Our Story | Past, Present, and Future of the National Children's Museum

The National Children’s Museum is founded on the accomplishments of the former Capital Children’s Museum (CCM), located near Washington, DC’s Union Station. Established in 1974, CCM was an early leader in children’s museum development. It served approximately 200,000 visitors annually, including children, their parents, caregivers, and teachers.

During the planning and construction phase of the new Museum, the National Children’s Museum is reaching out to the region and the nation with school and community outreach programs, traveling exhibitions, and programs in partnership with other organizations, as a Museum Without Walls.

The new museum for children and families is scheduled to open in 2013 at Prince George’s County’s National Harbor – a $2 billion, 300-acre, mixed-use waterfront development – to transform the banks of the Potomac into a gateway to the Washington region for kids and families.