The name sounds funny, almost like it was a mistake or something, but the National Building Museum is pretty neat. It’s contents are exactly how it’s named- there are tons of exhibits on architecture, building projects around the world and the vision behind them, as well as photography for architecture. I had never been here before (and I’ve been to DC a few times and hit up lots of museums), and I’m glad I went. I would say overall it was a cool experience- there really is a lot to learn and it’s a topical museum that isn’t near as popular or talked about. But here’s my advice: if you haven’t been to DC and still need to see the “big” museums, don’t go to this one until you’ve been to the others. I just don’t think it’s worth it, plus you do have to pay admission for this one. Honestly, just walking in to see how darn cool the lobby is is plenty. Cuz seriously, it’s stunning and mesmerizing and with all due respect was the coolest part of the museum to me. However, if you’re like me and have been to the other museums, then give this one a try!

Built in 1887 by General Montgomery Meigs (founder of Arlington Cemetery), this building housed the National Pension Bureau; the predecessor of the Veterans Administration. This museum has several different galleries that explain the built environment and touch on various housing concepts and challenges. However, I wish the museum would touch on other aspects to include healthcare & education design, bridges and roadways, construction technology, and other ares that would garner interest in these careers fields. There is definitely space for expansion. For the kids and kids at heart, there is a large Lego Brick City exhibit allowing visitors to design their own structures. Be sure to take time to locate Harry Potter. 🪄

I'm not the best person to visit the place as the experience might not be for me. The structure itself is fascinating with high ceilings and exhibits spread in the floors surrounding the building. But I was expecting more miniature structures and experiences. But there was few of them and mostly galaries of architectural photography. Might be a place for someone else! There's a limited number of exhibits in any case though, a single floor with most closed. Furthermore, the gift shop was not focused on DC area much. It's simply focused on architecture and sometimes even basic house supplies.

We had a fun day here. Beautiful building. Lego exhibit and foam blocks were really fun for the kids. Hours of fun. Didn't have much in the museum to learn. Maybe we missed some exhibits.

This was the one museum my husband insisted on visiting while in D.C. during this trip and we really enjoyed it. There are four exhibits and it took us about 90 minutes to go through all four. Their restrooms were unique, their gift shop was an exhibit in itself (in my opinion), and it's $10 for adults and $7 for 60 and older, which was very reasonable.

I came from NY for the Brick exhibit (LEGO) exhibit. The adorable showcase is lovely. Although small, it's obvious that a lot of planning, patience and time was invested in even the simplest building. I enjoyed the LEGO play table. Unfortunately, I didn't come up with anything to build for which I found pieces. The kids were more creative. It was fun watching them. The museum itself doesn't have a ton to see, which can be positive or not, depending on your preference. What it does have is interesting, even for some like me who isn't that interested in this subject. After the LEGO exhibit, I love the spaces for kids to play. I also got a kick out of seeing early generation building toys. I'll remember the museum shop when I need to get fun educational gifts.

This is a really cool museum with some great architecture and exhibits! I loved learning about the various design methods including the art history. I look forward to visiting again to attend future events!

We were definitely left wanting more from this museum. $10 per adult seemed a little hefty for the lack of exhibits. I would have preferred $5-$7. It had some cool stuff but seems like it is way more geared towards kids and birthday parties? Would have like to see more information about how building in the US has been impacted by other cultures. Unfortunately, this is not a museum I would bring people to.

A nice place to visit (after all the major museums) in DC. The tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students. They have a big room full of legos for kids to build something up

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this museum. It does cost $10 for an adult, but it is worth it. They have rotating displays about architecture, city design, house building, etc. The displays I saw on the border wall and architectural photography were particularly interesting. The museum has several interactive areas that seemed popular with children. The museum store was one of the best museum gift stores I've seen, with nice puzzles and toys for children and a wonderful selection of urbanism, architecture, and gardening books for adults. All in a beautiful historic building easily accessible from the judiciary square metro.

