ALPHABET ANIMALS
Go on an animal scavenger hunt in Capitol Hill
Just blocks away from the famous Capitol Building’s dome, you’ll find animal sculptures hidden throughout Capitol Hill. A spider weaving a web, narwhals dancing up a light pole, and a penguin watching traffic are just three of around twenty different sculptures that are part of Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s Capitol Hill Alphabet Animals.
Created by local artists and hanging on lamp and light posts, Capitol Hill Alphabet Animals make a game out of learning the alphabet while exploring DC’s street grid system, where streets running east to west begin with letters. So, where E Street meets 5th Street SE is an emu, the second-largest bird in the world and one of the only birds that can’t fly. Look for a ladybug sculpture where L and 2nd Streets SE intersect. At K and 4th Streets SE is where – you guessed it – a koala plays on a lamp post. There are things to learn from many of the sculptures. Find the honeybee and think about how important bees are for our ecosystem. Bees help pollinate the Earth, help provide medicine, and give us delicious honey. The wood thrush, DC’s official bird with a similar frame to a robin, makes an appearance too.
TIP: See more alphabet animal sculptures along Connecticut Avenue NW between the National Zoo and Cleveland Park.
Within the sculpture collection are a few especially fun animals. Where A and 7th Streets SE meet are two sculptures of an ant and an anteater. And don’t miss the Capitalsaurus chasing a Falcarius at F and 1st Streets SE, the exact spot where bones of DC’s official dinosaur were found in 1898. You’ll even find a sign that reads “Capitalsaurus Court.”
Address 545 7th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003, www.chaw.org/projects // Getting there Metro to Eastern Market (Blue,Orange,Silver Lines) // Hours Unrestricted // Ages 2+
BETHUNE MEMORIAL
Honoring a Black hero
One of the few statues that depict children in Washington, DC is part of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial in Lincoln Park.The memorial includes statues of two children, a boy and girl, playing with Mary McLeod Bethune, a civil rights activist and educator. his memorial is an important one. Designed by sculptor Robert Berks, it went up in 1974 on the 99th anniversary of Bethune’s birthday. It was the first statue in DC honoring a woman and a Black hero on federal land.
In case you haven’t learned about Mary McLeod Bethune in your history class yet, here’s her story. The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Bethune had a vision to help create a country where everyone is treated equally regardless of the color of their skin. She started several organizations to champion civil rights for the Black community, created a school for Black students, and served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was an inspiration to many.
TIP: Play on the two enclosed playgrounds in Lincoln Park.
When her memorial was erected, it joined another statue within Lincoln Park of Abraham Lincoln freeing an enslaved man.
This statue used to face the US Capitol but was rotated toward the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial. It would be rude for Lincoln to turn his back on a woman, especially one of such significance. The best way to honor and celebrate Mary McLeod Bethune is on her birthday every year on July 10, when the National Park Service throws a party for her. There’s face painting, story time, and even sweet potato pie.
Address East Capitol NE&13th Streets SE, Washington, DC 20003, mary-mcleod-bethune-memorial.htmwww.nps.gov/places/000/ // Getting there Metro to Eastern Market (Blue, Orange, Silver Lines) // Hours Unrestricted // Ages 2+
DINOSAUR POCKET PARK
Where toy dinos play
The smallest kids often find this pocket park first. Low to the ground in the front yard of a rowhouse, blue, green, pink, and yellow toy dinosaurs stand on rocks waiting to be played with – a mere mile from where real dinosaur bones were discovered years ago. It’s an example of a movement called “Sidewalk Joy,” creating spaces along paths to spread happiness – and a prime example at that.
Raising a little boy in a big city, the creator of this tiny park saw the curiosity in her son’s eyes as they explored the streets. Inspired by the idea of spreading joy through sidewalk art, together they built this mini park and decided to fill it with toy dinosaurs. Why toy dinosaurs? Because they are fun, happy, colorful, and inexpensive to keep the park full.
Kids are free to take one of the dinos as a memento. Sometimes neighbors and guests add their own toys to the collection, like a pair of frog statues. On occasion, the park’s owner and her son will place a toy dinosaur inside a water balloon and freeze it.Then they cut off the balloon and place the ice in the pocket park. Passersby enjoy watching the ice melt away to reveal the beast inside!
In between the National Mall and the Wharf, the park’s street is usually busy with locals and tourists alike walking by. It’s easy to miss, but don’t. The tiny dinosaurs spark joy and bring a smile to people’s faces, the goal of its creator and her son.Take a toy dinosaur as a new friend and travel companion as you explore the nation’s capital!
Visit another toy dinosaur pocket park at 4419 36th Street NW.
Address 602 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, www.instagram.com/ prehistoricpocketpark // Getting there Metro to L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver, Yellow Lines) // Hours Unrestricted // Ages 2+
HIRSHHORN ART SCHOOL
Think like an artist
One of the most whimsical museums along the National Mall is inside a doughnut-shaped building. If that’s not enough to entice you to walk inside the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the giant, polka-dotted pumpkin sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama will.
Once inside, you’ll find the Hirshhorn Art School, a large space where kids of all ages can create art for free. On Wednesdays, they host one of the city’s most interactive story times. It starts with free play in the gallery, where kids can play among famous works of art. Enjoy story time with a staff member, and then you can create your own art in the studio. For example, in honor of polka-dot-loving artist Yayoi Kusama’s 96th birthday, the story time book was about circles. Then the kids created their own masterpieces using circles.
Saturday is open studio day at the art school. For four hours, anyone can pop in and create all sorts of art. Activities are usually themed around the museum exhibits. Sometimes it’s painting, and other times it’s making posters. Supplies are provided, and staff members are eager to help if needed. The space has comfy couches just for hanging out. It’s also a museum in and of itself. Artifacts are on display related to the museum’s exhibits. During the exhibit of graffiti-inspired artist Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work, his lab coat was on display at the art school. After you’ve created your own art, order soft-serve ice cream at Dolcezza, a local café inside the Hirshhorn.
Address Independence Avenue & 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20560, +1 (202) 633-1000, hirshhorn.si.edu/explore/hirshhorn-art-school // Getting there Metro to L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver, Yellow Lines) // Hours Wed 10am–noon, Sat 10am–2pm // Ages 3+
TIP: Moongate Garden
in the nearby Enid A.Haupt Garden is modeled after a Chinese temple.