The Museum provides children with hands-on learning opportunities to develop their understanding of the shared built environment and empower them in shaping that environment.
Our field trip options for the 2026–2027 School Year are available in our brochure.
This school year, we will offer the following workshops:
Three Little Pigs
1 hour facilitated workshop for PreK3 – 1st Grade
In this program, students will explore different building materials and test their strengths and weaknesses through the classic story of the Three Little Pigs.
Career Exploration
1 hour facilitated workshop for PreK3 – 1st Grade
This program explores careers at the heart of the National Building Museum. During this hands-on experience, learners will explore construction and design-based careers, opening students to a world of possibilities.
Foundations of Building
1 hour facilitated workshop for PreK3 – 1st Grade
1.5 hour facilitated workshop for 2nd – 5th Grade
In this program, we will delve into the basics of building. This program incorporates elements of geometry, art, and design while exploring the building process, tools, and materials used in construction.
Build Your Story
1 hour facilitated workshop for PreK3 – 1st Grade
1.5 hour facilitated workshop for 2nd – 3rd Grade
Based on our newest long-term exhibition, Building Stories, this program delves into the world of children’s storybooks. By comparing the author and illustrator of a storybook to the architect of a structure, students will explore similarities in the design process and the ways that structures and construction cross over into literature.
City by Design
1.5 hour facilitated workshop for 2nd – 5th Grade
Updated in 2025, in this mainstay program, students become city planners to look at the development of Washington, DC, and its neighborhoods before planning and building their own model city.
Designing for Disaster
1.5 hour facilitated workshop for 4th – 8th Grade
This program dives into how engineers solve architectural and design problems using the context of building earthquake-resilient structures.
Indigenous Architecture in North America: Past and Present
1.5 hour facilitated workshop for 5th – 8th Grade
Through this program, learners will investigate how Indigenous Peoples in North America have created the built environment using natural resources, cultural knowledge, and environmental awareness in both the past and present day.
We will respond to your request for the 2026-2027 school year starting on August 3rd, when our registration for the fall opens. Please reach out to school@nbm.org or call 202-849-2467 with any questions.
| Option | Non-Title I Pricing Options | Title I Pricing Options |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitated Field Trips (Pre-K – 1st Grade) Homeschool groups with a minimum of 15 children are welcome to register for a program package. *Includes admission |
$175 per package for Pre-K – 1st grade (one package required for every 25 students) | $100 per package for Pre-K – 1st grade (one package required for every 25 students) |
| Facilitated Field Trips (2nd – 12th Grade) Homeschool groups with a minimum of 15 children are welcome to register for a program package. *Includes admission |
$225 per package for grades 2nd – 12th (one package required for every 25 students) | $125 per package for grades 2nd – 12th (one package required for every 25 students) |
| Chaperones | 1 adult is free for every 5 children; additional adults are $5 | 1 adult is free for every 5 children; additional adults are $3 |
Please contact school@nbm.org with questions.