Sometimes you want a little art, a quick history lesson or a scientific discovery that doesn’t eat up the entire day. If your party includes little ones with short attention spans or grandparents with limited stamina, spend a couple hours exploring these local museums, walking tours and landmarks. Who knew we had so much rich history and fascinating culture in our own backyard?
Arlington Historical Museum
Home to the Arlington Historical Society, this museum is free and open to the public, with a self-guided tour through Arlington’s history. The building itself is historic, too. Formerly known as the Hume School, it’s the county’s oldest schoolhouse, complete with a school bell you can ring. Visit weekends from 1-4 p.m. // 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington
Arlington Public Art Walking Tours
If the weather is nice, head out for a stroll and take advantage of one of the county’s many self-guided walking tours, with stops at various public art installations. Arlington is home to more than 70 permanent art pieces, from sculptor Foon Sham’s shelter-like Ridge in Virginia Square to Echo, a Penrose Square installation by artist Richard Deutsch inspired by the Three Sisters Radio Towers that broadcast the first trans-Atlantic radio signal in 1915, connecting Arlington with the Eiffel Tower. The concave parabolas carved into the granite are designed to project sound. // Multiple locations throughout Arlington
Ball-Sellers House
Owned and operated by the Arlington Historical Society, this farmhouse in the Glencarlyn neighborhood was built in the early 1700s by farmer John Ball and is the oldest structure in Arlington County. Three generations of the Carlin family owned it next, including William Carlin, a tailor for Martha and George Washington. On the grounds, note the three bronze plaques that the historical society and Black Heritage Museum of Arlington installed last year to honor the lives of three enslaved people who worked at the home. Now a museum, this local landmark is free and open to the public from 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays from April through October, but private tours can be booked during the colder months, weather-permitting. // 5620 Third St. S., Arlington (Glencarlyn)
Black Heritage Museum of Arlington
Founded to celebrate the African American journey to freedom in Arlington County, this small museum on the Pike features exhibits on Arlington’s historically Black neighborhoods, the desegregation of Arlington public schools, pivotal community leaders and Freedman’s Village, a Civil War-era settlement for formerly enslaved people. The museum’s collection illuminates a history many of us were not taught in school, including the vital role African Americans played in the formation and development of Arlington County, and the heritage and struggle of the Black experience in Virginia. Check the website for hours. // 3045 Columbia Pike, Arlington (Arlington Heights)
David M. Brown Planetarium
Operated by Arlington Public Schools (APS), this planetarium named for hometown astronaut David M. Brown, who perished on the space shuttle Columbia, offers public programming several nights per month during the school year. On the first weekend of each month, APS presents an hourlong program, and Friends of the Planetarium hosts one on the third weekend of the month. On the first Monday of the month, Jonathan Harmon hosts the 90-minute Stars Tonight program, a look at stars and celestial phenomena. Check the website for the upcoming shows. Admission is $5 per adult; $3 for senior citizens and children 12 and younger. Note that the planetarium accepts cash or check only and doesn’t offer reservations. // 1426 N. Quincy St., Arlington (adjacent to the campus of Washington-Liberty High School)
DEA Museum and Visitors Center
First opened in 1999 and renovated in 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration Museum grew out of a special agent’s collection of narcotics law enforcement badges. Today, it’s an interactive learning environment full of artifacts, personal histories and hands-on educational activities. Current exhibits include DEA at 50, which looks at agency milestones of the past five decades; DEA at Work, which offers a glimpse into how special agents, forensic examiners and researchers carry out their work; and The Science of Addiction, a study of how plants and synthetic chemicals can become addictive drugs. // 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington (Pentagon City)
Civil War Visitor Center at Fort C.F. Smith
Forest bathers will be delighted to discover that this 19-acre park has a nature trail. But be sure to also stop at the visitor center, which houses exhibits and archaeological artifacts relating to the Union soldiers assigned to defend Washington, D.C., between 1861-1865. Kids even can try on replica Civil War costumes (Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays, 1-5 p.m.). Also worth a look-see are the park’s Civil War earthwork ruins, which stand as the best-preserved ruins of the 22 forts that were located in Arlington. The county offers walking tours of the sites where other Civil War forts once stood, including Fort Scott (built by the Union Army in 1861 to watch over Four Mile Run Valley) and Fort Ethan Allen (also built in 1861 to command the approach to Chain Bridge). // 2411 24th St. N., Arlington (Woodmont)
Let’s Roam Seven Corners Scavenger Hunt
This app-guided walking tour covers 1.69 miles and 1.5 hours. As you explore the area, you’ll find the answers to trivia questions and find hidden treasures. To do it, download the Let’s Roam app for free on your Apple iOS or Android device and start solving the riddles. The app includes navigation with turn-by-turn directions to find destinations. Tickets are currently $28.87 per player for everyone ages 5 and up. Family/friends and annual passes are also available for $155.53-$177.76.
Military Women’s Memorial
If you’re paying a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, include a stop at this small museum honoring the 3 million women, past and present, who have served in the U.S. armed forces since the American Revolution. Established in 1997 by U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught, the neoclassical structure houses exhibits chronicling the lesser-known stories of women who served in the Civil War, the theaters of World War II, Vietnam and beyond. // Memorial Ave & Schley Drive, Arlington
Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
Occupying a circa 1910 school building in Virginia Square, MoCA Arlington is home to nine exhibition galleries, working studios for 12 artists and three classrooms offering art-making workshops for participants of all ages. A satellite location in National Landing, MoCA Arlington’s Innovation Studio + Store, is home to an artist-in-residence program, more creative workshops and a gift shop. // 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Virginia Square) and 525 14th St. S. (National Landing)
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Situated on the grounds of the Pentagon, this 2-acre outdoor memorial honors the 184 people perished at the site on September 11, 2001, when terrorists steered American Airlines Flight 77 into the iconic structure. A 24-minute audio tour is available for download or by calling 202-741-1004. The memorial is accessible round the clock, every day of the year. // 1 Rotary Road, Arlington
Victorian Architectural Styles Walking Tour
Take a self-guided walking tour of notable properties in the City of Falls Church. The Little City is home to many 19th– and early 20th-century buildings, including the ornately gabled Birch House (circa 1855) and the Falls Church Presbyterian Church (1884). A downloadable map lists 19 sites and structures to admire, mostly along East Broad Street between South Street and North Washington Street. // Multiple locations