DC has enough museums and exhibits to keep you and your family busy visiting them for years. By now, you’ve probably seen the big exhibits- Destination Moon, the Impressionist Galleries, and Entertainment Nation.
But there are plenty of smaller, interesting exhibits that only the true DC pros know about or visit. Here are seven to get you started.
1. Systems at Work- Postal Museum
This interactive exhibit at the National Postal Museum covers the history of the United States mail system. Learn how to identify zip codes, try tossing packages in the right bin, and understand modern USPS mail deliveries.
2. Old Post Office Museum
The Waldorf Astoria may be a high-end hotel now, but in the 1900s, it was the Postal Building, complete with a tower. You can still tour that tower today, along with a small exhibition about the history of the building and bells. At 270 feet, mounting the tower isn’t for the faint of heart, but the view is worth it.
3. Gallery G18- National Gallery of Art
This beautiful little gallery sits off the beaten path on the ground floor of the NGA. The church-like room holds religious artifacts, including a beautiful chalice gifted to Abbot Suger. While you’re here, explore the surrounding galleries, which have sculptures, furniture, and tapestries.
4. Clouds in a Bag- Udvar-Hazy
The Udvar-Hazy is the Air and Space Museum’s lesser-known sister museum in Virginia. Your kids will love to see many unique aircraft on display. But don’t miss the small Clouds in a Bag exhibition filled with one family’s collection of artifacts about the birth of flight.
5. East Building Tower- National Gallery of Art
Did you know the East Building of the NGA has a tower? Probably not, because it’s only accessible by one staircase and elevator, which can be hard to find. But if you do reach the tower, you can enjoy beautiful views of DC from the terrace next to a small exhibition of artwork (currently, works by Calder).
6. Birds of DC- Natural History
The Natural History Museum has thousands of interesting items on display. One overlooked area is the Birds of DC exhibition on the ground floor. It’s not easy to find, but seeing the wonderfully preserved local wildlife is worth it. How many have you seen before?
7. Period Rooms- DAR Museum
Daughters of the Revolution Museum is another overlooked museum since it’s off the mall and not operated by the Smithsonian. But it’s well worth a visit to learn about women’s history in America. We especially recommend taking a tour of their period rooms to see what homes looked like throughout American history.
Which of these exhibits do you want to find first?
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