National Building Museum552

Prices: Great Hall, Museum Shop, cafe, or a docent-led tour of our historic landmark building: free of charge.
Access to all galleries, including LEGO Architecture and the Building Zone, and docent-led exhibition tours, where available:
* Free for Museum members, children age 2 and under, and Memorial Day through Labor Day active-duty military and their families.
* $8 for adults.
* $5 for youth (ages 3 through 17), students with ID, and seniors (age 65 and over).
* $3 per person for the Building Zone only, the Museum's hands-on building gallery for children 2 to 6.

A museum gem that not enough people seem to know about, the National Building Museum explores and celebrates all aspects of architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. But this museum goes way beyond blueprints, with walk-through exhibits that incorporate hands-on experiences, video, and signs that specifically invite kids to examine what they're seeing through counting games and other explorations.

Regular weekend family programs are offered, as well as summer camps, and the occasional exhibit designed exclusively for children. For more information about current summer camp programs, visit http://www.nbm.org/families-kids/summer-camp.html.

If your kids should run out of steam in the exhibits, chances are they'll enjoy exploring the Great Hall, hailed by architect Philip Johnson as "the most astonishing interior space in America," and craning their necks to see the tops of the eight Corinthian columns - among the world's tallest. Kids, working in groups, can also Build an Arch up to 7 feet tall, using soft blocks available daily in the Great Hall.

Or they'll find plenty of interest in the museum's gift shop, where a children's section features just about every book a kid could want on buildings, construction, trucks, trains, bridges, and more.

The museum also produces a Bridge Basics Program Kit, for fifth through ninth graders, that includes everything needed to teach fundamental structural engineering concepts and five basic bridge types. It can be purchased for use in the classroom, at after school programs, for camps, or at home as a family activity. The gift shop is open Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm, and from 11am-5pm on Sunday.

With seating located in the Museum's magnificent Great Hall, the café operated by Firehook Bakery and Coffee House offers a variety of gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, baked goods, and beverages. It's open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 10am-4pm, and Sun 11am-4pm.

You can also hold your child's birthday party at the museum (for children ages 3-11). Included in the cost are: choice of party activity, use of the Museum's classroom including tables and chairs for the celebration, party favors for children and hard-hats, hands-on projects for everyone to take home, Museum T-shirt for the birthday boy or girl, and a building orientation tour. Visit the website for more information.