Science and STEM Activities for Kids in DC, Maryland & Virginia
Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice
Climbable dinosaurs and prehistoric habitats at the National Children's Museum, included with admission. Open Monday, closed Tuesdays.
Flights & Frights at College Park Aviation Museum
Trick-or-treat in an aviation museum gallery, with games, crafts and experiments. $5 a person, and you have to register by Oct 17.
Air & Scare at the Udvar-Hazy Center
Halloween at the Udvar-Hazy Center: trick-or-treating, creepy crafts, spooky science and Star Wars photo ops. Free entry, $15 parking, timed tickets for outdoors.
Brick or Treat at LEGO Discovery Center
All of October, fully indoors. Glow-in-the-dark builds, a 4D monster movie and free parking. Last entry is 3:30pm, which catches people out.
Air & Space Museum: 5 New Galleries
Five galleries reopen for the museum's 50th anniversary. See the Hubble Space Telescope, Skylab, a P-51D Mustang, and the interactive How Things Fly exhibit.
Library of Congress Discovery Space
New interactive space for kids and teens at the Library of Congress with hands-on exhibits. Timed entry required.
Past events
These already happened. We keep them here so you can see what this category looks like across the year, and so you know what to watch for next season.
Indigenous Peoples' Day at the American Indian Museum
A free holiday visit to the National Museum of the American Indian, with the imagiNATIONS Activity Center for kids 10 and under.
Tinkerfest at the National Children's Museum
The museum's first Tinkerfest: building and tinkering stations on the plaza, free to anyone. Indoor programs need regular admission.
Curious George: Let's Get Curious!
George's world at kid scale: working pulleys, a produce stand, mini golf physics, and a rocket. Included with museum admission.
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Perseid Meteor Shower
The year's best meteor shower peaks Aug 12-13 with a new moon, so skies stay truly dark. Up to 100 shooting stars an hour, and a great first astronomy night.
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SAAM Arcade
Free video game day at the American Art Museum: arcade classics, consoles, indie games, and live game music. Sensory-friendly quiet hours 11:30-1.
Air & Space: Soar Together Family Day
Special family event about the sun and solar science. Hands-on activities for kids. Get timed-entry passes online.
Smithsonian Solstice: Museums Until 11 PM
First-ever 3-day weekend event. Smithsonian museums stay open until 11 PM on Friday and Saturday with special programs, DJ sets, and roller skating.
Spirit of Independence Festival
Three-day festival at the Smithsonian's American History Museum with hands-on science demos, historical reenactments, and interactive exhibits about American innovation.
Dupont-Kalorama Museum Walk
Eight museums and cultural institutions open their doors with special activities, live demos, and hands-on exhibits. Walk between them at your own pace along Embassy Row.
Solar Observation at Air & Space Museum
Look at the sun through real solar telescopes with Smithsonian astronomers on the National Mall. A quick stop that kids talk about for days.
LEGO "Start Your Engines!"
Build and race LEGO cars at this hands-on workshop in Springfield. Kids design, test, and tweak their creations all session long.
Acton Children's Business Fair
Kids run their own booths, pitch their products, and make real sales at this popular entrepreneurship fair at Dupont Circle.
Playdate at Natural History Museum
Soft playtime and exploration for the littlest scientists. Touch sea stars, practice walking, and discover fossils at the museum's ground floor play areas.
Story Time at Air & Space Museum
Interactive stories and sky science for young explorers. Stories inspired by real spacecraft and flight, with songs and activities included.
Maryland Day at UMD
UMD's 28th annual open house with 400+ free activities across five themed neighborhoods: farm animals, robotics, art workshops, sports, and science labs. A giant science fair meets county fair.
35th Annual Rockville Science Day
Montgomery County's biggest STEM festival. 120 exhibitors, rocket building, telescopes, live reptiles, electric vehicles, coding challenges, and chemistry experiments. Kids get to build, break, and launch things.
National Building Museum Workshops
Architecture and design workshops at the National Building Museum, kids design spaces, study bridges, and learn engineering through play.
Earth Day Events
Hands-on environmental science activities, cleanups, nature crafts, and educational exhibits across the National Mall and DMV.
DC Parks Spring Break Activities
Park rangers lead nature science programs, stream exploration, animal tracking, native plant identification, and junior ranger activities.
Smithsonian Castle Reopened
The iconic red sandstone building on the National Mall is open again after years of renovation. Walk through the restored Great Hall and explore new interactive exhibits with the kids.
Innovations in Flight Family Day
Hands-on aviation and space activities at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Flight simulators, aircraft tours, STEM demos, and real rockets right in front of your kids.
Innovations in Flight 2026
Free outdoor aviation display with 60+ aircraft at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA on June 13, 2026.
National STEM Festival 2026
Free week-long STEM festival on the National Mall, June 22-27.
Play Date: Marvelous Meteorites
Free drop-in play date at the National Museum of Natural History. Hands-on meteorite activities for ages 0-5.