emd

Eating shouldn't take you more than ten minutes? I suggest taking a stopwatch and antacids on your trip.
Aside from budgeting 10 minutes for each meal, I think you are going to be running from place to place, like fitting in the Children's Museum for an hour. I went there (with kids), and it is not one of the top children's museums in the country. It was in need of alot of facelifting and help on the exhibits, although it was a few years ago. I would skip it if you are just giving yourself an hour to get there and run through it and get to the next place.
I'm having a hard time following the changes you've made in your itinerary since your original post, but if you are still planning to go to the aquarium in D.C., it won't take two hours. It is small- only a few exhibits.
You might find something worth lingering over at the Smithsonian museums you are visiting (or perhaps you have the floorplans and exhibits already and know which ones you want to go to and in what order and how much time to allow for each one). I hope you will have a little flexibility and know yourself well enough to know which ones might have exhibits that you might want to spend a bit more time on. It might be more enjoyable like that.
I am planning a trip to NYC at the end of this month. Although I have been there many times, I always find that every time I plan a trip there I am really planning two trips-- the one at hand and the next trip, because there are just too many good things I want to do and it is too much to cram then all in in one trip. I feel like that when I read your itinerary.

Anonymous

Ford's Theatre does not have matinees every day, just a couple per week, why not call or e-mail them to check on when the theatre will be accessible during your travel dates..

LaurenSKahn

If you would like to see something at Ford's or the Kennedy Center while you are in DC, check Ticketplace at the Old Post Office Pavillion at 12th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., NW. They sell half price tickets for same day performances. Many things at Ford's and the KC are available at Ticketplace. Seeing a performance at Ford's, knowing what happened there, can be very special.

gail

Even if you can eat in 10 minutes, you will spend more than that in line waiting to get food (if you want "fast" food).

emd makes valid point - it does not have to be another 18 years before you return to DC

rightted

I used to live in Washington, and I never waited in any lines to get into a Smithsonian museum (Washington Monument is not part of the Smithsonian).

emd

rightted: Did you live in D.C. before 9/11? If so, things have changed. They do have security checks there now.

Anonymous

The Washington Monument lines are mostly due to traffic control issues and its liited capacity.

The Smithsonian museums have instituted an entry process complete with passing your bags thru an x-ray machine just like airport security.

The OP's timing is pretty good, crowd-wise -- after the school groups are done but before most vacationers.