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National Engineering Week
February, 2006
February 19-25, 2006 is National Engineering Week! In honor of this
great profession, plan an outing for your kids that will give them
some real insight into engineering and its impact. Take your family
to visit the National Building Museum in Washington, DC where they
will be kicking off the week in a big way! They will be hosting the
Discover Engineering Family Day on Saturday, February 18, 2006 from
10AM to 4:30PM. Future engineers can build a dam, meet Harry and
Digit from the hit PBS series Cyberchase, make slime or participate
in many other activities. The celebration is free of charge and will
be held rain or shine. Or, visit the Maryland Science Center in the
Inner Harbor of Baltimore. This popular museum is sure to appeal to
all ages, with shows, exhibits, a planetarium and an IMAX Theater.
Everyone will love the experience, and it will give your kids some
idea about why they are required to learn all that math and science
in school.
Before You Go:
Familiarize your children with engineering by spending some time on
the web. Visit
www.discoverengineering.org for information, games and
links related to engineering. Kids can download information about
contests, frequently asked questions, or read up on some of the ways
engineers have made life better for all of us. Or for more
information about National Engineering Week, check out
www.eweek.org and find out
everything you ever wanted to know about engineering and more. Have
your kids look around them and talk about the things they use every
day that engineers have built and designed. They will be surprised
by what they discover.
• Ages 3-7
Talk to your kids about engineering. Without it, most of our modern
conveniences would be unavailable. Pretty much everything we see was
designed by engineers. Try to show them that the things they use
every day start off as an idea in the mind of an engineer.
• Ages 8-up
Engineering comes in many different forms. We have structural,
mechanical, pipeline, chemical and electrical engineers to name just
a few. Explain to them that all types of buildings, from the houses
they live in to the skyscrapers they see in cities are designed by
engineers. Microwave ovens, televisions, VCR and DVD players,
stereos and computers are designed by engineers. They may not
realize that roads, bridges and airports had to be developed by an
engineer before they could start building them. The game systems
they love to play are developed by software engineers. Engineering
is all around us!
Specific to Groups and Classrooms
If you are a space enthusiast and are looking for an unusual way to
spend a Saturday afternoon with a large group, want a special outing
for your Scout Troop or classroom, or want to give your child a
birthday party to remember, check out the Challenger Learning Center
of Greater Washington. Located in Alexandria, this science center is
an exciting place to visit for anyone who loves space. Although the
Challenger Center is not a museum that can be visited by individuals
or small groups, if you have a group of between 15 and 30 you can
make arrangements to reserve one of their space simulation programs.
Most academic-type programs are appropriate for ages 5th grade and
up, but the Challenger Center does have a birthday party program for
kids ages 5-8. For more information visit their web site at
www.challenger.org , or call
703-837-5640.
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC
www.nbm.org
Admission: Free. A $5 donation is suggested
Food: High Noon Café. Café hours:
Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4PM
Saturday, 10AM to 4PM
Sunday, 11AM to 4PM
Phone 202-393-0353
Rest rooms: On site
Hours: Monday - Saturday, 10AM to 5PM, and Sunday, 11AM to 5PM. The
Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. On
rare occasions, the Museum may close for a special event.
Phone number: (202) 272-2448
Located between 4th and 5th Streets, across the street from the
Judiciary Square Metro (Red Line). Wheelchair access is available
through the G Street entrance.
Metered parking is located on 5th, F, and G Streets. Nearby parking
lots/garages are located at the MCI Center's 6th Street entrance and
at the corner of 7th and H Streets
Maryland Science Center
601 Light St.
Baltimore, MD
www.mdsci.org
Admission: Varies depending on the program visited. Prices range
from $14.50 - $20.00 for adults, $10.00 - $13.00 for kids, and
$13.50 - $17.50 for seniors.
Food: Meals and snacks are available in the Beakers Café. They also
offer a Brown Bag Zone for those who wish to bring their own food.
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Rest rooms: On site
Hours: Labor Day to Memorial Day:
Tuesday – Friday 10AM – 5PM, Saturday 10AM – 6PM, Sundays 11AM –
5PM. Closed Mondays
Memorial Day to Labor Day:
Thursday – Saturday 10AM – 8PM, Sunday – Wednesday 10AM – 6PM
Phone number: 24-hour recording: 410-685-5225
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