – When Union Station was built in
1907, it was the largest train station in the world. It has been beautifully
restored, shining white granite with 95 ft. coffered ceilings, and it's
a wonderful first impression of Washington, DC if you arrive by train. It
has tons of kid-friendly eating places (this is a destination if you're
looking for a place for lunch) and shops too. |
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DC Ducks – Union Station is also the starting
point for a 90 min. tour around town in an amphibious vehicle, the DC Ducks.
This is a fun way to see the monuments, museums and The Mall, then, splash
down in the Potomac River for scenic river cruise. Tours depart every hour,
kids are half price, click
here for more information. |
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National Postal Museum – The postal museum is
more than just stamps – it's also about how mail was transported in
colonial times, stagecoaches and the pony express in the 19th century, trains
and airplanes in the 20th century, and your neighborhood mail delivery vehicle.
Budding stamp collectors will enjoy the exhibits of U.S. stamps since 1847,
rare and valuable stamps. |
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Capital Children's Museum –The Capital Children's
Museum is now closed and is scheduled to re-open as the National Children's
Museum (at L'Enfant Plaza) in 2008. |
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Eastern Market – At Eastern Market, a farmers
market, sample the bounty of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, jams,
nuts, cheese, baked goods, blueberry pancakes and homemade bread. On weekends,
there is often music, dance, and ethnic foods, plus arts and crafts. A real
neighborhood event, it's a great way to experience the diversity of Washington,
DC. Eastern Market is located on 7th St., between North Carolina Ave. Pennsylvania
Ave., closed Mon. The metro stop is Eastern Market. |
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Get
the inside scoop on a Senator's work day, told by Splash, a gregarious,
real-life dog, who knows Washington DC like the back of his paw.
Super illustrations. (Picture book)
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It's
a Mouse Republic, and in the Mouse Senate and House, each Congressmouse
will vote on a new bill to establish a National Cheese. But there's
a lot of disagreement – can a compromise be reached? Imaginative
introduction to Congress, and how laws are made. Fun for younger
kids. (Picture book)
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Supreme
Court is in session, and nine mice justices meet to decide the case
of the cheese law. Does a law that demands mice eat only Cheddar
cheese on Sunday really protect the rights of all mice under the
Mouse Constitution? Fun and informative, get the scoop on just what
Supreme Court justices do.
(Picture book)
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(More children's
books on other Washington, DC pages) |
