Although it’s not one of the better known museums in DC, National Geographic consistently hosts exhibits that are fun and family-friendly. Their newest exhibit, National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers is no different. The exhibit takes visitors through different extreme environments to take on different tasks just as Nat Geo explorers use in the field. Visitors go through Africa, the Arctic, Rainforest, and under the seat to study animal behavior and learn about the tools explorers use to survive and study in the Earth’s most challenging locations.
At the beginning of the exhibit, visitors can learn about several real-life explorers who work in different environments throughout the world and perform different jobs from studying elephants in Africa to deep sea diving. Interactive exhibits throughout really encourage kids to dive in and learn – and hopefully get excited about exploring themselves one day.
Some of the interactive exhibits are a four-wheel truck used in the Savannah, a hot air balloon replica (my kids’ favorite), a cutting-edge deep sea diving bell, a base in the Arctic Circle, and a base camp in the Amazon. At each station, kids learn more about real people who work in these environments, the unusual jobs they have (including a snake hunter who collects deadly venom for medical research), the threats they face (such as sharks and polar bears), and the tools they need to survive and thrive in their challenging situations.
There are also videos and activities throughout the exhibit, such as matching animal tracks to the animal and looking at slides of insects.
There is also a second exhibit at National Geographic included with your Earth Explorers admission ticket. The @NatGeo: Popular Instagram Photos exhibit showcases the most popular photos from National Geographic’s Instagram feed. This exhibit is also highly interactive and visitors can record their thoughts on some photos, vote on their favorite, curate their own Instagram feed from photo blocks, and leave comments (or draw) on large chalk wall. It’s worth a visit and ties in nicely with National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers since the exhibit contains images of people, animals, and places from all over the world.
Both of the exhibits are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Children under five are free and children 5 to 12 are $10.00. Adult admission is $15.00. You can sometimes find ticket discounts on sites such as Goldstar and Certifikid. National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers is here in DC until September 10, 2017.
Photos courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith.
