Library of Congress for kids?
Monday, March 2, 2009 at 3:44PM 
I've long felt that the Library of Congress is Washington, DC's best American history museum, although the recently improved National Museum of American History is coming on strong. The main building, named after Thomas Jefferson, is an incredible example of Italian Renaissance architecture and has some of the best crafted exhibits in Washington, blending the historical artifacts and interpretation with the interactive displays that are apparently required by law now. And their temporary Lincoln exhibit is top notch; even I like it. But as Amanda M asked, how is it for kids?
Well, like the lawyers say, it depends. Ok, that's a cop out, so let's hit a brief selection of highlights if you happen with your young ones.
First off, even if the kids are too young to get much out of the exhibits per se, the building itself is fun to explore. The Great Hall is breathtaking and even young children can enjoy trying to spot hidden details in the ornate designs. The tunnels between the Capitol Visitor's Center, Jefferson Building, and the other library buildings help feed a sense of adventure. While entirely open to the public, it feels like you're getting away with something as you go underground from one building to the next. It's like a big game of Clue. Also, I recommend the courtyards if you need to relax on nice days. For young kids; who have been told to pay attention, stop fidgeting, and not touch anything; it's nice to let them run around a bit. You have to go down to the cellar level to get to them and it takes a bit of exploring to find the entrance, but another great thing about the Library of Congress is that the staff is almost, if not quite universally, friendly and helpful.
Which touches upon the Library of Congress's greatest strength; the people who work there. Yeah, everyone always says that, but it's kind of true here. Unlike just about all the other museums, monuments, displays, etc. in Washington, the exhibits here are secondary to the Library's primary mission. Which, perversely, may actually make them more customer friendly than the rest. The docents you take the tour with, the folks walking the halls, and the people having lunch in the cafeteria are all librarians and those who support librarians. They're proud of what they do and are looking to show it off a bit. They're not burned out and tired of dealing with tourists. Show a little interest and you could be in for a ride.
WARNING: The above may backfire with docent led tours and kids. I've had a docent explain where every single bit of stone in the Great Hall came from. Kids, particular younger ones, may not find this fascinating.
A particularly kid friendly touch is the passport system; part of the Library's excellent web presence at MyLOC.gov. While I often rail against "infotainment", the interactive displays throughout the exhibit halls do an excellent job of enhancing the experience, not substituting for it. My four year old is just starting to get a handle on it, and the middle school tours enjoy it. Heck, I find it useful myself. Basically, as you go in, you get a free "passport" and you can put them in most of the touchscreen displays. When you get home, register it, and it remembers what displays you looked at and can bring up more info on them. If you're from out of town, a lot of things you may have done on your visit to DC can blend together; this is a great way to follow through on your visit and stay engaged.
Depending on when you're coming, the LoC has a lot of kid-friendly events, so check their calender. I even understand Michelle Obama is to be there today.
Last, but certainly not least, for parents of young kids is the high quality of the bathrooms in the Jefferson Building. I imagine the only people laughing now are those who have never taken a child out of the house during potty training. In a city where I am often dashing from bathroom to bathroom, the Library of Congress is an oasis. There's also lots of quiet nooks and crannies if you're looking for a quiet place to nurse a child.
Reader Comments (2)
Excellent tips, thanks! And you're right about the bathrooms, and most of the employees. :)
Thanks, by and large they do OK. Honestly though, I don't know what people see in a couple of them.