Activities for Kids

Beyond the Mall: Off-the-Beaten-Track Museums (That You Must Check Out)

As fabulous as the museum-filled National Mall is, there are equally awesome (and kid-friendly) museums in other parts of D.C. Here are six absolute favorites to check out this winter.

By writerredri March 5, 2015

Millions of people visit the downtown national park and its surrounding museums (think: the National Gallery of Art and the Natural Museum of American History) each year. But, as fabulous as the Mall is, there are equally awesome (and kid-friendly) museums in other parts of D.C. Want to expose the kids to a little culture or history, but not in the mood for the crush of tourists? Here are six spots to check out this winter.

National Capital Trolley Museum

If your kid likes trains, then he’ll probably dig trolleys too. This relatively unknown museum sets out to conserve the artifacts of “electrical street railways” and help visitors understand their importance to the development of the D.C. region. The visitor center displays a range of streetcars while giving the lowdown on their nuts, bolts, and power grids. But the best part is you can actually ride a trolley into Northwest Branch Park to really experience how a journey out to the city’s suburbs would have felt a century ago.

1313 Bonifant Rd. (Colesville, Md)
Open: Sat-Sun, 12 pm-5 pm
Cost: $7/adults; $5/kids
Online: dctrolley.org

What is your favorite “off the Mall” museum? Tell us in the Comments section below.

—Katherine Gustafson

Photos courtesy of National Air and Space Museum via Facebook, CraigShipp.com Photos via Flickr, National Museum of Health and Medicine via Facebook, Madame Tussauds DC via Facebook, Ralph Toyama via Flickr, Aguilas2011 via Flickr