D.C. Fun for a 9 year old?
 

Other than the obvious attractions, i.e. museums, momuments, etc.....what are the top 3 fun sites in D.C. for a curious 9 year old? Thanks everyone!!!

Definitely the Air and Space Museum. And the dinosaur skeletons.

Spy museum.

Newseum, too.

Would have to say the Zoo as well. Could do a DC Duck Tour.

Both the Spy Museum and the Newseum are "pay" museums, so I would be very sure of my child's interest in those museums before I plunked down the hefty entrance fees ($15 for Spy Museum and $13 for Newseum. Note: The Newseum is free for kids through Labor Day with a paid adult admission.)

Even if your child expresses some interest in the Spy Museum, based on my experience with it, I would think twice before taking a 9-year-old there. First, it can get claustrophobic in there especially during the busy tourist season, but more importantly, a visit requires a lot of reading/reading comprehension which most 9-year-olds would not be able to do.

Sorry for the double-post but how exciting would the Newseum be for a 9 year old? My friend's niece (who is 8) and SIL are heading to DC and overlap my trip. We are excited about the Newseum but are hesitant to recommend it to his SIL until we are there.

you never said if the 9 year old was a boy or a girl. The Newseum is very interactive (put yourself in the news sort of thing), and seems to appeal to a lot of girls. The Spy Museum has more of a James Bond feel (they even had one of the James Bond cars the last time I was there) and seems to go over well with boys.

2nd or 3rd the Spy Museum.

If he likes history Ford's Theater.

I suggest checking the cost to see if it works with your budget, but if it does lunch at the P.O.V. restaurant at the top of the W Hotel could be fun. Great view of the White House and Washington Monument. (Reservation is important and kids are not allowed in after 5.)

There is an FBI tour you can take that is quite interesting as well, and free like most other things (or was 10 yrs ago).

I like the Einstein Statue across the street from the Vietnam Veterans Wall - always get pictures of my kids on this statue.

The zoo is great. I will say this is A LOT of walking and the enclosures for the outdoor animals are separated from the walking path by open moats (except the tigers which is water filled) so you don't get a very close up view of the animals. I have only come to realize this after walking around at our tiny Syracuse, NY zoo which has enclosures with thick glass for most of them, so if the animals are right next to the glass you are only inches away from them. At the DC zoo you are separated from most animals by about 30 ft or more depending on if the animal is out in the open or not.

There hasn't been an FBI tour in many, many years. (I thought it was more than 10 years ago when they stopped those.)

Thanks so much for all of the feedback. This is so useful! And the 9 year old is a BOY! :) Spy Museum is a must, Ford Theatre for sure. His Social Studies curriculum is coming up and they will cover US History. I'm trying to give him the life experience to go along with what he'll be reading!! Cross your fingers that most will sink in. Any ideas for avoiding the heat? I was thinking a double decker tour of the city in the early evening? Thanks so much again.

The zoo is wonderful. The Smithsonian has lots to interest a curious child besides the Air and Space Museum. Have you thought about visiting the national aquarium?

Saige, we thought the National Aquarium was just awful. Truthfully, I don't think I've been to a worse aquarium in my life, and I've been to many. Some of the little aquariums we went to in Ireland were better.

And by awful I mean missing or incorrect identifiers on the fish, scratched cloudy glass that was difficult to see through, worn out carpets, etc.

Are you talking about the joke of a "National Aquarium" in the basement of the Commerce Building on 14th Street, or the National Aquarium in Baltimore? The Baltimore one does not completely suck, but I wouldn't recommend the Commerce Building aquarium to anyone.

Definitely explore the monuments at night - pre-teens seem to get the biggest kick out of climbing the Lincoln Memorial just before midnight, and it definitely helps ensure a sound sleep. And make sure to visit the Einstein statute across the street from the Vietnam memorial - its a very cool space, and kids (and adults!) love climbing on it to have their picture taken.

The one in the basement of the Commerce Building is the one we thought was awful. We talked about it over dinner and the consensus was that maybe the one in Legoland was about as bad, but nothing has been worse than it. Even the one in Dingle was better.

He might enjoy a trip to the top of the Old Post office tower especially after you have been in the city for some time and can pick out the sights you have seen

Must have been Baltimore, it was not in a basement!

If you want to go to theBalt. Aquarium which is phenomenal, take MARC there for the day