Apollo 13 on the Lawn

Houston, We Have a Lawn Party

The Library of Congress closes out a strong movie summer with Apollo 13 on the North Lawn of the Jefferson Building, and the pre-show is almost as good as the film: an encore recording of jazz legend Stanley Clarke's spring performance plays at 7pm while the lawn fills up. Then at 8, the true story of the moon mission that broke and the people who talked it home, on a giant screen with the most beautiful building in DC lit up behind it. We saw this movie on this lawn series once before and the failure-is-not-an-option stretch had grown adults leaning forward.

It's free with no tickets, but that's exactly why you can't be casual about timing: the lawn hits capacity and staff close the gates, full stop. Be on the grass by 7 with a blanket and a picnic, because nothing is sold on site. The movie is PG and it's best for kids about 8 and up, especially any kid who has ever built a rocket out of anything. One parent note: the launch sequence is loud and tense in the best way. Sensitive younger kids might want a heads-up that everyone makes it home.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Be on the lawn by 7. Capacity is real. The music hour does the babysitting while you hold your spot.
• ✓Do one clip of homework. Kids get twice as much out of it knowing the mission was real. One video on the ride over is enough.
• ✓Pack a picnic dinner. Nothing is sold on site, and dinner during the Stanley Clarke set is the move.
• ✓Bug spray and layers. Capitol Hill grass at dusk comes with mosquitoes included.
• ✓Make it a Hill night. Eastern Market for dinner before, or ice cream on Pennsylvania Ave SE after.