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Ready to get to center stage? Not at a concert. We’re talking about America’s 250th birthday celebration.

Though that won’t actually be until July 4, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But there’s no reason to wait until July to celebrate, especially in Washington D.C., which has launched a year-long celebration with free events, special exhibits, openings and more throughout the year, including the city’s neighborhoods, as well as the National Mall. (My Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC can help you explore.)

Fun fact: According to a recent survey of American travelers from Longwoods International less than half are aware of the country’s 250th celebration. Some 60 percent who are aware report they are likely to take a trip tied to the celebrations.

How about you?

Let’s start in Washington, D.C., where you will find DC250 hotel deals and plenty to do whether you love history, art, food or the outdoors (Rock Creek Park, which runs through the city, spans nearly 1,800 acres with miles of trails, biking, hiking, horseback riding and a nature center.) Love sports? March Madness comes to DC March 27 to 29; Take in a Washington Nationals game at Nationals Park along the Anacostia River. (Their first home game is April 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.)

Come for the National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 to April 12) with special elements this year celebrating America’s big birthday and the planting of 250 new cherry trees, a gift from Japan. The Blossom Kite Festival (March 28) features a “Red, White and Bloom” theme this year, for example.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, surrounded by the National Mall’s Tidal Basin, is bordered by the famous cherry blossom trees. Thomas Jefferson, of course, not only wrote the Declaration of Independence but was the nation’s third US president. New exhibits are expected in May; A new museum beneath the Lincoln Memorial is slated to open in July, if not sooner. (Use the National Park Service app to enhance your visit here and to the other monuments on the National Mall.)

The People’s House: A White House Experience is a free interactive museum experience that tells the story and history of the Executive Mansion. (Reserve passes in advance.) Take a seat behind the Resolute Desk in the full-scale replica of the Oval Office. Another good bet for families is The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, with a hands-on Democracy Lab (how do you create compromise?) and the chance to join some feathered friends to learn about the many symbols you will see.

There is no place but Washington, D.C., to see the Declaration of Independence (at the National Archives) or the original Star-Spangled Banner, the American flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the poem that became our national anthem when he saw it flying during a British bombardment during the War of 1812. Did you know the flag was a family keepsake in the 19th century?

Also at the National Museum of American History, a new three-floor exhibit, In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness will open this May. See famous artifacts, including the desk Thomas Jefferson used to write the Declaration of Independence to the Gunboat Philadelphia, now a National Historic Landmark, that helped stall British forces and now will undergo an on-site conservation, to the gloves worn by a “Miracle on Ice” hockey player as he skated to the famous underdog Olympic victory in 1980.

Washington, D.C., has more free museums than any American city. That, of course, includes the 19 Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo. There are special exhibits across the array of Smithsonian museums and the city.

The National Archives, also the place to see the original U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, has a new flagship exhibition, The American Story. It brings more than 2 million historic records to life, thanks to AI. How about George Washington’s annotated draft Constitution? There is also a new Discovery Center with educational arcade games and hands-on activities for parents and kids.

The Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation traveling exhibition will bring Founding-era documents to eight American cities throughout 2026.

The U.S. Botanic Garden will display the official flowers of each U.S. state and territory, starting April 10 in the America’s State Flowers exhibit. Do you know your state flower? Don’t miss the Children’s Garden where kids can dig in the dirt, touch the plants, climb through a kiwifruit vine tunnel, care for the plants and maybe learn something about nature along the way. (You can download free activities guides in advance of your visit.)

Take a ride on the historic carousel on the National Mall. Built in 1947 and out of commission for the past two years, it will be ready for families by the end of April.

Check out Ford’s Theatre: 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical that is a great introduction to the debates around the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. (Until May 16)

The National Gallery of Art has Dear America: Artists Explore the American Experience (April 11 to Sept. 20) featuring more than 100 works showcasing how artists have expressed what it means to be American. Also, see the new exhibit Celebrating American Art now open in re-imagined galleries, complete with digital tools and hands-on activities. How have artists told the American story? (Pick up a kids guide at an information desk and don’t miss the Paint ‘n’ Play stations.)

Know anything about bison? The National Museum of Natural History is Honoring the American Bison, the country’s official national mammal, starting with bronze bison statues outside the museum. On May 7, a new exhibit, Bison: Standing Strong, opens.

So where to start? Ask the kids if they know The 250th anniversary is called the “semiquincentennial.” Who can say that fastest?

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)

©2026 Eileen Ogintz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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