Visit a Museum on Winter Break

Dear Family Travelers,

Maybe the kids have a day off from school. Maybe you are planning a city getaway for Presidents Day weekend. Maybe you need a day off from skiing…or the beach.

Whatever the circumstances or wherever you find yourself this winter, consider making time for a unique museum based on your kids’ and your interests. Here are a few ideas:

FOR SNOWSPORTS FANS: visit the Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail with exhibits including one celebrating the famed 10th Mountain Division, the Army troopers of World War II who trained nearby and later helped found the Colorado Ski Industry; Stowe, VT is home to the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. Vermont has played a crucial role in the development of skiing, from the first rope two in North America. See some early equipment!

FOR HISTORY BUFFS: If you are in Denver, the interactive History Colorado Center is a terrific introduction to Colorado, including the snows ports industry and the chance to visit a High Plains community. (Take a virtual joy ride in a Model T or climb into a hayloft and slide down. (Kids are free!) A new exhibit Flow: On the River with John Fielder, focuses on the many uses and importance of the Colorado River. John Fielder devoted his life to documenting and protecting the natural beauty of the Centennial State.

FOR US HISTORY BUFFS: See the Original Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History which includes Wegmans Wonderplace and Draper Spark!Lab (kids can make their own inventions!) for kids and exhibits showcasing the innovations that contributed to the way to listen to music and watch movies, the transformation of food and drink after WWII, women and the music of social change, rallying against racism, a Latino History of the United States and many more. (Admission is free!)

FOR SPORTS FANS: Take your basketball-crazed kids to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA  or The College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, MO. It houses the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, where visitors can honor college basketball legends and learn about the history of the game, as well as try to slam dunk a ball. Virtually every skill of the game has an activity station – rebounding, passing, three-point shooting, free throw shooting and more. While in Kansas City, take your baseball fans to see the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum which highlights the obstacles players of color faced and what they did to overcome the challenges.

In Colorado Springs, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum gives you the chance to (virtually) compete against some of America’s best athletes as you run or race down a virtual slalom course.

Even more museum ideas:

FOR MOVIE FANS: The “You Are Here” exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York focuses on movies filmed in New York City. (Come by Feb. 4 and get 2-1 tickets with NYC Tourism. The Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles is said to have the world’s largest collection of movie memorabilia, including Harry Potter’s robe. Check out the newest exhibit, TRANSFORMERS & TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF DISTINCTION, celebrating the original Transformers film and Transformers: Age of Distinction, the first and fourth installments in the ever-popular film franchise.” Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London, just outside London which explores the making of Harry Potter with sets, history, props, costumes and more.

FOR TOY LOVERS: Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Nine feet square by twelve feet high, it contains over 2000 miniature objects from around the world. Moore, a popular actress in the 1920s, toured the country with her fantastic house during the Depression to raise funds for children’s charities. Check out the tiny murals from fairy tales and the library that contains the tiny dictionary that started Moore’s collection when she was a child. The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY is an interactive museum devoted to the history and exploration of play and toys. Fight crime with favorite superheroes, jump into a giant pop-up book or see the new Barbie You Can Be Anything Exhibit. Immerse yourself in video game scenarios and weather permitting, play at the 17,000-square-foot, outdoor Hasbro Game Park! (How about a 15-foot-high version of Chutes and Ladders?)

FOR MUSIC LOVERS: The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix is a unique collection of more than 7,500 instruments from more than 200 countries. Through state-of-the-art, interactive media, guests can see the instruments, hear their sounds, and observe them being played in their original contexts. The newest exhibit is historic instruments—mandolins, guitars, and banjos. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville takes you behind the hits to the artists and their inspiration. Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock examines the close-knit communities of Los Angeles-based singers, songwriters, and musicians who, from the 1960s through the 1980s, embraced country music.

Third Edition of Eileen's Kids' Guide to Washington DC

Published April 2023

Before you plan a family visit to the Nation's Capital City, get some help from a professional . . . and from your kids! Our newly published The Kid’s Guide to Washington DC lets the kids help plan the trip and guides you as you explore the city, neighborhood by neighborhood. Inside you’ll find kid-tested tips on where to go, where to eat, what to see, and where to get the best souvenirs. Along the way the kids will be engaged by sharing fun New York facts and cool tips. Awesome games will keep everyone busy as you crisscross the city on foot, by Metro, or bus, or in a cab.