Walk-in Tours:
Docent led tours are offered to walk-in visitors at 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. "The tours highlight the exhibitions, "To Bind Up the Nation's Wounds: Medicine During the Civil War, "From a Single Cell," "Evolution of the Microscope," Resolved: Advances in Forensic Identification of U.S. War Dead," and "Trauma Bay II Balad, Iraq."
General tour:
This is an overview of the museum's permanent exhibits, including "Resolved: Advances in Forensic Identification of U.S. War Dead," "Trauma Bay II Balad, Iraq," "Medicine During the Civil War," "From a Single Cell," and Evolution of the Microscope. Time should be allowed at the end for participants to explore temporary exhibits. An emphasis on the history of medicine or on disease prevention and control may be requested.
Approximate duration: 60 minutes. Tour limited to 40 students (and minimum 10 students).
General Tour Teacher Guides for Grades 6-8. General Tour Teacher Guides for Grades 9-12
**Video: "The Secret Life of the Brain" This series of films explores the startling new map of the brain that has emerged from the past decade of neuroscience and shares a revelatory view of this most complicated organ. Narrated by actress Blair Brown, the series tells stories through a mix of personal histories, expert commentary and cutting-edge animation. Viewers will not only learn startling new truths about the brain, the will voyage inside it. The Baby’s Brain: Wilder than Sky, The Child’s Brain: Syllable from Sound, The Teenage Brain: A World of Their Own, The Adult Brain: To Think by Feeling, The Aging Brain: Through Many Lives. A Thirteen/WNET New York/PBS Production (each film is 60 minutes). Recommended Audience: Grades 6-Adult.
**Video: "100 Greatest Discoveries: Genetics" Only a century or so old, genetics is now a cornerstone of the life sciences. This program presents 13 vital contributions to the field: Gregor Mendel's rules of heredity; Thomas Hunt Morgan's’ detection of chromosomal gene location' George Beadle and Edward Tatum's "one gene, one enzyme" concept; Barbara McClintock’s discovery of transposons; the acceptance of DNA as the basis of genetic information; James Watson and Francis Crick's double helix; Marshall Nirenberg’s genetic code; the discoveries of RNA, restriction enzymes, RNA splicing, and RNA interference; Alec Jeffrey's’ DNA identification technique; and the Human Genome Project. Narrated by Bill Nye. A Discovery Channel University Production. (46 minutes) Recommended Audience: Grades 6- Adult.
Civil War Tour:
Participants can tour the museum's exhibit "To Bind Up the Nation's Wounds: Medicine During the Civil War," and find out about a world without antibiotics. Students can also learn about advances in the use of anesthesia, the creation of today's hospital system, and how a new women's medical profession developed as a result of the Civil War.
Approximate duration: 60 minutes. Tour limited to 20 students (and minimum 10 students).
"Recommended Audience: Grades 3-Adult. Resources: Teacher Guides for Grades 3-5, Click Here. Teacher Guides for Grades 6-8, Click Here. Teacher Guides for Grades 9-12, Click Here."
Forensics Mystery:
After museum docents introduce the topic of forensic identification, participants work in pairs or small groups on the exhibit floor to gather information about a set of bones, determining age, sex, height, etc. As a whole group, they then use the evidence and profiles of missing persons to determine whose remains they may have been examining.
Approximate duration: 60 minutes. Tour limited to 35 students (and minimum 10 students).
"Recommended Audience: Grades 5-Adult. Click Here for a Teacher’s Guide to the Forensics Mystery."
**Video: "The Unknown Soldiers" In the summer of 2003 the remains of two bodies were discovered in a field in Northern France. It was the start of a remarkable detective story to identify who they were. The case would use all the resources of a unique American military unit based in Hawaii. JPAC is the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command who have a mission to search for, identify and bring home every missing American serviceman from all previous conflicts. A BBCTwo Timewatch Production (60 minutes). Recommended Audience: Grades 9-Adult.
Teddy Bear Clinic: During a hands-on discovery program, students may bring their favorite stuffed friend to learn the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. A museum docent will guide the students through a journey to check their stuffed friend’s vitals, dental health and nutrition. Approximate duration: 45 minutes Tour limited to a maximum of 30 students (minimum 5 students) Recommended Audience: Pre-k-3rd grade
My Human Body, A Discovery Program: Students will explore 5 major systems of the Human Body through a docent-led discovery program in our classroom. A combination of interactive games, crafts, holding real plastinated organs and using microscopes, will allow students to learn the function, imporantance and ways to keep the systems healthy. Click Here for a Teacher’s Guide to the My Human Body, A Discovery Program. Approximate duration: 45 minutes Tour limited to a maximum of 30 students (minimum of 10 students) Recommended Audience: Pre-k – 4th grade
Empathy Belly™ Pregnancy Simulation:
During a hands-on classroom demonstration, a museum docent will outfit one or two members of the group with The Empathy Belly™ to show how nine months of pregnancy impacts the human body. The Empathy Belly™ is a weighted "garment” that will enable female and male wearers to temporarily experience more than 20 of the typical symptoms and effects of pregnancy. This program is designed for teenagers and older. **Parental consent is required for participants age 18 and younger. Contact the museum for more information: 202/782-2456.
Approximate duration: 60 minutes. Program limited to 35 students. "Recommended Audience: Grades 9-Adult."
