NOVEMBER FAMILY PROGRAMS at NBM

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
NEW! Custom Life-Size Playhouse in The Building Zone
On-going
First Floor Galleries

A life-size, green-build playhouse is the newest addition to The Building Zone ! In the Playhouse children may snuggle up with a book, "play house" and learn about sustainable design by discovering the truth wall--a behind the scenes look at what is behind the walls of a house. Donated to the Museum as part of HomeAid’s National Project Playhouse, and built by Pardee Homes, this new customized space provides children a safe place to imagine and play .
Why Play at the National Building Museum?
Just as a building’s foundation lays the groundwork for a structure, child-initiated play lays a foundation for learning. Through imaginative play, children learn to interact with others, to recognize and solve problems, and to gain confidence. Play helps children make sense of their physical and social worlds and their place within them. We invite our youngest visitors and their families to enjoy The Building Zone as they explore the world we build for ourselves.

Free. Open during Museum hours.

The National Building Museum Project Playhouse is sponsored by HomeAid and built by Pardee Homes.

Young visitors explore the new Playhouse on its inaugural opening in The Building Zone. Photo by Peter Cutts.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Weekend Family Days Coming Soon November 18
Home Stories: Identity and Architecture
Sunday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Explore the painted houses of the Ndebele people of Africa and other types of African architecture featured in the exhibition Lasting Foundations: The Art of Architecture in Africa.
Listen to a story about Ndebele people.
Learn about how houses can communicate ideas about identity and culture.
Create your own house that communicates something about your own identity.
$5 per house. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Great Hall. Drop-in program.
November 18
Outreach Program
Design Apprenticeship Program 16 Final Presentation
Sunday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
In conjunction with the National Building Museum exhibition Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture, the fall 2007 Design Apprenticeship Program 16 (DAP) challenged teen students to focus on modern furniture design. Over six intensive sessions, participants investigated the importance of furniture design and worked in teams to design and construct a furnished space for a local community center. During this final presentation, DAP participants will unveil their furnished room to the public and host a discussion of their design process.

Free. Registration not required.

Design Apprenticeship Program is sponsored by The McGraw-Hill Companies and The Prince Charitable Trusts. Additional support for outreach programs is provided by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; The Capital Group Companies; The Clark Charitable Foundation; and The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, among others.

December 8
Home Sweet Home: Gingerbread House Workshop
Saturday, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Registration is now open!
Get into the holiday spirit and learn about traditional Finnish customs and architecture! Families assemble fresh gingerbread houses and decorate them using royal icing and a wide assortment of edible “building” materials. Program presented in partnership with the Embassy of Finland and The House of Sweden.
$40 per house, Museum members; $50 nonmembers. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Prepaid registration required by Friday, November 30. To register call 202.272.2448, ext. 3450 or email family@nbm.org.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Family Hands-On Tool Kits

The Museum's newest daily offering for families has arrived! On your next visit, check out one of the new Family Tool Kits. Designed for families with children of many ages, each family or group will get their own Tool Kit loaded with lots of cool things and activities to help explore the architecture of the Museum's historic home by seeing, moving, touching, and doing!

• Patterns Here, There, and Everywhere!
(for children ages 3-7 with adult companions) Includes: making your own patterns using architectural stamps and rubbings, looking for patterns in stories, building patterns with mini bricks, making musical patterns, and much much more!

• Eye Spy: What Can You Find with Your Little Eye?
(for children ages 7-10 with adult companions) Includes: binoculars and flashlights to look for hidden architectural details, custom wooden jigsaw puzzles of the Museum, drawing activities, eye spy games, and much much more!

• Constructor Detector
(for children ages 8-11 with adult companions) Includes: measuring tapes, a measuring wheel, a level, magnetic compass, hammer and nails, and much more to complete lots of fun measurement and art activities.

