Hollywood Comes to Washington, DC: Why You Should Visit the National Geographic Museum

Amidst the dozens of museums in DC, you’ll find the National Geographic Museum quietly tucked away on 17th and M Street, NW. The museum hosts a wide array of  traveling exhibits and live events, and when I heard an advertisement on the radio for Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology, I knew I had to take my family and go. I was excited to see how National Geographic would bring to life the popular movie series, so we headed into DC one recent afternoon. For all you Hollywood fans, explorers and adventurers, here are several reasons to check out this unique exhibit, and unleash your inner Indiana Jones.

• Hollywood Meets the Ancient World. The exhibition is a mix of Hollywood magic and real world archaeological exploration. Thanks to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, we saw 2000 year old artifacts along with some of our favorite Indiana Jones movie props, like the Ark of the Covenant and the infamous Grail diary. The exhibit also contains historic photos of discoveries at places like Machu Picchu, along with other content from real life explorers and archaeologists. 
  

• Kid Friendly. The exhibit definitely works well for all ages, since you can move through at your own pace. The personal device, included with admission, is a wonderful option for younger kids, especially for those who might not want to read all the displays. By entering a code at each station, visitors can hear more about real life explorations or listen to details about props used in the movies. You even have the choice of listening in French, which my teenage son decided to try (maybe he can get some extra credit from his French teacher when he goes back to school!)  My kids also enjoyed watching all the famous video clips from the movies, along with viewing objects such as the life-size skeleton from the last movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I love that National Geographic is using imaginative ways to connect kids with the real world of archaeology. 
• A Museum Shop Full of Adventure. Looking for unusual travel gifts, maps, adventure books or National Geographic DVD’s? Then drop by the museum shop and help support their continuing mission of exploration and education.  Unfortunately the shop was closing by the time we finished, otherwise I would have had all kinds of new travel books! The shop is open during museum hours and admission is not required. When you are done, relax for a more minutes in the quiet courtyard, adjacent to the museum, before heading back out to the bustling city streets. 
  

The museum is open daily from 10-6, unless there is a special event. We visited on a Wednesday afternoon and found the crowd to be quite small. Though not required, you can purchase tickets in advance on the National Geographic website. Kids can also preview the exhibit at the Indiana Jones exhibition website and read more about real-life adventures from the National Geographic Society. This great adventure is only at the museum until January 3, 2016. 


Disclaimer: My family received complimentary exhibition tickets; however, all opinions expressed here are my own.