It is a great museum. Hoping one day it will have more building exhibitions or photo of building exhibitions. This museum building is former passion building. It was built in 1887 and the designed by Montgomery C. Meigs. He was one of the hero of the Civil war hero. This building became to the museum was in 1997. Furthermore, it is good for bring kids to visit. It can help children to learn a lot of knowledge. The tickets are in the first floor near the door of G St. If student will have student discount.

Visited for the third time in the last few years to see the Brick City Exhibit and really enjoyed it. It is adult big kid and regular kid friendly. The building itself is cool to look around and has an interesting history (they do a few tours a day and I recommend going or reading the Wikipedia article on the building if you can't make the tour). The exhibit about the US-Mexico border was very informative and thought provoking.

The National Building Museum has an interesting selection of exhibits but I’m always so blown away by the extra events we’ve attended. The school and education extension program is phenomenal. The museum staff create fantastic hands-on projects for kids of all ages. The picnic included from tonight are from Folger Theater’s production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was a gorgeous venue for the Shakespeare production and I can’t help but notice how the Building museum’s architecture played such a fun role with the play. The National Building Museum is easily accessible from the metro and there are many restaurants and places to include on a day trip.

One of the innumerable the museum is in Washington, But where it will be necessary this time it is left to pay an entry of 10 $. The entrance in the building is free we need to pay only to have access to the different exhibitions. The building is of an impressive size where we do not lose the dimension but that is filled by several interventions during the year. The exhibitions presented are installed with a great quality, we will also find an educational part for the youngest or not. The museum store will be a nice visit to bring back a souvenir of its passage.

One of my favorite DC museums. Very kid friendly. Interesting exhibits and a gorgeous building.

This place is amazing, is such a nice building with a great atmosphere and arquitecture but the problem if that if you compare this to the Smithsonian museum that are all free and they offer so much, you just feel that is not worth it to pay for ho here. I don't know if the problem is that they have some exhibitions closed. You could see the museum in less than 35 minutes. It have a small place where kids can play and maybe that's the best area just right now. Very clean, a lot of nice staff to help you and very friendly

This private not for-profit museum focuses on buildings, where people live and the interaction between people and housing. It's more interesting than it sounds. There are two floors of exhibits. An exhibit about Notre Dame, the Paris Cathedral that had a terrible fire several years ago. The physical exhibits were augmented by pictures and videos on a tablet given out at the entrance. I've never seen anything like this. I really think this is the future of Museum exhibits.

Not very good value for the price. The museum is essentially just a huge rectangular room with about 6 or 7 small exhibits lined up around it, and that was it. A few were good but others were just lacking in their content. For a museum about buildings you'd expect more architecture or engineering design content, but there was none of that. The exhibits mostly consist of just photographs or drawings. Overall boring and unsatisfying, especially for the fact that there are so many superior free alternatives right in the area

A large museum with different subsections. Some sections are on areas not directly related to building hence a bit diverse coalition. A ton of informative photos and video displays at the museum. Could not explore all areas but enjoyed the sections I visited.

This museum is a nice but a small representation of the countries infrastructure. There are five exhibits open currently, kids building blocks, legos, infrastructure around the country, houses, and housing development solutions (closes mid October). You enter the building from the street and there are towering columns in the main foyer. A three story walk path surrounds the foyer with stairs and elevators that are accessible to all the levels. You check in on the bottom floor and immediately to your left you seen the countries infrastructure exhibit. Lots on material of construction, monuments around the country and history of our buildings. Upstairs includes building block and Lego exhibits for the kids and one on housing development over the years. I found them all interesting, was a little disappointed that there weren’t more exhibits, but hopefully in the future they will expand

Really short museum but can’t beat the price it’s 10 bucks for an adult. Takes a little over an hour to walk through if you take your time. I personally like more extensive museums but it was still cool to check out

Great museum for architectural and construction professionals and enthusiasts alike. So many interesting exhibits I couldn't get everything in the first visit but I will definitely be back!

Amazing architecture with monumental columns. There is a very captivating exhibit with mirror like structures that are hanging from the ceiling, and huge kaleidoscopes. Kids love it.

