Things to Know Before Your Visit
Customize your trip to the NBM
Program Times
Programs are offered at 10:00 am and at 12:30 pm Monday-Friday, October 1, 2008-June 12, 2009, except for federal holidays. All programs are two hours long except for the Patterns Here, There and Everywhere program (1.5 hours) and the Lifecycle of a Building, a Street, and a City program (3 hours).
Spend the Entire Day at the National Building Museum
Many schools come for programs in the morning and the afternoon. This allows students to spend an entire day exploring the built environment in a more in-depth way. Programs that are well-suited for pairing include Fuller's Fantastic Geodesic Dome and Bridge Basics; Be a Green Builder and Growing a Green Community; and Fuller's Fantastic Geodesic Dome and Be a Green Builder.
Schedule Afternoon Programs
Since morning programs (10:00 am start) fill up quickly, consider scheduling a program in the afternoon (12:30 pm start).
Stay just a little bit longer
Unless noted, the Museum’s school programs do not include a tour of any of the exhibitions. Plan to stay for an extra hour and visit some of our acclaimed exhibitions and explore the topics you and your students learned about in the program in a different way! Exhibitions on view during the 2008-2009 school year include Green Community, October 23, 2008-October 2009; Investigating Where We Live, through January 19, 2009; Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection, long-term; and Washington: Symbol & City, long-term. Visit the exhibitions page for more information on current and upcoming exhibitions.
Programs for All!
DCPS, DCPCS, &Title I Schools
The Museum welcomes District of Columbia Public Schools and Public Charter Schools to participate in its programs at no cost. Additionally, schools with Title I status, regardless of their school district may also book programs at no cost. When you register please be sure to indicate your Title I status and mail or fax (202.376.3564) us a letter from the principal on school letterhead as proof of your status.
The NBM is a member of the DC Arts and Humanities Collaborative
The National Building Museum is a participating member of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative’s Arts for Every Student (AFES) program. Visit www.dccollaborative.org to learn about this organization that works to bring D.C. public school students to cultural institutions and arts experiences around the metro area. The DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative can work with you to provide transportation for Patterns or Bridge Basics field trips if needed. Please book your school program directly through the DC Collaborative if you are a participant in the program and have not already registered to attend AFES programs during the 2008-2009 school year.
Homeschool Groups
The National Building Museum’s school programs are ideal for homeschool groups because the Museum can accommodate a variety of ages. Programs work well for groups with mixed learning abilities and levels. Programs engage several types of learning styles and are highly interactive. To help us make your visit a successful one, please note the age requirements and the minimum and maximum number of participants for our programs.
Accessibility
The Museum’s school programs are ideal for students with special needs as they are hands-on and are designed to complement a variety of learning styles. Please identify any of your students’ special needs, whether physical or academic, when scheduling your visit (e.g., sign-language interpreter, learning disabilities). Given enough notification, Museum educators can adapt school programs to fit the specific needs of your students. A wheelchair accessible entrance is located on G Street.
