The Museum invites students to connect with people, ideas, and events of the past through an exciting array of standards-based programs.

The Museum offers an expansive roster of daily programs rather than pre-scheduled guided tours. Students can get their hands on history at interactive carts featuring reproduction objects, or talk with gallery imterpreters or museum staff. In addition, small groups - on a first-come, first-served basis - can explore the process of invention in Spark!Lab or our interactive exhibition, Invention at Play. Beginning in March, students will be able to "step back into time" with actors portraying characters from the past in live theater presentations.

Downloadable pre-visit and post-visit materials will soon be available to enrich selected daily programs (see sidebar). Pre-visit materials for teachers, designed to help you prepare your students for their fieldtrip, contain: background information, suggested activities, history standard correlations, a bibliography, and web-links. Post-visit materials for students, designed to reinforce a visit to the museum, contain: suggested activities, discussion questions, a bibliography, and web-links. We will also offer downloadable self-guided highlights tour sheets so students can explore the Museum on their own. A wide range of other classroom resources are currently available at Smithsonian’s History Explorer.

Plan Your Visit
Begin planning your visit by consulting our calendar of events for select programs.

School groups are required to register with Museum security.

When You Arrive at the Museum
Daily programs will be subject to change, so begin your bisit by sending a representative to the Museum's 1st floor Information Desk or 2nd floor Welcome Center to confirm the day's schedule.

Stay in touch! Subscribe to our monthly e-mail newsletter. Be sure to check the "For Educators" category to receive information on new resources, events, and more.  You can also read our blog to stay up to date on the renovation as we prepare to reopen our doors to the public.



Links for Students and Teachers

Self-Guided Tours (organized by exhibit):
America on the Move
Foods on the Move - for elementary school students
People on the Move - for middle school students
Businesses on the Move - for middle school students

In-Classroom Learning (organized by exhibit):
America on the Move
Classroom Activity Guide - adaptable for grades 4-11

Other Education Resources:
America on the Move - Bibliography
America on the Move - Web Links