Free for members. $5 check-out fee per tool kit, non-members, cash or check. Tool Kits are for rental and
on-site usage until 4 PM daily. Recommended for children ages 3-11+ with adult companions. Available on-going daily.

A family enjoys a Tool Kit together at the NBM. Photo by Museum Staff.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Host A Memorable Birthday Party for Your Child at the National Building Museum!
The National Building Museum offers exciting hands-on parties for children ages 3-11. The party lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and consists of a building orientation, a museum activity, and a birthday celebration. Parties can be any day of the week between 1 and 4 pm (some flexibility with timing is possible, please email).

• Choice of party activity
• Hands-on projects for every child to take home
• Use of the Museum’s party space including tables and chairs for the celebration
• Party favors for children and plastic “hard-hats”
• Museum T-shirt for the birthday child
• Building orientation

For more information, visit our Birthday Party webpage.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Amazing Arches:
Build a Life-Sized Arch in the Museum's Great Hall

Arches are an iconic architectural feature in the Museum's Great Hall and around the world. But have you ever wondered just how they work? Discover the arch's secrets for yourself by constructing a 7-foot-tall, soft-block arch in the Museum's Great Hall. Fun for all ages!

Free. On-going daily. Appropriate for all ages.

All hands on deck to construct the giant arch! Photo by F.T. Eyre.


------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Ongoing Family Programs
Discovery Carts

Bridging the Gap
Saturdays, 10:30 - 11:00 am
During this interactive demonstration, participants learn about five basic bridge types before solving a transportation problem by choosing a type of bridge to build.

Free. Registration not required. Most appropriate for ages 5 and up.

Arches and Trusses: The Tension Builds
Sundays, 11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Discover how building forces, materials and structures affect strength and longevity. Participants test different building materials and work together to build an arch.

Free. Registration not required. Most appropriate for ages 5 and up.

Activity Booklets and Exhibition Guides for Families
Designed for children ages 6-13, the "Treasure Hunt" activity booklet introduces architecture concepts and features in the Museum and around Washington, DC. Ask for complimentary copies at the Museum's Information Desk. Exhibition Family Guides help engage younger audiences in exhibitions like Washington: Symbol and City.
Look for free printed copies inside or just outside the exhibitions.

Adventures in Architecture Scavenger Hunt
This fun and educational printed guide is designed for families with pre-teens and teens. Set off around the Museum, identifying key architectural elements, sketching, and analyzing the building itself. Ask for complimentary copies at the Museum's Information Desk.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Exhibitions

Marchel Breuer: Design and Architecture
November 3, 2007 - February 17, 2008
First Floor Galleries
Lasting Foundations: The Art of Architecture in Africa
October 6, 2007 – January 13, 2008
Second Floor Galleries

Investigating Where We Live
August 10, 2007 - November 25, 2007
Second Floor Galleries
David Macaulay: The Art of Drawing Architecture
June 23, 2007 – May 4, 2008
Second Floor Galleries

Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection
Long-Term
First Floor Galleries
Washington: Symbol and City
Long-Term
First Floor Galleries

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Calling all Scouts! Join the National Building Museum's hands-on programs and learn about architecture, urban planning, construction, engineering, building, and design. These engaging programs teach Scouts to recognize and solve design problems, test civil and aerodynamic engineering principles, weigh environmental issues, and "read" the buildings around them. The programs also assist Scouts in fulfilling their badge requirements.

Registration for Cub Scout and Girl Scout programs is available on-line.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
The National Building Museum, created by an act of Congress in 1980, is a private, nonprofit institution that examines and interprets American achievements in building through exhibitions, education programs, and publications. To learn more about the National Building Museum and the programs covered here, please visit www.nbm.org or call 202.272.2448.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY PROGRAMS AND TO REGISTER, CONTACT FAMILY PROGRAMS AT 202.272.2448 OR EMAIL FAMILY@NBM.ORG

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Please feel free to forward this e-mail or post this information for general distribution to interested parties.