A three-floor play museum for kids up to 12 by Federal Triangle Metro, with free sensory backpacks (noise-reduction headphones and fidgets) at the admission desk, quiet spaces for neurodiverse visitors, and Sensory Friendly Hours when the museum schedules them (none are on its events list right now).
Every day except Tuesday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm; the last entry time is 3:30 pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Extended hours Nov 25 to 29 2026, 9 am to 5 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26 2026). No tickets are on sale for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2026. Entry times from 9 am to 4 pm are on sale every day from Dec 26 2026 through Jan 3 2027, including Tuesday Dec 29 2026, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and tickets are also on sale for Tuesday Dec 22 2026.
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004 (entrance in Woodrow Wilson Plaza, at 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, under the blue awnings)
Sensory help, in the museum's words
“Sensory backpacks are available to borrow at no cost and include noise-reduction headphones as well as fidgets to help ease sensory stimulation.”
“During Sensory Friendly Hours, we provide families with additional tools, resources, and support to foster a comfortable learning environment, all while limiting admission to ensure a more quiet, spacious setting.”
“If you’re hoping to visit the Museum during off-peak hours for a quieter experience, we recommend coming on a weekday afternoon when large groups are less likely to be in the space.” nationalchildrensmuseum.org (FAQ)
“Upon entry, all guests, including children, will pass through a security screening.”
Sensory backpacks are given out by request at the admission desk. Noise reduction headphones and fidgets are also available on request.
Sensory Friendly Hours limit admission for a quieter, roomier museum. Before your visit you get a social story and a guide to the exhibits; during it there are fewer visitors, break spaces throughout the exhibits, the Quiet Room and the Hideaway Tree, free sensory bags and tools to borrow, and friendly staff. The museum posts them on its events list and in its newsletter, and none are listed right now, so sign up for the newsletter to hear about the next one.
The museum lists email contacts rather than a phone number: ticketing@nationalchildrensmuseum.org for tickets and reservations, and info@nationalchildrensmuseum.org for general questions.
Free sensory backpacks with noise-reduction headphones and fidgets, by request at the admission desk.
Designated quiet spaces for neurodiverse visitors; the museum recommends a weekday afternoon for a quieter visit, when large groups are less likely to be there.
Sensory Friendly Hours, when scheduled, limit admission and add a social story ahead of time, break spaces, the Quiet Room and the Hideaway Tree; none are on the events list right now, so sign up for the newsletter to hear about the next one.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
when the next Sensory Friendly Hours are
where the Quiet Room, the Hideaway Tree and the quiet spaces are
whether there are lockers
where first aid is
More about National Children's Museum
Quieter, in the museum's words
The Quiet Room and the Hideaway Tree, plus break spaces throughout the exhibits, named for Sensory Friendly Hoursquiet zone
Admission: adults and children 1 and older $19.95; peak-time admission $23.95, which applies during select busy periods, including extended-hours days and holiday breaks; children under 1 free; members free. Tickets are hourly and timed; you can't come in before your entry time. Advance tickets are strongly recommended, as walk-up tickets are not guaranteed. A new week of tickets comes out every Wednesday at 8:30 am ET, two months ahead. A waiver is required when you reserve.
Tickets are non-refundable. If you can't visit because of health concerns, you can exchange them for a new date and time by emailing ticketing@nationalchildrensmuseum.org before your original ticket time.
Museums for All: families enrolled in SNAP/EBT, WIC, Medicaid and other qualifying government assistance programs can buy up to four tickets at $3 each (children under one are always free). They are sold only at the Walk Up line at the Admissions Desk, first come, first served, for use that same day during standard hours, and you may be asked to show proof. Families served by a Community Access Program partner organization may get free tickets with the partner's code (new partner enrollment is paused). The museum does not take part in ASTC Passport or the ACM Reciprocal Network.
Who can come: every party needs at least one adult (18 and up) and at least one child (12 and under). Exceptions: individuals with disabilities who will benefit from the exhibits and programs, and parents 16 and up with their own children. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.
Food: you're welcome to bring snacks and lunches, and the museum asks you to eat them in the Timgad Café, which also sells drinks, salads, sandwiches and children's menu items. Balloons and outside alcohol are not allowed. Take photos only of your own group.
Strollers can go through the exhibits if pathways stay clear, or be left in the free, unattended stroller parking on Floor 2, where guests enter (please fold it). Wagons, bikes and other wheeled toys aren't allowed. The Mothers Room is on Floor 1 near the elevator and Little Dreamers, one family at a time. One wheelchair is available to borrow, with a photo ID held at the admission desk. All videos with audio are captioned.
Getting there: the museum is steps from Federal Triangle Metro and three blocks from Metro Center. Street parking is limited; garages nearby include the Ronald Reagan Building (from $20 for one to two hours), where the Atrium North area with green signs is nearest. The museum is next to the Ronald Reagan Building, not inside it, with its own entrance and security.
Exhibits are made for children up to 12. Little Dreamers and Little Movers are protected spaces for ages 0 to 3. The Dream Machine is a three-story climber and slide recommended for ages 5 and up: no shoes while climbing, socks are recommended, and some spaces inside are narrow. Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice is in the Visiting Exhibit Hall through Jan 10 2027.
