On Monday we visited the new Children's Museum at the National Harbor. I was expecting something grand like the Please Touch Museum in Pennsylvania or maybe the Children's Museum in Tampa, FL but it really disappointed me. It's more like an interactive play area in wide open space. The staff and location are not very child or mommy friendly. The museum employees were not mean or rude but they were not child friendly and by the looks of it they are paid to interact with the children except there not very interactive.
Some things I noticed:
- No Hand sanitizer stations anywhere in the building (this is no-no especially with children during flu season)
- There is no area to nurse infants (You would think there would be a designated space for this. I want my life to be made easier not more difficult when travelling with my toddler and infant. I am not opposed to nursing in public but after I nurse I typically change a diaper so maybe having a one stop shop where I can do all of that and have my toddler with me.)
- The staff did not freely allow free play they kept interfering with the children's imaginative play.
- A museum staff member even reprimanded a child for putting a toy in his mouth and threatened to take it away. (I understand germ spreading but I don't think it was appropriate for staff to threaten to take toys away.)
- There was no snack bar or lunch area.
When I asked who I could talk to, to give some suggestions the women replied that I could give the suggestions to her. When I started to speak she walked away and thankfully there was another women there but she took my suggestions very defensively as if I was criticizing her work and her museum.
With all of that said Lady had a great time playing and making crafts. We even bought a season pass.
Go check out the museum its a good place to spend a few hours in doors while your little one spends some energy.
Making buttons.
The museum offered story time and then had a craft to go with the story. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Lady made a Caterpillar, a Butterfly and even a piece of fruit.
Here she is making tribal paper beads like those made in Tanzania.
Cheers to having a place to review and vent.
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