If you have a block builder in the family, or are looking for a stop between more famous DC landmarks, the National Building Museum is worth a stop. The first floor can be visited without a ticket. To go to Brick City, play with some blocks, and see the development of buildings plus some cool models, you'll need a ticket, which you can get from the visitor's center on the first floor. So you can take a look around before deciding. Tickets are $10 for adults ($7 for under 17s, over 60s, or students). It's an impressive building and if you get excited by small plastic bricks and think "everything is awesome" head to Brick City on the second floor.

The historic building is a great setting for an special affair. The building is located close the Verizon Center and has plenty of parking around the building as well as various restaurants and bars close to it. Many celebrities and politicians have been inside the building so we consider it an iconic part of DC. the National Building Museum hosts exhibitions, educational programs, and special events. They welcome visitors of all ages to experience stories about the building world and its power to shape our lives and communities. The Museum resides in the historic Pension Building, which contains one of the most awe-inspiring spaces in the nation’s capital

Great spot to get out of the cold. Membership worth it versus entry and exhibition tickets as it’s one of the few non-free museums in DC. Kids play area with blocks is on 2nd floor.

Didn't know what to expect here, and it's not the Air & Space Museum in scale, but it's fascinating, really well done (if smaller and a few, well-selected exhibits) and definitely worth the low admission. The building itself is stunning (site of 19 presidential inagural balls, and I can see why) and worth reading the facts sheet on it. It's also a cool, quiet and relaxing place to get away from weather and the touristy crowds (sad, because I think this place is great, but I'll take the silver lining). At first, I was thinking "not a place to bring kids", but when I saw the Play-Work-Build section with hands-on mega-sized foam tinkertoys (think pieces bigger than your kid), I changed my mind, and the kids (I'd say ages 7 or 8+) were having a blast. Anyone with an interest in architecture, sustainable housing, and the evolution of homes and neighborhoods in the US would enjoy this. The architectural photography exhibit is beautiful, and the gift has any type of architecture and design book you could want.

Take the 1:30pm tour. Good exhibits. Beautiful terracotta outside. Magnificent Corinthian arches inside.

This is a must see place especially if you have young children!! The exhibits are really interesting and fun!! It was hard to leave each room only to be amazed again by the next exhibit. I enjoyed every minute and look forward to returning!!!

Such an impressive building, and we enjoyed the museum. The lego exhibit and building blocks were great for our kids. The gift shop is large and offers unique items. The cafe was closed unfortunately. Little different part of town near Chinatown. Very close to metro stop.

Worth a stop. Beautiful atrium. Exhibits are incredibly educational. Great for kids, great for adults. A great use of a few hours! (Not free, it's $10 for adults, $7 for students).

The National Building Museum in Washington D.C. is a must-visit for anyone interested in architecture and design. The museum's exhibits are both informative and engaging, showcasing the history and impact of architecture on our everyday lives. The Great Hall, in particular, is a sight to behold with its grand columns and soaring ceilings.

Any age can be enjoyed by the Building Museum. Toddlers to teen kids play and build something interesting things. The museum has Lego buildings and blue foam building blocks.

This museum has some nice exhibit and the interactive kids activities were top notch. My kids loved the Lego room and building with huge foam blocks. It was worth a visit for them. I enjoyed the exhibit in different items found in homes throughout history and animals found in architecture. However, I left wanting a lot more. For the next two days, I just keep thinking of exhibits I would have liked to see in the Building Museum… while I feel it did a high level introduction to some of these things, I would have liked deeper information on architectural styles, building materials, different architects and styles they introduced, buildings styles or techniques through history, unique building elements through history and the story behind it, and on and on. The building itself was impressive! I wasn’t expecting the entire interior to be open.

Although we thought the latest special exhibit was a bit overhyped, the museum itself is interesting. The architecture photography was especially good. Lots to keep people of all ages interested. Kids especially liked the Lego room.

