National Children's Museum To Open Friday at National Harbor

A new 23,000-square foot museum for children opens its doors Friday at the National Harbor, the National Children's Museum announced.

The museum will host activities and programs including:

• "Our World" with three areas: "Map Zone," "My Town," and "World Cultures," which includes a marketplace in Tanzania.

• Hands-on activities, including paper bead making and design, literature-based arts and crafts.

• A theater that accommodates 130 people, with productions and entertainment that are participatory.

• "Center for Learning and Innovation" that houses program rooms for birthday parties, school groups and other special activities.

The Washington Post reported that the museum also has:

• An 8-foot-2 Big Bird statue outside its main entrance, and three "Sesame Street characters"—Elmo, Cookie Monster and Grover.

• A pizza parlor, fire engine and town hall where every day is Election Day and children choose the mayor—in the "My Town" section.

• A three-wheel "tuk-tuk" from Thailand that kids can play drive and see how people in some other countries get around

The National Children’s Museum is scheduled to be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and to 7 p.m. during the summer, according to the museum.

Admission is $10 per person and free for infants 12 months and under, the museum stated.

The museum says its mission is to inspire children to care about and make the world a better place.