Even as residents in the Area, we never grow tired of visiting the World-Class museums on the Mall.

Travel DC With Kids! would like to recommend 3 museums that kids love. Sure there are many more things to see on the Mall, but these are the things that our test kids loved best!

The National Museum of American History
This museum is great for older kids. Those under 8 will be totally bored. (We know this from experience.) For those kids over 8, the War exhibits are neat, as are the displays of dresses from the First Ladies. Adults really love this museum and the history, so you may have to bore the younger ones to see it for yourself.

The National Museum of Natural History
Travel DC With Kids! loves this place! Wow, is there a lot to see and do. Little kids and big kids really can have a great time. The dinosaur exhibit is well done and extremely interesting. We also loved the Insect Zoo. A trip to the museum is not complete without seeing the variety of stuffed animals (not the plush variety). We particularly love that section!

The National Air and Space Museum
What a great place this is! Did you ever think that you would see Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis close up, or spacecraft that you can climb in? The hands-on science galleryis wonderful. Imax and planetarium shows can also be found. Boys really go nuts over this museum, so don't miss it if you have boys in your party.

Don't forget the carousel on the Mall in front of the Smithsonian Castle Building.

Directions: We usually take the Metro when we go downtown as traffic on the weekdays is awful and unpredictable. On weekends, you can usually find a spot to park in within several blocks. Check the meter, as you may still have to pay for parking on as Saturday! Exit the Metro at the Smithsonian stop to visit all 3 museums.