We offer an exciting array of daily programs, exhibitions, and materials.

Daily Programs

Depending on the day and time of your visit, students can get their hands on history at interactive carts featuring reproduction objects, talk with gallery interpreters or Museum staff, or "step back into time" with actors portraying characters from the past in live theater presentations. We offer daily programs, self-guides, and pre- and post-visit materials. Reservations are NOT required for any programs or tours.

PLEASE NOTE: Spark!Lab, Invention at Play, and other areas have closed due to the upcoming renovation of our west exhibition wing.  Please check our exhibitions page for the latest information about what's on view.

Register Your School Group

Knowing who our visitors are helps us to better craft programs and materials.  Please complete the online registration form to help us better serve you.

Student and Teacher Videos & Materials for Your Museum Visit

Watch Before You Visit! A Teacher Orientation Video



This orientation video for teachers outlines some of the logistical details to consider when planning a field trip to the National Museum of American History. The video also illustrates a few museum dos and don'ts.

Watch Before You Visit! A Student Orientation Video



This orientation video for students outlines some of the most exciting exhibitions at the National Museum of American History. The video also illustrates a few museum dos and don'ts.

Self-Guides
Students can explore the Museum and answer questions about what they see by using these self-guides. Be sure to download these materials before your visit.

• Museum highlights for grades pre-K and K
  Meet some faces of American history.
  Families with Kids 0-5 guide (.pdf)
  
  
• Museum highlights for grades 4-6
  Three versions of this guide make it possible for students to begin the tour together, explore related paths in smaller groups, and come back together at the final stop.
  Version A (.pdf)
  Version B (.pdf)
  Version C (.pdf)
  
  
• Museum highlights for grades 7-9
  Three versions of this guide make it possible for students to begin the tour together, explore related paths in smaller groups, and come back together at the final stop.
  Version A (.pdf)
  Version B (.pdf)
  Version C (.pdf)
  
  
• Museum highlights for general audiences
  High school and college students who are short on time can find our must see objects. 
  Highlights self-guide (.pdf)
  
  
• Addy’s World for ages 8 - 13
  Explore life during the Civil War with Addy Walker, an American Girl.
  Addy's World (.pdf)
  
  
• America on the Move exhibition
  How has transportation influenced the way we get what we eat, helped people immigrate and migrate, or affected American businesses? Find out using these self-guides.
  Foods on the Move for grades 4-6
  People on the Move for grades 7-9
  Businesses on the Move for grades 7-9
  
  
• On the Water exhibition for grades 5 - 8
  Explore America as a maritime nation with this self-guide.
  On the Water guide

Pre-visit and post-visit sheets for selected daily programs
Pre-visit materials for teachers—including background information, history standard correlations, and classroom activities—help you prepare your students for selected daily programs. Post-visit materials for students encourage them to think about their visit.

• Broad Stripes and Bright Stars for grades K-4
  Who made the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the National Anthem? Meet Mary Pickersgill! Help her assemble a portion of the huge flag and learn about the other people who helped her make it. Check the performance schedule for availability.
  Pre-visit sheet (.pdf)
  Post-visit sheet (.pdf)
  
  
• Join the Student Sit-ins for grades 5-12
  Would you have been brave enough to join the civil rights protest at the lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina? Meet a 1960 student activist and join a training session for protestors based on a 1960s manual. Check the performance schedule for availability. Pre- and post-materials are available, along with a video of the performance here.
  

School Group Guidelines

Entering the Museum
To speed entry into the building, please ask students to carry as little as possible (backpacks, bags, etc.). Security checks are now required of Museum visitors, and all bags are thoroughly searched. 

Some Simple Rules
To ensure the enjoyment and safety of all Museum visitors, please share these rules with your students and chaperones:

• Be considerate of all visitors
• Walking and talking are appropriate, while running and shouting are not
• Food, drinks, and gum, are not allowed anywhere in the museum except the designated eating areas
• Our exhibits are delicate: Please do not touch exhibits or lean on exhibit cases
• If students or chaperones use MP3 players, cell phones, or other electronics, please be sure that their use does not disturb other visitors

To avoid crowds...
The best time to plan a school visit is during the winter months (January and February). If you plan a visit for the spring months (March through June), which are very crowded, please keep in mind that your group may require extra supervision and you might require additional time for your visit.

Chaperones
Students museum be supervised at all times.  It is vital that chaperones and teachers accompany students while in the building, both to monitor behavior and to ensure students’ safety. Failure to maintain order makes other visitors uncomfortable and can endanger your students.  The required student-chaperone ratios are:

• 1 adult for every 5 students, grades pre-k through 2
• 1 adult for every 10 students, grades 3 – 7
• 1 adult for every 15 students, grades 8 – 12