• Visit
• Calendar
• Exhibitions
• Collections
• Conservation
• Research
• Education
• Support

• Looking for art? Search Collections
• Art questions? Ask Joan of Art

Search the site

• About
• Blog
• Sign Up
• Shop
• Press
• Contact

Family Programs

The Smithsonian American Art Museum offers a variety of programs for families and children of all ages. Bring your young, budding artists to explore the museum and participate in fun hands-on activities that will be sure to spark their creativity!

Upcoming events Saturday August 8, 2009 Family Day - Staged Stories 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grand Salon Renwick Gallery Enjoy an afternoon of fun-filled activities and discover the four artists featured in the new exhibition Staged Stories: Renwick Craft Invitational 2009. Fiber artist Mark Newport will show us how he creates his superhero suits and will lead a family friendly tour of his work in the exhibition. Visitors can also choose from craft activities inspired by all four artists. Grand Salon—Renwick Gallery Sunday August 9, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Wednesday August 12, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday August 16, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday August 16, 2009 Ghosts of a Chance 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Luce Foundation Center, Third Floor Smithsonian American Art Museum Decipher codes, follow treasure maps, send text messages (bring your text enabled cell phone), and uncover hidden objects in this multimedia scavenger hunt. Register in the Luce Foundation Center between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the day of the event. Allow approximately 90 minutes to complete. (Groups of ten or more can play Ghosts of a Chance by appointment; contact GoodlanderG@si.edu to schedule.) Please note that you only need one cellular phone per group, and that the text-messaging element for the game will not work on a pre-paid phone. Wednesday August 19, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday August 23, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Wednesday August 26, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday August 30, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday September 6, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Saturday September 12, 2009 Family Day - Fiesta de las Americas 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Kogod Courtyard Smithsonian American Art Museum,National Portrait Gallery The whole family is invited to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a journey through Panama. The day will include traditional Panamanian music, dance performances, and storytelling. Make rain forest-inspired prints and build your own pop-up books to share your discoveries. To learn about other Hispanic cultures, take a scavenger hunt through the art galleries. Sunday September 20, 2009 Ghosts of a Chance 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Luce Foundation Center, Third Floor Smithsonian American Art Museum Decipher codes, follow treasure maps, send text messages (bring your text enabled cell phone), and uncover hidden objects in this multimedia scavenger hunt. Register in the Luce Foundation Center between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the day of the event. Allow approximately 90 minutes to complete. (Groups of ten or more can play Ghosts of a Chance by appointment; contact GoodlanderG@si.edu to schedule.) Please note that you only need one cellular phone per group, and that the text-messaging element for the game will not work on a pre-paid phone. Saturday October 3, 2009 Family Day - William Wiley 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM Kogod Courtyard Smithsonian American Art Museum Help us welcome artist William Wiley to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Wiley will perform his own music for audiences of all ages. In between attending Improv for Kids workshops and playing the pinball machines, you can create pinball paintings and design your own buttons. Sunday October 4, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Sunday October 18, 2009 Ghosts of a Chance 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Luce Foundation Center, Third Floor Smithsonian American Art Museum Decipher codes, follow treasure maps, send text messages (bring your text enabled cell phone), and uncover hidden objects in this multimedia scavenger hunt. Register in the Luce Foundation Center between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the day of the event. Allow approximately 90 minutes to complete. (Groups of ten or more can play Ghosts of a Chance by appointment; contact GoodlanderG@si.edu to schedule.) Please note that you only need one cellular phone per group, and that the text-messaging element for the game will not work on a pre-paid phone. Sunday November 1, 2009 Art a la Cart 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM F Street and G Street lobbies Smithsonian American Art Museum Travel throughout the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at our interactive carts for kids ages 7–12. Pick up your Art à la Cart map and passport at information desks located in the F Street and G Street lobbies. Education programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum are supported by its Director’s Circle and contributions from the museum’s members. Saturday November 14, 2009 Family Day - Frontier! 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM Kogod Courtyard Smithsonian American Art Museum,National Portrait Gallery Take off with American Art and the Portrait Gallery as we journey out to the Western Frontier. Dress up like Annie Oakley or George Catlin for a photo-op and make corn-husk dolls and dream catchers to take with you. Our scavenger hunt through the art galleries will be your map to the Old West. Then return to the Courtyard to enjoy bluegrass music and storytelling. Saturday November 28, 2009 Ghosts of a Chance 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Luce Foundation Center, Third Floor Smithsonian American Art Museum Decipher codes, follow treasure maps, send text messages (bring your text enabled cell phone), and uncover hidden objects in this multimedia scavenger hunt. Register in the Luce Foundation Center between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the day of the event. Allow approximately 90 minutes to complete. (Groups of ten or more can play Ghosts of a Chance by appointment; contact GoodlanderG@si.edu to schedule.) Please note that you only need one cellular phone per group, and that the text-messaging element for the game will not work on a pre-paid phone.
See all calendar of events.

• Smithsonian Institution
• Copyright
• Privacy