Chase Fireflies and Daydream on the "Lawn" at the National Building Museum This Summer

By Kim Humphrey
Posted Apr 30, 2019 News Things to Do DC/MD/VA

Ahhhh, the carefree feeling of summer . . . lounging on the grass daydreaming, chasing fireflies, playing yard games with friends. . . and kicking back in interactive hammocks suspended from the National Building Museum’s 100-foot-tall ceiling. Wait, what? Yes, that’s all part of this year’s NBM Summer Block Party installation, Lawn, presented in conjunction with AARP.

In what has become a summer tradition for Washington, D.C.-area families, the Museum continues its uber-popular Summer Block Party series this year with yet another over-the-top, immersive playground for kids and adults alike. Over the past six years, we’ve seen the Great Hall transform into a beach, a huge maze, a fun house, a bee hive, and more. This summer, we can look forward to ‘chillaxing’ and playing on an expansive lawn made of sustainably grown sugarcane with soybean-based backing because #SavetheEarth.

While the National Building Museum announced this summer’s exhibition back in January, no details were provided until today. Produced in partnership with the LAB at Rockwell Group, the same group that developed and designed the Museum’s popular PLAY WORK BUILD exhibit for kids, Lawn will feature a vast, sloping green space filled with interactive experiences for all ages. Guests will even get the thrill of running around the lawn chasing and catching fireflies thanks to a LAB-designed, custom Augmented Reality experience!

“Whether it is a backyard or a public green, lawns bring people together and foster a sense of community, so our goal was to create an indoor lawn that would inspire people to share stories, make memories, and daydream, while honoring the great tradition of summertime,” said David Rockwell, founder and president of Rockwell Group in a recent press release. The lawn will feature clusters of communal lounging areas, from Adirondack chairs to blankets to those interactive hammocks we referred to earlier, complete with piped-in audio of famous American storytellers sharing their summertime memories.

Lawn will open July 4th and run through September 2, 2019. Free passes for Museum members will be available online starting June 18th. Non-members will have to wait until June 25th to snag tickets. There will also be a limited quantity of walk-up tickets available on site each day. The installation is complemented by special programs and events, including movie nights and yogo on the lawn, and ticket purchasers will be able to visit all of the Museum's exhibitions. You can sign up on the NBM's website for updates.

While we had our fingers crossed for a massive Slip N' Slide, this seems pretty cool, too. Croquet anyone?

Check out these family-friendly activities and events for more fun and affordable things to do with kids in Washington, D.C. 

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