Grab the Kids And Go!

Looking for family fun in the nation's capital? Beyond the monuments and museum-studded Mall are year-round activities sure to entertain (and even educate) an out-of-town tyke or your own curious brood. You can stargaze at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, take a mule-drawn boat ride on the C&O canal and assume a "secret agent" identity at the International Spy Museum. Many sites are free and accessible by Metro, so you can venture forth without straining your wallet or the feet of young companions.

Repeat visits often yield surprises. New exhibitions and special events keep old favorites fresh, and seasonal changes enliven any trip to a garden or nature center. Check Web sites regularly for family days, workshops and new displays.

National Zoo

Local panda celebrity Tai Shan, born at the zoo in 2005, is but one of 2,400 animals in this 163-acre park. Other stars include the sloth bears and fishing cats along Asia Trail, African lions, Sumatran tigers and lively North American prairie dogs.

Where:3001 Connecticut Ave. NW (Metro: Woodley Park, Cleveland Park). 202-633-4800. http://www.nationalzoo.si.edu.

How much: Free.

When: Grounds 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, buildings 10 a.m.-6 p.m., March through November. Grounds 6 a.m.-6 p.m. and buildings 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., November through March. On most days, an elephant bath and demonstration are at 10:30 a.m., meet the Bird House kiwi at 11 a.m., and seal and sea lion training at 11:30 a.m.

Food: Snack stands and fast-food restaurants.

What's new: Baby anteater next to Lemur Island, dama gazelles in cheetah conservation station and hogs and alpacas in the hands-on Kids' Farm.

Donald W. Reynolds Center

The center houses the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Portraits of American presidents and sports champions in the first and playful folk art in the second prove especially kid-friendly. The Lunder Conservation Center offers a behind-the-scenes peek at how art is cleaned and restored.

Where: Eighth and F streets NW (Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown). http://www.reynoldscenter.org, 202-633-1000.

How much: Free.

When:11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.