If you're into the arts, check out the workshops and art gallery inside the Mansion at Strathmore…read more There's a parking lot near a garden full of sculptures and chairs to enjoy the view. Walk inside to the mansion to find an art gallery throughout. Here, they host afternoon tea, crafts, story time, and more. My nine-year-old daughter loves their gift shop!

Attended the afternoon tea experience at the Strathmore Mansion in May 2025. Probably one of the…read morebest tea services in the area for the value. Their signature blend tea is really flavorful and available for purchase in their gift shop. Everything was laid out on the table when we arrived so we were able to enjoy ourselves. Great variety of sandwiches, desserts and a scone. The caterer did a fabulous job with the food prep. I'm not a fan of macarons so that was the only item I didn't taste. The chicken sandwich was the only one that was missing something, but it still tasted very good. They host teas during the week and on one Saturday each month. The weekend dates sell out pretty fast. Definitely worth a try! And parking is right there so you can get decked out for your tea experience and not have to worry about walking too far!

It was just ok for my littles…read more There was a groupon offer for $12.75 (regular $15 admission pp) so I took advantage. There's not a lot of guidance here so if your kids aren't self starters they may find themselves bored. Even when entering each room no one is guiding you on what the activity is and how to participate. Instead you're kid just does there on thing. Neither bad nor good just an observation. Outside of that there are 4 areas that are pretty intuitive. Making a beat - where kids can add layers to music to create new sounds. Circuit activity - create a pathway by connecting wrenches which turn on a light. - my son (8) thoroughly enjoyed this. Tipsy table - using 3 different pulleys you could guide balls into different outputs. This requires at least 2-3 people. Light play - using lasers to make imprints on moving disks. I could see myself coming back for more purposeful play but free play I wouldn't bother.

Fun place for kids and adults. Very clean and well maintained. My young companions (8 and 10)…read morecouldn't eat the pizza. And my sandwich was disappointing

The National Museum of Health and Medicine was a bit small, but it still made for a fun pitstop…read moresince we were already in the area. Parking was free and no tickets were required. We visited on a rainy day, and many guests left their umbrellas and coats in the entry room where there were hangers available. Volunteers greeted us at the front and pointed us toward a stand of pamphlets. We were able to see the entire museum in about 30 minutes. At one point, the staff brought out a cart of organs for hands on interaction. Based on some of the flyers, they also host additional demonstrations once a month. There was a modest anatomical collection with a focus on the nervous system and bones. I found the displays of brains after injuries and strokes especially interesting. There were also several examples of bone infections and exhibits highlighting medical developments over time. I appreciated the historical context behind each advancement, particularly how it connected to warfare. One of the most striking sections for me was the wall of organs affected by different diseases and infections. It felt especially rare compared to what I have seen in other museums. I was also fascinated by the less common presentations of parasites, which are not typically featured elsewhere. There was also a room dedicated to surgical advancements, and I found myself quiet while looking at the stories of soldiers who sustained injuries and underwent reconstruction. There was no gift shop and it seemed like a quick stop for most visitors. There was an upcoming veterinary focused day that looked interesting and would be worth checking out if I were still in the area. Overall, the museum is not as elaborate as others, but I still enjoyed the visit while staying nearby.

This museum may be the most unique museum in the D.C. area. If you are into history and medicine,…read morestop by. Or if you want a very interesting museum experience, visit. Opened in 1862 during the Civil War, the museum preserves over 25 million objects about medicine, public health, and anatomy. Nowhere else can you see skull fragments of Abraham Lincoln, President Garfield's vertebrae, and President Grant's tumor slides. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10am-5:30pm with free admission and parking in Silver Spring, Maryland. Walk inside and find all the exhibits on the main floor in a brutalist building. One exhibit talks about public health and the others focus on history of military medicine and anatomy. Here, you'll find lots of bones and organs preserved in medical jars. If you have a weak stomach, be warned. Eat BEFORE visiting. The museum is well kept with clean restrooms and lots of space to enjoy the museum. I highly recommend it for adults and older kids with an interest in the medical field.

I visited this museum a couple months ago and it was an excellent experience more than I expected…read more Small yet so impactful on what Josiah Henson's history means to the state of Maryland and the country. Tickets were $12 a piece and you have to park a 1/2 a mile away across the street at a park then cross a busy street. My only suggestion for this part of the visit is to let visitors park at the daycare next door or the commercial building lot where there was no one on the weekend. (Saturday in particular no 1 was at either business) Both are on the same side as the museum and much safer to walk. Once I was at the museum, you watch a video of Josiah Hensons' history which was about 10-12 minutes. Then Ginger, the friendly front desk receptionist, takes you outside to the grounds of where Josiah and his family were enslaved. There's signage at each ground site and then you walk into the original house where everything felt surreal. Our tour guide Jessie had so much wealth of knowledge and was able to answer every question we had. We actually had the house to ourselves so it felt more personable as she guided us until the next group came in. You can take pictures of most inside. While I don't want to go into the particulars of what you see (nothing graphic), some things you just have to experience in person. I would highly recommend this hidden treasure to any local of Maryland. I would pass this place all the time and glad I finally carved time out to visit. What I thought in the beginning would be less then an hour turned into 2 1/2 hours of a phenomenal, educational visit. Thank you Ginger & Jessie! (We even bought a couple books after)

