Museums

Maryland Science Center

Light Street and Key Highway at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed holidays. Imax theater and exhibits, $9.50-$19.50. 410/685-5225.

• Imax: “Dinosaurs Alive,” Hurricane on the Bayou,” “Mystery of the Nile.” Call for times.

• Planetarium shows: “The Sky Live” “Live From the Sun,” “Beyond the Nine” and “The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Call for times.

Meridian International Center

1630 Crescent Place NW. 2-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. 202/667-6800.

Montpelier

11407 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, Va. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily except holidays. 540/672-2728.

• “Discovering Madison.” Video, audio tour and more about James Madison’s life. Continues indefinitely.

National Air and Space Museum

Independence Avenue and Sixth Street SW. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. Metro: L’Enfant Plaza. 202/633-1000. Imax theater schedule: 202/357-1686.

• “Treasures of American History.” A collection of more than 150 objects from the National Museum of American History. Through summer 2008.

• Lockheed Martin Imax shows: “Adrenaline Rush,” “Space Station 3D,” “To Fly,” “Fighter Pilot.” $6.50-$8.50.

• Einstein Planetarium shows: “Cosmic Collisions,” 10:30, 12 and 12:30 ; 1, 1:30, 2, 3, 3:30, 4, 4:30 and 5 p.m. daily. “Infinity Express,” 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily. “The Stars Tonight Open Your Eyes to the Skies,” 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday only. $5.50-$8.

National Archives

Pennsylvania Avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets NW. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily except holidays. Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial. 202/357-5000.

• “School House to White House: The Education of the Presidents.” Through Jan. 1.

• “Public Vaults.” Ongoing exhibit.

National Building Museum

401 F St. NW. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Metro: Judiciary Square. 202/272-2448.

• “Reinventing the Globe: A Shakespearean Theater for the 21st Century.” Through Aug. 27.

• “David Macaulay: The Art of Drawing Architecture.” Through Jan. 21.

National Firearms Museum

11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax. 703/267-1600. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

• The largest firearms collection in the country includes rare weapons and firearms of famous people.

National Gallery of Art

Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day. Metro: Judiciary Square or Archives-Navy Memorial. 202/737-4215.

• “Eugen Boudin at the National Gallery of Art.” Through Aug. 5.

• “Claude Lorrain: The Painter as Draftsman — Drawings From the British Museum.” Through Aug. 12.

• “Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918-1945.” Through Sept. 3.

• “Fabulous Journeys and Faraway Places: Travels on Paper 1450-1700.” Through Sept. 16.

• “Private Treasures: Four Centuries of European Master Drawings.” Through Sept. 16.

• “Desiderio da Settignano: Sculptor of Renaissance Florence.” Through Oct. 8.

• “13 Drawings by Roy Lichtenstein.” Permanent display.

• National Gallery Sculpture Garden. Garden of canopy trees, flowering trees, shrubs, ground cover and perennials contains the works of Alexander Archipenko, Joan Miro, Isamu Noguchi and more. Open all year.

National Geographic Society

17th and M streets NW. Metro: Farragut North. Explorers Hall open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. 202/857-7588.

• “National Geographic Maps: Tools for Adventure.” Through July 29.

• “Photo Camp 2006: Uganda.” Through Sept. 3.

• “Zakouma, Elephant Crisis in Chad.” Through Sept. 30.

National Guard Memorial Museum

1 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Free. 202/789-0031.

• The nation’s only museum devoted to the National Guard.

National Museum of American History

14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. 202/633-1000.

• “Treasures of American History.” A collection of more than 150 objects from the National Museum of American History will be on display at the National Air and Space Museum. Through summer 2008.

• Closed for renovations. Scheduled to reopen by summer 2008.

National Museum of African Art

950 Independence Ave. SW. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. 202/633-4600.

• “Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems in African Art.” Through Aug. 26.

• “African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection.” Through Sept. 7, 2008.

National Museum of the American Indian

Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW. Open daily 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 202/633-1000.

• “Identity by Design: Tradition, Change and Celebration in Native Women’s Dress.” Through Jan. 2.

• Museum dedicated to American Indians.

National Museum of Civil War Medicine

48 E. Patrick St., Frederick. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $4.50-$6.50. 301/695-1864.

• Exhibits focusing on all aspects of Civil War medicine: the story of care, healing and devotion during the conflict.

• “The Art of Embalming the Dead During the American Civil War.” Permanent exhibit.

National Museum of Health and Medicine

Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Ave. NW. 202/782-2200. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily.

• “Human Body, Human Being.” Medical artifacts and anatomy displays on the body and illness. Runs indefinitely.

• “To Bind Up the Nation’s Wounds.” Civil War medicine as told through artifacts, photographs, illustrations, tools, specimens and first-person accounts. On permanent display.

National Museum of the Marine Corps

18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle, Va. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except Christmas. 800/397-7585.

• Museum dedicated to the legacy of the U.S. Marine Corps.

• “The U.S. Marine Band The President’s Own.” Through November.

National Museum of Natural History

10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Metro: Federal Triangle. 202/633-1000.

• “Emissaries of Peace: The 1762 Cherokee and British Delegations.” Through Nov. 25.

• The Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals. Permanent display.

• Korea Gallery. Permanent display.

• Johnson Imax Theater: “Sharks 3D,” “Lions 3D: Roar of the Kalahari,” “Night at the Museum.” $6.50-$8.50.