**Video: "Life’s Greatest Miracle" Lennart Nilsson’s cameras take the viewer into the mysterious and beautiful world of the human body, capturing incredible never-before-seen footage. Among the highlights- a new take on the old story of how egg and sperm find each other, a dramatic view of the six-day-old embryo as it escapes from its confining shell, and a unique look at the creation of blood vessels and organs like the eyes and the brain. Stunning moments like these are interwoven with the story of a young couple preparing to welcome their first child, climaxing with an unblinking and intimate portrait of birth. "Life's Greatest Miracle" goes deeper. Computer animation reveals the inner workings of cells inside the embryo, as master control genes switch on and off, orchestrating each crucial step in a baby's development. One such momentous change is the cascade of chemical reactions that determine whether the embryo will be a boy or a girl. A NOVA Production (60 minutes). Recommended Audience: Grades 9- Adult.
Video: "THE AUTOPSY: A Clinical Guide"
Designed for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and forensics, this comprehensive series provides a detailed overview of the procedures involved in performing an autopsy. This is an actual autopsy and contains graphic material.
Part I: Health and Safety, Evisceration, and Reconstruction—Section one of this program focuses on the health and safety issues that accompany an autopsy, with an emphasis on sharps practice, the use of protective clothing and equipment, and the design of the postmortem suite. Section two demonstrates the basic techniques used to eviscerate a body and to achieve a safe and cosmetically acceptable reconstruction. (26 minutes)
Part II: Hospital Postmortems—Section one of this program shows how to conduct a detailed external examination of the body as the first step of a routine hospital autopsy. After a brief review of the methods of evisceration, section two presents the dissection of the organs situated in the pelvic, abdominal, and thoracic cavities, as well as the unfixed brain. (22 minutes)
**Parental consent is required for participants age 18 and younger. Click here to download a permission slip. Approximate duration: 48 minutes (You may choose to view one or both parts of the video series). Program limited to 110 students.
Video: "Ultimate Guide: The Human Body"
The human body is by far the most complex machine in the world. This program explores that marvel of design using outstanding computer graphics and animation plus a wealth of fascinating statistics and facts about the body’s capabilities. Major systems such as the skeleton, skin, brain, nerves, balance, and senses are discussed by a wide range of experts, including athletes, astronauts, physical anthropologists, and doctors. A Discovery Channel Production. (51 minutes) Recommended Audiences: Grades 5-Adult.
Programs for Larger Groups
Introduction:
This is an excellent way for larger groups to take advantage of the museum's resources, exhibitions, and objects. A docent provides students a brief overview of the history of medicine and gives participants a chance to see and touch real human organs. After this presentation, the group can spend as much time as they'd like looking at the exhibits.
Approximate duration: 20 minutes. Limited to 100 students. Recommended Audiences: Grades 5-Adult
Student Discovery Sheets:
As a follow-up to a guided tour or as a more focused self-guided experience, the Discovery Sheets encourage participants to take a closer look at museum objects and exhibits. Written at the high school level, these sheets help students/adults explore museum highlights. Click here to download the Discovery Sheets. If you decide to use the Discovery Sheets during a self-guided tour of the museum, please bring a photocopy for each student and ask students to bring pencils and writing boards/clip boards.
Forensics Discovery Sheets:
The Forensics Discovery Sheets allow groups to experience forensic science during an unguided tour of the museum’s exhibits. This self-guided experience is ideal for groups that are too large to participate in the Forensics Mystery Workshop, or they may be used in conjunction with a guided tour experience. These sheets are appropriate for the high school level and above. Click here to download the Forensics Discovery Sheets. If you decide to use the Forensics Discovery Sheets during a self-guided tour of the museum, please bring a photocopy for each student and ask students to bring pencils and writing boards/clip boards.
Unguided Tours:
Tour the museum on your own to learn more about the history of military medicine and human identification, an examination of a variety of medical instruments, and a comparison of medicine from the Civil War times to the present. Visiting the museum in this fashion allows flexibility for teachers/group leaders to concentrate on the specific interest and needs of the students/adults in the group. Consider requesting the Tour-Mate listening wands (for groups of 30 or fewer) or using the Student Discovery Sheets to enhance your self-guided tour experience.
Making a Reservation
- Make reservations for docent-guided tours four to six weeks in advance. The museum requires a minimum of one adult chaperone for every ten students.
- Allow 60 to 90 minutes for your tour. We recommend providing another 30 minutes to explore additional exhibits not covered in the tour.
- There is no charge for guided tours or admission to the museum, but donations are gratefully accepted. Please make checks payable to “American Registry of Pathology—NMHM Registry.
- The museum will not accommodate any request to remove or cover up an artifact or rope off areas, so teachers of younger students should preview the museum before scheduling a tour to determine the appropriateness of a visit.
- Unguided tours do not require a reservation. However, a call in advance will help to assure that the group has optimal touring conditions.
- To book a group program at the museum, please call 202-782-2456.
- If a tour must be cancelled, we request that we be notified as soon as possible.
- If a group is more than half an hour late, tour guides will not be available for the tour.
Visitor Services and Information
- The National Museum of Health and Medicine, 6900 Georgia Avenue and Elder St. NW, Building 54, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. is located ½ mile south of the Maryland-D.C. border, between Georgia Avenue and 16th Street. For a complete directory of directions and parking information, please visit our directions page.
- The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The museum is closed on Dec. 25.
- Bus parking is provided in front of the museum. Passenger vehicles may also park in front of the museum if there is space. Please pick up a permit at the museum's information desk. There is no charge for parking.
- Due to a heightened state of security, adult visitors are required to present a photo ID and sign in at the front desk of the museum.
- All exhibits and facilities are wheelchair accessible. Please call (202) 782-2200 for assistance with any other disability needs. Wheelchairs are available for visitor use upon request.
- All visitors are strongly encouraged to leave comments in the museum's guest book.
Tour Links
The National Museum of Health and Medicine is one of the sites on the Civil War Discovery Trail, operated under the auspices of the Civil War Preservation Trust. The Civil War Discovery Trail has been designated as one of only 16 flagship National Millennium Trails by the White House.