Josiah Henson Museum & Park tells the story about the challenges and triumphs of Reverend Josiah…read moreHenson, enslaved in Maryland. This is one of the best museums in the DMV area that gives you an actual depiction of Josiah Henson's life from start to finish. Henson achievements have gone almost unnoticed due to being overshadowed by the popular novel, inspired by his life, Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The visitor's center offers a 12-minute film. I recommend watching this movie 1st before moving into the plantation house and walking down the trail. The visitor's center has lots of information and touring guides to historical sites all over Maryland and they are FREE. And did I mention admission to the museum is free, however you are welcome to donate online or at the visitor's center. Things I learned: 1. Henson led approximately 120 people to freedom in Canada as a conductor on the Underground Railroad 2. Henson established a community for former slaves in Canada called the Dawn Settlement 3. Henson has his own autobiography, "The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada" written in 1849. 4. Henson successfully escaped from slavery with his wife and children in 1830. 5. Henson was a very handsome man, several high-resolution photos are on display at the museum, which counteract the not-so-kind propaganda that mockingly depicted him as old and feeble. What really makes this museum unique is the comic strip animation (that looks like the animation from The Boondocks), used to creatively tell his story from one room to the next. On the backside of the plantation home there is a well preserved out-house kitchen, where the meals were prepared, and there was a loft area where the kitchen staff could sleep and keep warm. Other interesting landmarks was a plot which was believed to be where he lived as the grounds manager of the property. Other artifacts and tools located inside the house. Maryland truly has a historical gem that does not get as much attention as other historical figures from this period. I truly encourage you to make this trip and discover the amazing life and legacy of Reverend Josiah Henson.

This is a great museum! The second you walk inside, you instantly feel relaxed and at peace. I…read moreinitially came here several years ago when they were at their old location in the heart of Downtown Silver Spring. I did a tour of the museum and was very impressed. Most recently, I came to their new location in Forest Glen to take one of their free weekly "Learn to Meditate" classes. The instructor told us a little about himself and his history with the museum. We then did some exercises that taught us some best practices on how to meditate. The instructor was extremely helpful, and being surrounded by other like-minded people made the experience that much more enjoyable. The meditation class is every Saturday from 11am-12pm. They also have classes on vegan/vegetarian cooking, soul/body awareness, self-confidence and self-respect, relaxation techniques, and much much more. The classes are free of charge, but they do take voluntary donations. This is a great place for people looking to tap into their spirituality. I look forward to attending more of their events in the future.

The meditation museum is unlike any other museum or place that I have been to. I feel peaceful the…read moreminute I walk through the door and each and every workshop fills me with so much hope and enlightenment. I have learned so much about myself and about life and am happy that we have this wonderful resource in our community.

DC has a lot of museums. I know. I get it. Here is the thing...not every great museum is nestled in…read morethe heart of the Federal District. Some museums are a little off the main thoroughfare and are nonetheless worth a visit. Such is The Kreeger Museum. I randomly came across the Kreeger while on YouTube of all places. It intrigued me that there was a museum nestled in a residential neighborhood. Okay..neighborhood, in this case, deserves some air quotes. We are in seven to eight digital home values in this "neighborhood." When you see the artwork, it all begins to make sense. The Kreeger family was a husband wife dynamo that collected modern and impressionist artwork in an exciting and approachable way. Yes, to the detractors - the couple was known to ONLY collect the works of male artists. Since their passing, the conservatorship has invested in acquiring works from female artists that blend harmoniously with the existing collection. Parking is easy, whether you Uber or drive yourself. I very much hope to go back to see the collection again as well as to walk their sculpture garden. Museum well, my friends.

Highly recommend a visit to The Kreeger Museum. It was a special treat to experience the…read morearchitectural masterpiece by Philip Johnson. The Pritzker-Prize-winning architect Philip Johnson (1906-2005) was in his late fifties when he designed the Kreeger residence in 1963. Johnson is considered one of the foremost architects of the 20th century. Don't miss the gardens!

Very nice little but packed museum in Lutherville! I loved learning about the history of fire…read morerescue and all the tools, gadgets and trucks they used to use. The museum also gave insight into how the fire men used to live at the stations. Very interesting stuff. They also give you a free poster! Recommend!

WOW What an experience this has to be one of the best fire apparatus collections I've been to. You…read morecan tell they take great pride in the museum!!!

It was so so I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it…read more It was a cool experience, but I think it was overpriced for what it was The staff was very friendly I just feel it could've been bigger It only took about an hour to walk through the whole thing

Another yelper worded it just right: so so. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. It's a fun time with…read morekids. Definitely not worth the cost of the full ticket. There's approximately 8-10 rooms of separate themes, it's psychoeducational. But the interactive parts of this place looked and felt overused. So, make sure you wash your hands when you're done.

These are just lovely gardens to walk around, even without any special events. Brookside is…read morespacious, well maintained, clean, and safe. The visitor center is comfortable. They host countless events tailored to all ages, from reading time to butterfly exhibits. Parking has never really been an issue for us, and it is a very easy drive. Glad that it is Close to Home!

One of my favorite places to come for a walk. The trails are beautiful and I loved the Butterfly…read moreExperience! They didn't have it this year, maybe 2026 will be different :) It's the perfect place to admire beauty, relax, and get some fresh air. Highly recommend making this part of a date, there's nothing like walking hand in hand while admiring the gorgeous views. Best part: it's FREE! No picnics or drinks, just nature and good vibes. Enjoy :D

The planetarium is nice, it's not what I was expecting, I thought it would be more along the lines…read moreof a film, not a ranger narrating everything the whole time. But it was still nice. If you're not a kid person, don't go. All in all, it was nice, just wish the show was a bit longer, 30 minutes flew by.

Fun family activity for a weekend - so many great trails nearby! Parking is ample and there are…read morebathrooms the nature center, as well as great directions from the staff on site. We parked near the horse center and got a chance to watch horse riding lessons.