The DMV is already rich in opportunities to engage, explore, and discover. Now more than ever, there’s even more to explore!

From curious toddlers and inquisitive teens to adults with a zest for discovery, there’s something for all ages in these 10+ limited-time immersive exhibits, displays, and attractions:

May 25-Sept 2, 2024
Mindbender Mansion
The National Children’s Museum • Wash, DC

Young learners of all ages will love Mindbender Mansion, the National Children’s Museum’s latest STEM-powered exhibit! From solving puzzles and deciphering codes to interactive challenges, there’s plenty to keep kids engaged and excited! Kids will find 11 individual brain teasers and three group activities that lead them through each themed room of the mansion. Each challenge promotes problem-solving, critical thinking, and social-emotional skills.

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Dopamine Land
Wash, DC

Dopamine is your brain’s very own party planner! Your body’s happiest little helper now has a place to call home: Dopamine Land! Dopamine Land is our area’s newest destination experience designed to delight visitors of all ages. Immerse yourself in a world filled with colors, happiness, and mood boosters! Boasting 11 exhibits, a few include Euphoria Grove, Infinity Bliss, and The Bubble Bar!

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Encanto, an Immersive Disney Experience
Tysons Corner Center • Tysons, VA

You’re invited to join sisters Isabela, Luisa, and Mirabel Madrigal (plus their friends & family!) for an immersive, themed experience! Through a magic doorway, families will be transported to the Madrigals’ Casita, which is filled with candlelight, cumbia, and magic. Climb up and around Antonio’s rainforest, spin through Isabela’s flower-filled room, slide down into the Courtyard, and more! There will even be live sing-alongs to favorite tunes, including “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”

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Open Until July 28, 2024
Reclining Liberty
Arlington, VA

Though considerably shorter than her towering inspiration, you can now find a 25-foot version of Lady Liberty in Northern Virginia! Playfully called Reclining Liberty, this work of art, created by Zaq Landsberg, merges two cultural icons: the Reclining Buddha and the Statue of Liberty. The result is a striking sculpture that reimagines the Statue of Liberty in a state of repose.

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Open Until Late Spring 2024
Brick City
National Building Museum • Wash, DC

Brick City, a temporary exhibit at the National Building Museum, celebrates the architecture of iconic sites worldwide! From streetscapes and temples to castles and historic ruins, you’ll find intricately almost 40 hand-built duplicates! For example, the centerpiece is London’s St. Pancras Station — made of nearly 200k LEGO bricks! More than a look-only experience, get hands-on at the museum’s LEGO building section.

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This Opportunity Has Ended: Hot Wheels Champion Experience
Tysons Corner Center • Tysons, VA

The Hot Wheels Champion Experience is a “revved-up” adventure based on the legendary Hot Wheels brand. Debuting first in the DMV market this Winter, it combines immersive video projection and the blending of physical-digital systems that control sound, light, video, and personalized interaction into one experience that can react and change in the blink of an eye.

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This Opportunity Has Ended: The Museum of Failure
Georgetown Park • Wash, DC

The Museum of Failure beautifully underscores the idea that mistakes are a part of life. This exhibition highlights some of the most surprising flops in the business world by showcasing more than 150 products and services from renowned companies like Apple and Heinz. Yet, these are not mere failures — they are stepping stones that have led to groundbreaking inventions and set the stage for future innovations!

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This Opportunity Has Ended: Candytopia
Tysons Corner Center • Tysons, VA

Embrace your love of sweets at Candytopia — a candy-themed experience boasting over a dozen interactive opportunities! From a marshmallow pit and an art gallery filled with pictures made from candy to a candy confetti room, all ages will love it! Plus, making your visit even better, there will also be plenty of candy sampling!

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This Opportunity Has Ended: Dinos Alive
Rhode Island Center • Wash, DC

Journey back to the land of the giants at Dinos Alive — an interactive family experience! At this one-of-a-kind exhibit that brings the prehistoric world to life, meet 80+ life-sized specimens, like the T-Rex and Stegosaurus! You’ll even see Jurassic sea giants in a unique virtual aquarium and explore a prehistoric jungle with the help of the latest VR technology.

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This Opportunity Has Ended: Van Gogh, the Immersive Experience
Rhode Island Center • Wash, DC

Discover Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most celebrated artists in history, through the lens of modern technology! Powered by cutting-edge projections accompanied by a stunning musical score, this event transforms what would have been a traditional art exhibition into a mesmerizing, immersive journey that brings Van Gogh’s masterpieces to life.

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This Opportunity Has Ended: Titanic, the Exhibition
National Harbor • Oxon Hill, MD

One of history’s most famous ships, the RMS Titanic, comes to life in an immersive experience. More than the chance to see photographs and more than 200 original items, including handwritten notes and cherished mementos, visitors will also hear the stories behind some of the passengers who made the ship’s 1912 inaugural voyage. The exhibit even boasts meticulously crafted life-sized replicas of Titanic’s interiors!

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

Our region is no stranger to the huge variety of attractions that open during the holiday season. Like above, the following limited-time opportunities are worth a mention!

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: ICE!
Gaylord National Resort • Oxon Hill, MD

This season, things are cooling down at National Harbor! Hosted by Gaylord National Resort, ICE! is an immersive experience featuring 2 million pounds of ice that comes alive through intricate hand-carved displays inspired by classic Christmas and holiday stories!

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: Enchant
National’s Park • Wash, DC

Beginning November 24, 2023, your family is invited to Nat’s Park for Enchant, an illuminated winter wonderland featuring 4+ million sparkling lights! Take on a larger-than-life light maze, go ice skating, shop from artisans and specialty crafters, and so much more!

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: Bull Run Festival of Lights
Bull Run Park • Centreville, VA

Beginning November 10, 2023, this dazzling drive-thru display lights up 2.5 miles of Bull Run Park, bringing winter magic to you from the comfort of your car. Plus, more than holiday lights, there’s also a walk-thru Christmas Village & Carnival filled with rides, bonfires, s’mores, and holiday shopping!

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: Winter Walk of Lights
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens • Vienna, VA

Beginning November 10, 2023, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens transforms into a twinkling holiday wonderland! Enjoy a 1/2-mile, self-guided walk through the gardens filled with illuminated displays (some that even sync to music), boasting more than a half-million lights!

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: Ice & Lights
Cameron Run Regional Park • Alexandria, VA

Beginning November 17, 2023, Alexandria’s Cameron Run Regional Park becomes a winter wonderland! Enjoy over a dozen illuminated holiday displays, ice skating, seasonal music, and shopping.

This 2023 Opportunity Has Ended: Season’s Greenings
US Botanic Gardens • Wash, DC

Beginning November 23, 2023, the US Botanic Gardens’ big holiday train display returns to the heart of Washington, DC! Witness lots of working model trains running through worldwide agricultural scenes — all made from real plant parts!