Celebrating 100 years of the National Park Service National Mall and Memorial Parks invites visitors of all ages to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service at a week-long celebration with special events, festivals, and ranger programs on the National Mall, America’s most visited national park. The signature events include creating the largest living National Park Service emblem; a hip, high-energy evening concert and beer garden with music and comedy; a family fun festival in Constitution Gardens; and scavenger hunts to and in search of national parks across Washington, D.C.! All events are free and open to the public. Please note you can preregister for the August 25th Living National Park Service Emblem event. Come celebrate the centennial with some special deals from our concessioners: Mini Golf at Hains Point on August 21st and 25th. SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 Bicycle Ride with U.S. Park Police East Potomac Park, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Established by President George Washington and continuously on duty in the Nation’s Capital since 1791, the United States Park Police protect the monuments and memorials of the National Mall. Join Park Police officers and park rangers on a three-mile ride to Hains Point and back, and learn about the history of East Potomac Park. Younger riders can try out an orange-cone obstacle course and a half mile loop around the Park Police headquarters. Meet at 1100 Ohio Drive, SW. Guest Services will have their ice cream and beverage cart available during and after the event. The Mini Golf course at Hains Point is having a special after the ride, click here for details. National Parks Treasures in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB) from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.) MONDAY, AUGUST 22 National Parks Treasure in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB) from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.)
National Parks Treasure in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB) from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.)
National Parks Treasure in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB) from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 25 Lattes with Lincoln Lincoln Memorial Northside food kiosk 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Get caffeinated with the 16th commander-in-chief and learn how legislation signed by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War is considered by many to be the birth of the National Park System! Meet the park ranger at the kiosk at 10 Henry Bacon Drive (north of the memorial). Living National Park Service Emblem Washington Monument Grounds, 9 am -11am Be a part of the world's largest National Park Service emblem created on the grounds of the Washington Monument on our 100th birthday! More than 1,000 participants will be assembled into a living Arrowhead using brown, green and white umbrellas; once the Arrowhead is formed, an aerial photograph will be taken and shared with participants on the National Mall and Memorial Parks website and social media pages. The first 1,000 participants to check-in will receive a t-shirt commemorating their participation in this historic event, as well as get to keep their umbrella. Assemble at 9 a.m. on the west side of the Washington Monument grounds. Preregister for this event Rangerpalooza Lincoln Memorial plaza by the reflecting pool, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The green and gray uniform and ranger’s “flat hat” are among the most recognized features of the National Park Service. Celebrate 100 years of the National Park Service by learning about the men and women who care for the national parks. Children of all ages can try on National Park Service uniforms, see how the uniform has evolved through the years, earn a junior ranger badge, and learn about the many jobs in National Park Service that protect America’s scenic wonders and historic sites. Lincoln Memorial Expedition Arrowhead- Off the Beaten Path Scavenger Hunt 6 lesser-known NAMA sites, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Visit several of National Mall and Memorial Parks’ monuments and collect the pieces to a one-of-a-kind, National Park Service centennial commemorative stamp! The hunt starts on the west side of the Washington Monument, where participants receive a paper template and clues about the locations and features of several lesser-known National Mall sites, where they will find a stamp for their template. Participants who visit all stops will complete the commemorative stamp, available for one day only. The first 100 participants to complete the hunt will receive National Park Service prize pack. Total length is approximately five miles, and participants are encouraged to walk or ride Capital BikeShare and the DC Circulator National Mall Route to complete the hunt. Remember – stay safe, use crosswalks and stay hydrated! National Parks Treasures in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB)from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.) Road Trip with FDR FDR Memorial, 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. This 30-minute ranger-led program will reveal how, in early April of 1933, one month after Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd president of the United States, an afternoon driving excursion to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia created an opportunity for Horace Albright, the director of the National Park Service, that led to a decision that would ultimately make the National Park Service a truly national organization. Celebrate 100 Years with Music, Comedy and Beers Constitution Gardens, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Join the National Park Service for a hip, high-energy evening program and beer garden featuring live entertainment celebrating the centennial of the National Park Service. Comedian Ryan Singer and DJ Ecotone headline a line-up that includes D.C. power pop band Jukebox the Ghost, Baltimore alternative rock band The Last Year, and comedian Yoram Bauman. Enjoy refreshments in the beer garden (21+ only). Gates open at 5 p.m., entertainment starts at 6 p.m. Constitution Gardens Wild Shore New Music concert Sylvan Theatre 7 p.m. Join Wild Shore New Music for a special National Park Service centennial performance at the Sylvan Theatre on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Based in Alaska and New York City, Wild Shore joins forces with the National Park Service (NPS) for its Centennial to present a varied and compelling series of concerts in Alaska, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The program considers the NPS mission of preservation and conservation. Humans have always needed to use and understand the natural world in order to survive. Wild Shore stages this struggle, and invites audiences to reflect on it, through instrumental music. FRIDAY, AUGUST 26 National Parks Treasure in National Mall Museums Smithsonian Museums 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Unleash your inner Lewis and Clark as you explore museums on or near the National Mall to find exhibits, paintings and original artifacts related to America’s national parks! When objects are successfully found and photographed at the National Gallery of Art; and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and National Museum of Natural History, a virtual passport stamp from parks across the country is unlocked. To participate, download the scavenger hunt app Klickaklu (http://apple.co/2b8pZQB) from the Apple iTunes Store. Open the app, click on “Play a Hunt” and select “Centennial Scavenger Hunt” the list of Nearby Hunts. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.) Find Your Park at Farragut Square Farragut Square, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Celebrate National Park Service partnerships with the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District. Grab a food-truck lunch and participate in ping-pong, painting, and more! Learn about the history of national park rangers, try on uniforms, and learn about National Park Service careers and volunteer opportunities at the Rangerpalooza tent. Farragut Square, 17th Street NW between I and K Streets SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 America's Front Yard Family Festival Constitution Gardens 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Featuring live music, storytelling and other activities, this festival looks forward to the next century of the National Park Service, highlighting today’s youth as the future stewards of our national parks. Grammy-nominated rock band for kids Milkshake headlines an entertainment lineup that also includes acoustic guitar and vocals by Ellis Woodward; Uncle Devon; lively children’s sing-alongs with Yosi & the Superdads, the Great American Indian Dancers; magic, music and juggling with the Wes Holly Balloon Magic Show; Award-winning songwriter and sense of place advocate Erica Wheeler, and YAP, who delivers national park themes through hip-hop music and culture. Constitution Gardens The festival also includes face painting, juggling, a corn maze and lots of other fun activities for kids of all ages. Exhibits by more than 20 National Park Service partners will include Lego models of national parks, virtual reality park tours, 3-D printing of National Mall monuments and memorials, natural flora and fauna found in urban parks, and much more! National Women’s Equality Day Observance Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument An open house and reception in honor of National Women’s Equality Day (observed 8/26), highlighting one of the newest national parks and the next 100 years of the National Park Service. Special programs bring suffragist Lucy Burns to life, create a dialogue about the activism of the National Woman’s Party, and celebrate the life of Inez Milholland. Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, 144 Constitution Ave NE. Organic Act at the National Archives National Archives 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating a new federal agency, the National Park Service, to oversee the nation’s 35 (at the time) national parks. Known as the “Organic Act,” the original signed legislation is on display at the National Archives through August 31 and National Park Service rangers will be on hand to discuss the act and its significance. National Archives, East Hall (last entry at 5 p.m.) |
Last updated: August 23, 2016