I have a 4 & 6 year olds who are very busy. When we're on vacation they go, go, go. It's hard to go to super crowded place, like the Natural History Museum or National Air and Space Museum because they get a little lost in the crowd. They're a little huge for their little legs, too. Read about this museum in Fodors Washington DC for kids and took a chance. Drove up to College Park on a cold and rainy March morning. It was great! Terrific size. Not crowded. Staffed by awesome, helpful volunteers who welcomed us as though the place was their home. Lots of hands-on activities. Kids can push buttons, dress up, do art projects, build Legos, climb in planes, watch movies, and tear around without fear of offending anybody or getting lost. It's a little gem, in fact, for little kids. Nice little gift shop. No dining facilities, but we made our way (thanks to GPS and Poynt) to Platos Diner just off the Univ of Maryland's campus and ate like kings. All in all, a great way to spend an hour or two. (For a grand total of $10 admission.)

The museum has a lot of hands-on exhibits -- a lifesaver for a mother of an active little kid. It's not all kid-focused, though, so the adults won't be bored to tears. It's a good mix of traditional museum exhibits and hands-on learning centers. Since one wall of the main gallery is all glass and overlooks the active airport, unless the weather is terrible, you're likely to see planes taking off and landing right outside the museum!

It's off the beaten path, but with plenty of parking and good signage.

You should check it out!