Nations Classroom Blog

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery are two art collections housed in the same gallery. Despite the building's history and impressive collections, it is often an underutilized gem and worth a visit on a school trip to Washington, D.C.

The Native American Veterans Memorial officially opened to the public on November 11, 2020. Just outside the of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, the new memorial honors the thousands of American Indian men and women who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces. 

Even though most of our school trips to Washington, D.C. focus on history or science, there are other subjects that you can highlight on your next tour. Planet Word opened in the Fall of 2020 and is the only museum dedicated to linguistics and the English language in the D.C. area. Learn more about what the museum has to offer and why you should add it to your school trip itinerary!

Washington, D.C. is a popular spring-time destination, but many travelers are discovering how magical winter can be in our nation’s capital.  Even after a year of lock-downs and quarantines, Washington, D.C. still has some safe, wintery activities for your family or class to enjoy!

While planning a school trip to Washington, D.C., the number of museums, memorials, and monuments can seem overwhelming. While you could let a NationsClassroom representative create an itinerary for you, most teachers like the ability to customize and select itinerary items that best suit their students. 

Out of all the attractions in Washington, D.C., here are the top ten we think all student groups should experience while on tour.

A favorite with school groups since opening in September 2016, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors and is ranked as one of the top five most popular museums in D.C.

Here are a few guidelines, highlights, and considerations for visitors to keep in mind and look out for when visiting.

Read more about why your group should visit...

On this day in 1890, Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in in Texas. 130 years later, his newly constructed memorial opened in Washington, D.C. 

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial opened to the public on September 17, 2020. Student groups will be welcome to explore the small memorial park to discover more about the 34th President of the United States.