Made popular by the 2006 movie “Night at the Museum” – where statues come
to life when the sun sets – overnight adventures provide experiences that
both parents and children carry with them throughout their lives. “Kids
often ask me, ‘Do things really come alive?'” says Brigitte Blachere,
program manager with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. “I
tell them, ‘You let me know in the morning.'”
That sense of mystery and excitement, combined with the opportunity to go
behind the scenes and take part in hands-on activities, are what make
museum sleepovers memorable. “How many people do you know who can say they
slept on the floor of the National Archives rotunda?” says David S.
Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States. That’s where the
Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States and Bill of
Rights reside.
The Mission
Whether it’s hooking kids on science, promoting environmental stewardship
or connecting kids with the past, museum overnight programs blend education
and entertainment. “Our goal is to allow participants to travel back in
time and explore what life was like for lighthouse keepers,” says Allison
Speight, volunteer and education program manager for the Chesapeake Bay
Maritime Museum in St. Michael’s, Maryland.
Through Historic Ships in Baltimore “kids get a hands-on experience and
learn what it was like to live and work on these vessels,” says Sarah
Rauscher, education coordinator. The group runs overnight programs on the
USS Constellation, a Civil War sloop-of-war; USS Torsk, a World War II
submarine; and USCGC Taney, a World War II Coast Guard cutter.
An overnight at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. helps
families hone their problem-solving, observation and team-work skills, says
Jacqueline Eyl, youth education director. They leave understanding that
“spying is a game of intellect and observation, not leaping from buildings
in flames and killing people.”
At the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, the idea is for campers “to
have fun and leave feeling that science is engaging and truly relates to
their lives,” says Karen Via, supervisor of group programs.
The National Aquarium, also in Baltimore, strives “to help guests
understand how we care for different animals,” says Candice Canady, manager
of tours and experiences. “What we want our guests to take away is a sense
of wonder, wanting to learn more about animals.”
The Smithsonian National Zoo’s mission includes giving families the
opportunity to spend time together with few distractions, says Alice Kapp,
an education programs specialist with Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ).
“It also gives them a chance to get a little nature while still being smack
dab in the middle of the city.”
The Experience
Overnight programs generally include a behind-the-scenes tour and several
themed activities. Some are highly structured, while others provide some
down time. When it comes time to hit the hay, some facilities have more
creature comforts than others. “It may not be the most comfortable night,
but it will be the most exciting night. You’re trading comfort for cool,”
says the Spy Museum’s Eyl.
During KidSpy Overnight, guests take on a cover name and disguise, make and
break secret codes, uncover important secrets, interrogate real spies and
hunt for a mole. A morning mission gives kids the last piece of
intelligence to find the mole. “The conclusion is very dramatic,” Eyl says,
“with the security team locking down the room, arresting the suspect and
carrying him away.”
Overnights at the Museum of Natural History and Museum of American History
in Washington, D.C, and the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F.
Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, feature activities designed to
highlight and complement the evening’s theme. Kids become a junior
explorer, detective or pilot, depending on the adventure.
The National Archives sleepover includes a scavenger hunt and the
opportunity to write to the U.S. President. “We deliver those letters to
the White House on Monday morning,” says Ferriero, the archivist. The
evening features a space exploration theme and a chance for kids to don
space suits. Come morning, there are pancakes – blueberry or chocolate chip
– flipped by the archivist himself.
Great Cats, Small Mammals and Cheetah Conservation Station are among seven
themed experiences offered through Snore and Roar at the National Zoo.
Visits with keepers, who the FONZ’s Kapp describes as rock stars and
leaders in their fields, are the highlight. The zoo overnight is an outdoor
adventure, with guests pitching and sleeping in tents, which are provided.
Sleeping accommodations on Historic Ships in Baltimore include hammocks on
the Constellation and berths on the Taney and Torsk. Activities reflect
what the ships’ crews might have experienced, and so does dinner. For
example, beef stew and hardtack are served on the Constellation.
Campers may sleep beneath the watchful eyes of sharks or help keepers
awaken the dolphins in the morning as part of the National Aquarium’s three
sleepovers, all of which include a 4-D movie. “There’s no substitute to
being here at night and seeing what happens when the lights go out and the
staff goes home,” says Canady.
A highlight of the evening is “climbing to the top of the lighthouse to see
the Miles River and City of St. Michael’s,” says the Chesapeake Bay
Maritime Museum’s Speight. Sleeping in the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse is
an authentic experience. “You can hear the wind as it blows and ships as
they bounce over the waves,” she says.
The Cost
Overnights range from $40 to $135 per person. Factors that influence cost
include meals – some offer both dinner and breakfast, others offer just
breakfast, and still others offer only evening snacks – and staffing
levels.
Things to Know
Some overnight programs cater to families and others to youth groups.
Programs have a minimum age for participation. Some operate year-round and
others seasonally. The adult-to-child ratio varies, as does the minimum age
for chaperones. Some facilities are handicapped accessible. Some programs
can accommodate food allergies. Air mattresses are allowed at some
programs. Inquire before confirming a reservation.
Whether your child would prefer to spend the night in a battleship,
submarine, lighthouse, aquarium, zoo or museum, there’s a sleepover with
his name on it somewhere in or around the National Capital region. There’s
no need to watch the movie when you can experience a dusk-to-dawn adventure
for yourself.
OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCES
-
Battleship Wisconsin
One Waterside Dr., Norfolk, VA
Families and Youth Groups
$70
757-664-1057 -
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
213 N Talbot St., St. Michaels, MD
Youth Groups
$40
410-745-4941 -
Historic Ships in Baltimore
Pier 1, 301 East Pratt St., Baltimore, MD
Youth Groups
$57
410-396-3453 -
International Spy Museum
800 F St. NW, Washington, DC
Families and Youth Groups
$115
202-393-7798 -
Maryland Science Center
601 Light St., Baltimore, MD
Youth Groups
$47
757-664-1057 -
National Aquarium
501 E Pratt St., Baltimore, MD
Families and Youth Groups
$120 General, $105 Groups, $100 Member
410-576-3800 -
National Archives Museum
700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Families and Youth Groups
$100 Foundation Member, $125 Non-Members
202-357-5946 -
Smithsonian Museums
-
Museum of American History
1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Families and Youth Groups
$125 Smithsonian Members, $135 Non-Members
202-633-3030 -
National Museum of Natural History
10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Families and Youth Groups
$125 Smithsonian Members, $135 Non-Members
202-633-3030 -
National Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Chantilly, VA
Families and Youth Groups
$125 Smithsonian Members, $135 Non-Members
202-633-3030 -
Smithsonian’s National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Families and Youth Groups
$70
202-633-4888 -
Virginia Zoo
3500 Granby St., Norfolk, VA
Youth Groups
$50
757-441-2374
