. . . VISITED AVIATION'S "FIELD OF FIRSTS." One of the oldest airports in the country, the College Park Airport was used by the Wright brothers to test their airplanes for their government contracts. The airport also was home to the country's first airmail service, was the site of the first female air passenger (who flew as a guest of the Wrights) and was where some of the first radio navigation aids were tested. The adjacent museum features hands-on displays about flight.
• The College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr., College Park. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and groups of more than 10, and $2 for children and students with identification. Information: www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com or 301-864-6029.
. . . GRABBED A BITE AND SOMETHING FUN at Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery and General Store. There's not much commercial development along Route 1 in downtown Hyattsville, but that makes Franklin's stand out all the more. Patrons can enjoy signature dishes and sample the different beers brewed on the premises. After the meal is over, step into the general store and browse the funky gifts and candy. There is even a small wine shop in the back.
• Franklin's, 5123 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville. Hours: The general store and restaurant are open daily for lunch and dinner, starting at 11 a.m. Information: 301-927-2740.
. . . SAT A SPELL WITH MARYLAND'S famous amphibian, Kermit the Frog. Yes, when you think of the University of Maryland, generally you think turtles, but it's also home to frogs, pigs and myriad other creatures. Jim Henson, the late Muppets creator, attended the university, and while there he experimented with puppetry, culminating in the creation of "Sam and Friends," which made its TV debut in the Washington area in 1955. Series featuring the Muppets would come later. A statue of Henson and Kermit, a gift from the Classes of 1994, '98 and '99, is the first on the Maryland campus to honor a graduate.
• The statue of Jim Henson is outside the Stamp Student Union on Campus Drive on the university's College Park campus.
. . . SEEN WHAT FREEDOM WROUGHT. Frederick Douglass's summer residence was built by the abolitionist's son in the late 19th century as one of the nation's first retreats for a black person. The house, which is near Annapolis, fell into disrepair over the years, and a pair of architects purchased and renovated it in 1986. Bought by the state of Maryland 10 years later, the house now serves as a museum that showcases the life of the Douglass family and black history in the area.
• The Frederick Douglass Museum and Cultural Center, 3200 Wayman Ave., Highland Beach. Hours: open by appointment only. Information or to schedule a visit: 410-267-6960.
. . . LIFTED THE VEIL ON OUR NATION'S INTELLIGENCE HISTORY. One of the few places in the world where the public can examine former top-secret projects and items, the National Security Agency's National Cryptologic Museum satiates even the most ardent desire to play Secret Agent Man. Examine the tools and meet the people from America's code-breaking past. Highlights include a German Enigma machine, a Cray supercomputer used to decipher intelligence and an exhibit on Native American code talkers.
• The National Cryptologic Museum is adjacent to NSA headquarters at Fort Meade, Route 32 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays (except federal holidays) and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month. Information: www.nsa.gov/museum or 301-688-5849. Free.
. . . RELIVED THE DAYS OF THE INDEPENDENT TOY STORE. It may not have every toy under the sun, but Mumbles and Squeaks is enough to make any child (or the child at heart) crazy with glee. Step inside the small storefront and prepare to be overwhelmed. There are toys stacked on toys and crammed in every corner. But don't expect to find the latest video game: Every toy here is selected for the creative child.
• Mumbles and Squeaks Toy Shoppe, 8133 Main St., Ellicott City. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Information: www.mumblesandsqueaks.com or 410-750-2803.
. . . FOUND A GOOD READ AT A LIBRARY designed for its pint-size patrons. Located in a small house on a triangular plot in Kensington, the Noyes Library for Young Children caters primarily to preschoolers. This one-room library, opened in 1893, not only has the distinction of being the oldest in Montgomery County, but it is also one of only a few like it in the country.
• The Noyes Library for Young Children, 10237 Carroll Pl., Kensington. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Information: 301-929-5533.
