Community Offerings Shape Back-To-School Season at National Children’s Museum

Collaborations with DC Public Schools, the DC Mayor's Office, and TCMA spark exciting new offerings at the Museum

WASHINGTON – National Children’s Museum is excited to announce upcoming partnerships with DC Public Schools (DCPS), the District of Columbia’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), and TCMA for Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. With goals of expanding Museum access to more residents of the city, as well as celebrating the vibrant DC community, these partnerships allow for free admission offerings and enriched community resources.

Back-to-School Bash — Monday, August 11, 2025

DCPS and DC Charter School students and their families are invited to National Children’s Museum for a free day of play on Monday, August 11. From 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, guests can explore all of the Museum's science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) exhibits and programs. From 10 am to 2 pm, outdoor activations will take place on Woodrow Wilson Plaza, presented by TCMA. They include:

• Meet-and-greet with Washington Commanders mascot Major Tuddy and Commanders giveaways
• Musical performances on the Live! Concert Stage
• Children’s book fair hosted by Turning the Page
• Community resources and activity tables
• Free lemonade, insulated lunch bags, and healthy recipe giveaways

During the Plaza activation window, opportunities to enroll students in the upcoming school year will also be available. Day-of enrollment grants access to four free walk-up tickets to the Museum.

Families with students already enrolled in DCPS and DC Charter Schools can begin the process of reserving up to four free advance tickets for the August 11 event by completing this online registration form. Proof of enrollment is required on the day of the event to activate reserved tickets.

Back-to-School Bash is made possible by DMPED in partnership with TCMA, with special contributions from the Washington Commanders.

Play Passes

If students are unable to attend the August 11 event, there is still an opportunity for free Museum admission via National Children’s Museum’s Play Pass campaign. The Museum is providing each DCPS and DC Charter School student with a Play Pass—a voucher redeemable for one free general admission to National Children’s Museum. Play Passes will be made available to schools for distribution to students during the first week of class. Play Passes are redeemable via walk-up tickets only, cover the admission of one student each, and must be used by September 30, 2025.
Play Passes are made possible by DMPED.

DC Ward Days — August and September, 2025

For over 50 years, National Children’s Museum has played alongside generations of Washingtonians, sparking curiosity and inspiring a love of learning. To celebrate the community and show appreciation to the people of DC, the Museum is introducing DC Ward Days. Each DC ward is assigned a special DC Ward Day, a time when respective residents are invited to the Museum for a free day of play.

The schedule was designed to ensure that each date allowed for consistent Museum offerings:

• Ward 1: August 10
• Ward 2: August 17
• Ward 3: September 6
• Ward 4: August 23
• Ward 5: September 27
• Ward 6: August 24
• Ward 7: September 28
• Ward 8: September 20

To reserve their DC Ward Day tickets, DC residents can head to the Museum’s ticketing calendar, select their specific DC Ward Day and desired entry time, and enter their zip code as a promo code on the Discounts page during checkout. Proof of address will be required when checking in to the Museum.

DC Ward Days are made possible by DMPED.

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About National Children’s Museum

A playful learning adventure awaits! National Children’s Museum is a unique hybrid institution in downtown Washington, D.C., that combines learning elements found in a science center with children’s museum experiences. Through play-based science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) exhibits and programs, the Museum sparks curiosity and ignites creativity for children under the age of twelve and their families. Founded in 1974, the Museum has served Washingtonians for five decades, and since reopening its new location in September 2021, the Museum has established itself as an international destination for play, welcoming more than 771,000 visitors across all eight wards, 50 states, and more than 75 countries. Learn more about how to visit the Museum and engage with virtual STEAM resources at nationalchildrensmuseum.org.