Hands-on D.C.

 One trip is never enough to see all that our nation's capital has to offer families. Here are some museums that specialize in hands-on activities. Check them out on your next visit, or the one after that.

   Interactive exhibits for families are usually geared to little children, so the International Spy Museum's new 'Operation Spy', for ages 12 and up, is a welcome addition.  The hour-long experience takes up to 15 people, who have to work cooperatively to solve a spy mystery involving a missing nuclear device. Participants look for clues, break into a  house, copy documents, and ride in bumpy elevators and on the back of a truck.  My 15-year-old, Hallie, was the one who figured out how to turn off the security cameras when we were in an 'underground' tunnel, and then had to convince a roomful of strangers to work with her. 

   The children's museum in D.C. is currently closed for renovations. Looking for an alternative for my 9-year-old, Nora, I happened upon the National Postal Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Here, along with learning about the history of the U.S. Postal Service, you can 'drive' a mail truck, trace out postal routes on an interactive screen, send a postcard, and set the parameters for a personalized direct mail campaign.  A new exhibit has children thinking like postal inspectors, comparing fingerprints and wanted posters.  In an age when kids are more likely to text message or email, it's interesting to explore the impact of mail on industry and communication.

   For budding journalists, keep in mind that the Newseum is opening at its new location in September.  The expanded facilities will have an interactive newsroom and a broadcast studio, in addition to six floors of exhibits dedicated to news media.

   The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum also has an interactive exhibit, 'Remember the Children: Daniel's Story'. This exhibit, for families with kids 8 and over, tells the story of a German boy living at the time of Hitler. Kids can see what Daniel's home was like before Hitler rose to power, and what happened to the family in the aftermath.

   DC Tours has new double-decker tour buses that give visitors a nice overview of the city, even if you are not a first-timer.  You can get on and off at any of the 25 stops, and tickets are valid for two days, so you can even use this as city transport (9am-7pm), though you'd have to listen to the same canned patter.  Nora was thrilled by the low-hanging branches that threatened to knock her out of her seat; adults need to be alert and duck frequently! 

Info                                                                                                                                        

—International Spy Museum, 800 F Street, is open daily 9am-8pm; after August 11, the museum opens at 10am.  Tickets for 'Operation Spy' are $14; a combination ticket to see both the permanent exhibit and 'Operation Spy' is $24. (866) 779-6873; www.spymuseum.org.