National STEM Festival 2026

National STEM Festival 2026

This is a full week of hands-on science spread across the National Mall and several Smithsonian partner venues. Kids can build robots, launch model rockets, tinker with circuits, and get their hands dirty in six themed zones: aerospace innovation, environmental stewardship, future food, health and medicine, power the planet, and technology for good. Each zone has activities designed for different age levels, so a 6-year-old building a simple machine and a 13-year-old programming a drone can both stay engaged. It's the kind of event where your kid forgets they're learning.

The big public day is Open Build Day on Saturday, June 27 — a free expo with hands-on builds, teen innovation showcases, and live demos. If you can only make one day, that's the one. The festival is set up on the Mall, so you're a short walk from Air & Space and other Smithsonian museums if you want to extend the day. The whole thing is part of DC250, the city's celebration of America's 250th birthday, which means there's a lot of other programming happening nearby that same week.

Parent Tips 💡

• ✓Target the Open Build Day (June 27) for the best hands-on experience. Saturday is when all the public-facing demos, teen showcases, and build stations are running at full capacity. If your schedule only allows one day, make it this one.
• ✓Combine with Smithsonian museum visits. You're right on the Mall. Air & Space, Natural History, and American History are all within walking distance. A morning at the festival and an afternoon in a museum makes a full day.
• ✓Bring water and sun protection. It's late June on the Mall with limited shade. Pack a water bottle per person, sunscreen, and hats. The heat gets real by midday.
• ✓Best for ages 5 and up. Younger kids may lose interest at some of the more technical exhibits. The hands-on build stations tend to hold attention better than the demo-style presentations for little ones.
• ✓Download the festival app or map in advance. The event is spread across a big area with multiple zones. Having a plan saves you from dragging kids back and forth across the Mall.
• ✓Go early to beat crowds and the afternoon heat. Morning sessions are less packed and much more comfortable temperature-wise. By 1pm on a sunny day, everyone is looking for shade and AC.