A massive structure with great architectural appeal and a LOT of space. Right now there are 2 great exhibits for kids to build stuff with other kids. I saw lots of parents just hanging back and socializing, while the kids had fun.

Free museum! It did cost me $9 to park. I only had an hour there. It would Take 2 hours to really see everything. A nice variety of types of art.

Every time I go into this building I love the space again. The programing is excellant the the gift shop superior. I am a member and it is a great investment

I've wanted to visit these exhibits for a while since the NBM was used as a staging area for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, and I finally took that opportunity, and it wasn't that bad! There were 12(!) exhibits, and it was hit or miss, but the exhibits were extremely varied! $10 per adult. $7 for students. FREE if you are a member! For Summer 2022 here are some of the following exhibits: 1. The Playhouse - 5/5: They transformed the atrium into the Folger Theatre, and are playing A Midsummer's Night Dream, and they have activities around the stage, and backstage tours! Really cool, I want to go back and see the actual play. 2. The Wall - 5/5: Very interesting and evocative exhibit, that's designed to initiate conversations since most visitors are probably "anti-wall". Stories from both sides of the border, and how border communities have evolved over time as policy changes. 3. Gun Violence Memorial Project - 5/5: Somber, poignant, and simple exhibit that has houses with cubbies that are filled with names and belongings of those killed by gun violence. Reminds us that everyone who died had a name, a family, hopes and dreams, and a community that mourns them. 4. What's Already There - 2/5: Seemed incomplete, but an exhibit demonstrating how Brussels is changing the urban landscape with sustainable practices, but the exhibit was not well guided, and I didn't know what I was looking at. 5. M|LAB - 5/5: It's a small exhibit, but super cool. Utilizing audio-visual, the exhibit transports you to different locations and you get to see how sound travels in different locations like the sound windmills make in an open field! 6. Notre-Dame De Paris: The Augmented Exhibition - 4/5: A technological exhibit that explores the construction, destruction, and rebuilding of the Notre-Dame in Paris. I thought a lot of the information wasn't well presented and focused on using AR for the entire exhibit rather than allowing AR to provide a superior experience.

Great big brick building that was the pensions office. There are several exhibits related to buildings and architecture. They even had a AR (augmented reality) Notre Dame exhibit where users use a table to navigate through the history of the building to its restoration post fire.

This was my first time visiting the National Building Museum. I went with my mom and my fiance, who is not a big "museum person." My mom and I enjoyed the self-guided tour, from which we learned a lot about the Reconstruction -era building and its architect. One of the docents told us that sometimes on the weekends there is a free volunteer-guided building tour, but unfortunately there wasn't one today. We didn't have that much time at the museum, so we only saw the Animals Collected exhibit and the temporary Notre Dame immersive exhibit. The Notre Dame exhibit was amazing - using an iPad, you explore the 2019 fire, the original construction, the renovation and destruction in the 1800s, and the ongoing restoration. It was engaging and even my fiance surprised himself by finding the exhibit fascinating. The iPad application is really well done, with some original videos and photos as well as some animated videos and illustrations to represent historic eras of the cathedral. There is even a gamified element that involves finding missing pieces of a stained glass window. Overall, the museum is interesting for someone who enjoys learning about architecture and the temporary Notre Dame exhibit is a great experience for everyone. There were even some young children in the exhibit with us and they seemed engaged too.

Great location for a March of Dimes fundraiser with Congresspeople "cooking" dishes. Angus King had the fan favorite lobster stew, which was excellent, and Representative Gallego and his wife from Arizona, who greeted people at their table the entire night, had the Judges' favorite with a sausage pepper with blue cheese dip.

The building is beautiful and definitely an experience to have and enjoy. The Gun Violence Memorial was extremely powerful

Great museum! The Great Hall (pictured) is a great sight to see! Bring your wide lens (my pictures are panoramas. I'll post one of my regular phone lens too. #3 is regular phone pic). They also had 2 more free exhibits. Plenty of space for kids to run around. The museum was free (some of it), but so impactful that we made a donation. We will be back.