• Imax Jazz Cafe. 5:30-10 p.m. Friday.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

1250 New York Ave. NW. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. $3-$5. 202/783-5000.

• “Frida Kahlo: Public Image, Private Life. A Selection of Photographs and Letters.” Through Oct. 14.

Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center

Pennsylvania Avenue NW between Seventh and Ninth streets. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed holidays. Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial. 202/737-2300.

• Free screenings of the film “At Sea” at various times during the week.

•”Sea-Air-Land: The Navy’s Special Operations Sailors.” Through April 2008.

Navy Museum

Building 76, Washington Navy Yard, Ninth and M streets SE. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Metro: Navy Yard. 202/433-4882.

• “In Harm’s Way: The U.S. Navy in World War II.” Runs indefinitely.

• “Korea 1950-1953: The Navy in the Forgotten War.” Runs indefinitely.

National Portrait Gallery

Eighth and F streets NW. 202/633-1000.

• “Great Britons: Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, London.” Through Sept. 3.

• “Harry Benson: Being There.” Through Sept. 3.

• “Portraits of Sandra Day O’Connor.” Through Oct. 8.

• “Portraiture Now: Framing Memory.” Through Jan. 6.

National Postal Museum

2 Massachusetts Ave. NE. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily except Christmas. Metro: Union Station. 202/633-1000.

• “Moving the Mail.” On permanent display.

The Octagon

The museum of the American Architectural Foundation. 1799 New York Ave. NW. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday except holidays. $5, $3 seniors and students. 202/638-3221.

William Paca House and Garden

186 Prince George St., Annapolis. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Closed holidays. $5 house, $2 garden. 410/263-5553.

Phillips Collection

1600 21st St. NW. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday and holidays. Admission for permanent collection is free on weekdays. Admission is charged on weekends. Exhibits are $10-$12. Free for Phillips Collection members and visitors under 18. 202/387-2151.

• “Lyrical Color: Morris Louis, Gene Davis, Kenneth Noland and the Washington Color School.” Through July 29.

• “American Impressionism: Paintings From the Phillips Collection.” Through Sept. 16.

• Permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century European and American paintings.

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

3900 Harewood Road NE. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission free. Donation requested. 202/635-5400.

The Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum

10001 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Noon-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission free. 301/897-1518.

• “In-volved.” Works by the St. Lukes Studio. Through July 30.

• A permanent collection of the art of Phillip Ratner in sculpting, drawing, painting and graphics.

Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. 202/633-1000.

• Permanent collection of American crafts.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

1100 Jefferson Drive SW. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. 202/633-1000.

• “Made in Northern Ireland: A Dynamic of Change.” Through Sept. 10.

Sewall-Belmont House

144 Constitution Ave. NE. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Closed holidays. 202/546-3989.

• A collection of women’s suffrage memorabilia in an Early American home.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Eighth and F streets NW. 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. 202/633-1000.

• “Variations on America: Masterworks from American Art Forum Collections.” Through July 29.

• “The Prints of Sean Scully.” Through Oct. 8.

• “Temple of Invention: History of a National Landmark.” Through January 2008.

• “George Catlin’s Indian Gallery.” Permanent exhibit.

Smithsonian Institution

The Castle, Constitution Avenue and 10th Street NW. 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 202/633-1000.

• “West Wing: A Chronology.” Permanent exhibit.

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 202/633-1000.

• “James S. McDonnell Space Hangar.” Dedicated display of space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Permanent exhibition.

• Imax theater: “Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag,” “Hurricane on the Bayou,” and “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” daily. $6.50-$8.50.

The Textile Museum

2320 S St. NW. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Closed holidays. Request $5 donation. 202/667-0441.

• “Architectural Textiles.” Through Aug. 19.

Tudor Place

1644 31st St. NW. 202/965-0400.

• Tours of this historic house, which belonged to Martha Washington’s granddaughter, at 10 and 11:30 a.m., 1 and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and on the hour 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Sunday tour times are noon, 1, 2, 3 p.m. Reservations suggested for individuals, required for groups. Admission is $3-$6.

USDA Forest Service Information Center

14th Street and Independence Avenue NW. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 703/205-1680.

• Rustic lodge hosts videos and hands-on displays. On permanent display.

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW (near 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW). 202/488-0400. 10 a.m.-5:20 p.m. daily except Yom Kippur and Christmas. Metro: Smithsonian. Certain attractions, such as “Daniel’s Story: Remember the Children,” do not require special passes. Entrance to the museum’s permanent exhibition is by timed entry passes, available at the museum (free) or through ProTix ($4.50 service charge), 800/400-9373.

• “Give Me Your Children”: Voices From the Lodz Ghetto.” Through Sept. 3.

Walters Art Museum

600 North Charles St., Baltimore. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, to 8 p.m. Fridays. Free. 410/547-9000.

• “Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt.” Through Aug. 26.

• “Linda Day Clark: The Gee’s Bend Photographs.” Through Sept. 2.

• “Ottoman Embroideries and Other Ornament.” Through Sept. 9.

• “Daily Magic in Ancient Egypt.” Through Nov. 18.

Woman’s National Democratic Club

At the Historic Whittemore House. 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday. 202/232-7363.

• Antique furnishings and presidential memorabilia, including rotating art exhibits. Call for tours.

Women in Military Service for America Memorial

Memorial Drive, Arlington. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Metro: Arlington Cemetery. 703/892-2606.

• “In Defense of a Nation” film runs every 10 minutes.

• Permanent exhibits featuring artifacts and memorabilia of women’s military service from the American Revolution to the present. Runs indefinitely.