Visiting With Kids
Before You Visit
Find out what’s currently on view at the Hirshhorn here.
While you are at the museum
Stop at the Welcome Desk in the Lobby to pick up printed exhibition self-guides and get situated.
Pace yourself. Instead of trying to see the entire Museum in one visit, choose one area to focus on.
Go over the rules. The Hirshhorn is brimming with art made from a variety of materials, ranging from paint and bronze to nontraditional media like chocolate and soap. To protect the art, there are two simple rules everyone needs to follow: walk inside the building (no running), and use your eyes, ears, minds, and hearts to experience the art. Please do not touch.
Pack your bag. While wet art supplies (paint, watercolors) are not allowed in the Museum, you might consider bringing simple materials like a sketchbook and a pencil to enhance your family’s time (and give them something they can actually touch).
WHERE ARE THE RESTROOMS?
Bathrooms and changing tables are located only on the Museum’s Lower Level.
WHERE CAN I EAT?
Grab a snack at Dolcezza, the Museum’s Lobby café, or bring your own to enjoy in our Lobby or outdoors on our Plaza. Art and food don’t mix: please remember that food and drink are not allowed in the galleries.
For visitors with children
NURSING PARENTS
Nursing parents are welcome everywhere in the Museum. For your comfort, benches are located throughout the building, typically near the escalators on each floor.
STROLLERS
Our main entrance is stroller-accessible. It is located on the Plaza, next to the fountain. Stroller parking is available on the Museum’s Lower Level, near the elevator.
DO YOU OFFER GUIDED KIDS PROGRAMS?
Yes. We offer free drop-in programs. Options include:
- Storytime Studio on Wednesdays 10 AM–1 PM: Step into Storytime Studio and enjoy a captivating blend of play, reading, and art exploration designed for kids ages 0–8 and their caregivers.
- Open Studio on Saturdays 10:30 AM–3 PM: Let your creativity run wild at our all-day art-making adventure! Activities are designed to captivate everyone—from budding young artists to seasoned creators—allowing you to craft, create, and learn throughout the entire day.
For Schools
DO YOU OFFER GUIDED STUDENT PROGRAMS?
Yes. We offer guided programs for students in grades 3–8. Advance registartion is required. Options include:
- Friday School Studio: A 90-minute session exploring modern and contemporary art through interactive hands-on activities that align with cross-disciplinary national standards. For students in grades 3–12.
- Mystery at the Museum: In this full-day field trip for DCPS middle schoolers, students go behind the scenes to help Museum staff track down an artwork that has mysteriously disappeared. Students put their code-cracking skills to the test as they learn about the fields of curation, conservation, exhibition design, and library science. For DCPS students in grades 6–8.
CAN SCHOOL GROUPS SELF-GUIDE AT THE HIRSHHORN? SHOULD I LET THE HIRSHHORN KNOW ABOUT OUR VISIT?
Yes. If you plan to bring 10 or more students to the Hirshhorn Museum, please let us know when you are coming at hirshhornexperience@si.edu. We can prepare you for your visit and let you know of any gallery closures or special events. To prepare, check out our Before the Museum lesson plan, exhibition guides, and classroom art projects.
CAN I BRING MY STUDENTS TO SEE OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY?
Yes. We offer a limited number of timed passes for Pre-K–12 student groups. Please email hirshhornexperience@si.edu for further information.
ARE CHAPERONES REQUIRED?
Yes! We require school groups to provide an appropriate number of adults to accompany their students based on grade level for guided and self-guided visits:
- Grades Pre-K–2: 1 adult per 5 students
- Grades 3–5: 1 adult per 10 students
- Grades 6–12: 1 adult per 15 students
Chaperones are responsible for student behavior and must remain with student groups at all times in the Museum and on the Plaza.
IS THERE BUS PARKING AT THE HIRSHHORN?
No. If you choose to travel by bus or car, plan to have your driver drop off your group at the Museum on Independence Avenue. Due to our ongoing Sculpture Garden revitalization project, Jefferson Drive may be unavailable for drop-off on the day of your visit. There is limited metered parking, and there are commercial parking garages nearby. For bus parking, check out the Smithsonian Institution’s suggestions.
WHAT CAN WE BRING?
Bring as little as possible into the Museum. Due to limited storage as well as time required for security bag checks, we strongly encourage students to leave backpacks at school. Classes bringing bag lunches should place all meals in one to two bags for an adult chaperone to carry. When you enter the Museum, our security team will conduct a thorough hand-check of all bags, purses, containers, and lunchboxes. If you’d like your students to sketch or write in the galleries, pack pencils, please. No pens, crayons, markers, or other ink-based writing implements are allowed in the Museum.
WHERE CAN WE EAT LUNCH?
School groups may bring bag lunches, though we recommend packing all meals into one to two bags for an adult chaperone to carry for a speedier security check. Table seating is very limited in the Hirshhorn Lobby. We strongly recommend student groups use the tables and chairs located on the Hirshhorn’s outdoor Plaza. Lunch can also be purchased nearby at Smithsonian cafés. Light snacks and coffee are available at Dolcezza Café in the Hirshhorn Lobby.
After your visit
Get creative wherever you are. Explore the Hirshhorn’s Art School Everywhere to make art inspired by the collection—at home, in the classroom, or wherever you might be.
