DAR Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1910 |
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| Location | Washington, D.C. |
The DAR Museum is a cool place in Washington, D.C. It's a museum of art and history. A group called the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) runs it. You can find the museum inside Memorial Continental Hall. This building is close to DAR Constitution Hall, where some of the museum's events happen.
The museum is famous for its huge collection. It has over 30,000 items from America. These objects were made or used before the Industrial Revolution. That means they are very old! You can see furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, and textiles. Many of these items are displayed in more than 30 special rooms.
The museum also has a fun area called the New Hampshire Toy Attic. Here, kids can play with copies of old toys. While it's made for younger children, the museum has lots of family-friendly things to see. This includes all the interesting period rooms.
Contents
History of the Museum
The DAR Museum started in 1890. This was the same year the National Society Of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) began. The museum was created to keep and show family treasures. As part of the NSDAR, the museum wanted to save history. It also aimed to promote patriotism. They did this by collecting and showing items from the colonial era. Over the years, the museum's collection grew a lot. It now has over 30,000 items. These items came from DAR groups, members, and even purchases.
What You Can Do at the Museum
Museum Tours
The museum is open to everyone six days a week. You can walk around by yourself. Or, you can take a guided tour with a special guide called a docent. These tours show you the period rooms. They also show other parts of the museum. This includes the DAR library and its Americana collection.
The DAR Library
The library is located next to the museum. It's in DAR Constitution Hall. This is a great place to look up history. You can also research your family's past. Members of the DAR can use the library for free. If you are not a member, you can still visit for a small fee. The library has about 150,000 books. Most of these books are about family history.
Programs for Kids
The DAR Museum offers free programs for school groups. These programs teach about different topics. For example, you can learn about making quilts long ago. You can also discover what life was like for children in colonial times. They also teach about everyday life in the 1800s. The museum also has fun activities for families on weekends.
Special Exhibitions
American Period Rooms
The museum has more than 30 period rooms. These rooms are decorated to look like homes from different times. They are in a style called "colonial revival." The rooms come in many sizes. They have different furniture and types of rooms. You can see men's studies, old bedrooms, and even a large attic full of toys. Each room is supported by a different NSDAR group. The rooms show different time periods. You can even take a virtual tour of these rooms online. Just visit the DAR Museum website.
Fashioning The New Woman: 1890–1925
The museum has a special exhibit called "Fashioning The New Woman: 1890–1925." This exhibit shows how women's clothes changed. It covers the late 1800s to the 1920s. At first, women wore Victorian styles. These had bustles, long skirts, and many layers. But as women became more active, their clothes changed. They started doing sports and getting involved in society. Their fashion became more modern. The exhibit also looks at how society changed with these new styles. It tells stories of important people who helped with these changes.
Quilt Collection
The DAR Museum is part of the Quilt Index. This is a searchable online database of quilts. The museum collects and keeps quilts from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They have over 500 quilts and coverlets. Many of these quilts come with amazing personal stories. They tell about the people who owned them and made them. This is because DAR members often share their family histories. The museum also has a Quilt Camp in the summer. It's for kids aged 10 to 17.
See also
In Spanish: Museo DAR para niños
