Washington, D.C. · Family field notes
Washington, D.C. with Kids: Smithsonian Art Detail Postcards
Choose the right building, look for one small detail and turn it into an original postcard after a family art outing in D.C.
Name the building in your plan
Write down the specific destination and review its current visit information rather than relying on the institution’s general name. When a museum operates more than one location, an exhibition or activity listing should not be assumed to describe the building nearest you.
Choose a small looking plan suitable for the group. If you want a scheduled family activity, confirm its date and any requirements directly. The postcard prompts here are our own suggested activity and do not reserve or replace a Smithsonian program.
Choose a detail that could fit on a postcard
Ask each person what small detail they would like to describe to someone who is not with them. It might be a shape, a color arrangement or a relationship between objects. Read the label when you want factual information, and keep an interpretation distinct from something you can directly observe.
Follow all museum rules about photography, drawing materials and distances from works. A written description can be enough. Do not move closer than permitted, touch an object or obstruct another visitor to make the activity more complete.
Write a message before taking a picture
At an appropriate stopping place, try a two-sentence message: ‘I noticed…’ and ‘It made me wonder….’ A younger child can dictate both lines. The question does not have to sound sophisticated, and it does not need an immediate answer.
Keep personal items predictable during the visit. Check the wearer’s appropriate prescribed glasses beforehand, carry the protective case in an agreed pocket and follow the supplied care routine. If a backup is uncomfortable or no longer appropriate, resolve that before relying on it away from home.
Make the postcard your own
At home, draw an original response to the detail you remember and give it a new title. It does not need to reproduce an artwork or imply that the museum endorses your family project. Send the two-sentence message to a relative or keep it in a small collection.
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Your before-you-go checklist
Check items as you prepare, or print this guide.
Put this guide to work
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