Sparking curiosity and creativity in the littlest learners, the National Children’s Museum is a family destination filled with STEM-powered interactive activities, exhibits, and experiences.

Alongside the Museum’s permanent lineup, its Visiting Exhibit Hall goes prehistoric this fall!

Dinosaurs: Land of Fire & Ice
Daily (except Tuesdays), from September 26, 2026-January 10, 2027, travel back to the Cretaceous period and come face-to-face with mighty dinosaurs, as the Visiting Exhibit Hall transforms into a prehistoric world built for climbing, crawling, and whole-body play!

Crawl under a volcano, wind through an icy tunnel, and bounce across a bog while exploring prehistoric habitats. Little ones can climb, pose with larger-than-life dinosaurs, uncover fossils at the big dig, and discover fun facts along the way. Hands-on activities include fossil matching, food chain puzzles, animated dinosaur creations, play tables, dress-up fun, and an eye spy scavenger hunt. Recommended for learners ages 3-10 and their families.

You’ll find the Visiting Exhibit Hall on the Exhibit Level, one level down from the main entrance, next to the Tinkering Corner and Rigamajig.

There’s plenty more to explore, too! Whether it’s your child’s first visit or their tenth, these features are always worth a visit:

Dream Machine
Best for ages 5-12
Climb into the clouds on a three-story climber and slide.

Engineering Games & Play
Best for ages 3-12
Try engineering and science concepts through the lens of your favorite sports and classic hands-on activities.

Little Dreamers
Best for ages 0-3
A protected cloud- and flight-themed area for infants and toddlers.

Data Science Alley
Best for ages 3-12
Explore figures and statistics through play, and think about the data found in our day-to-day lives.

Art & Tech
Best for ages 3-10
Tap into your creativity with iconic friends from Nickelodeon.

Placita Magica
Best for ages 3-12
A special 50th anniversary exhibit that pays homage to the Capital Children’s Museum.

Weather Worlds
Best for ages 4-12
Shoot lightning bolts, make it rain, and more with this green screen experience.

Climate Action Heroes
Best for ages 4-12
Discover your special climate-action superpower through a physical flow quiz.

Little Movers
Best for ages 0-3
A protected free-movement space for infants and toddlers to build gross and fine motor skills.

Tinkering Corner
Best for ages 3-12
Design, create, test, and build in National Children’s Museum’s creative hub.

Light House
A hands-on maze where kids experiment with light and color, created by the Museum’s artist-in-residence, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann.