November 18, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Christmas is here, and we're celebrating like no other place in DC! Check out this year’s lineup of fun and family-friendly activities, from concerts and interactive experiences to educational workshops. And don't forget to shop our Christmas Market to find something unique for everyone on your "nice" list.
Grand Hall Activities
We're making the Grand Hall free for Christmas. Come in and enjoy the cafe, shop the Christmas Market, hear the story of Christmas, and listen to local choirs caroling.
Christmas Market
Shop our specially curated Christmas Market for everything you need this season, from festive Nativity sets to toys for the kids.
Storytime
Experience the wonder of the Christmas story from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, brought to life in multiple languages. Celebrate the power of faith, unity, and tradition across cultures.
Available daily, 3:00 p.m.
Live Performances & Concerts at the World Stage Theater
Learn about the Meaning of Christmas with Family-Friendly Activities
Nativity Workshop
Create your own Nativity set as a family. Express your creativity and build your own Nativity scene while learning about the history behind this timeless craft, still practiced in Malta.
Cost: $14.99 per Nativity kit (for families of 4)
Location: Multipurpose Room, Floor 1M
Available Saturday–Sunday
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Ornament Creation
Get into the Christmas spirit with this hands-on ornament-making workshop.
Location: Floor 4 Atrium
Available Friday–Saturday
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
"A Christmas Carol" Interactive
Did you know A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is filled with allusions to the Bible? Join our carolers for an interactive experience where you’ll play a part in transforming Scrooge’s heart and rekindling his Christmas spirit.
Location: Galilee Theater, Floor 3
Available Friday–Sunday
1:00, 2:00 & 3:00 p.m.
Did You Know?
Hear from curators and museum specialists as they dive into the biblical history and seasonal traditions of the Christmas holiday. These sessions are free with general admission.
The Myths of Christmas—November 29
Who Was St. Nicholas—December 6
Malta Cribs—December 13
Bethlehem, Then and Now—December 20
Location: Demo Lab, Floor 4
12:00–12:30 p.m.
Lunch & Learn: "Three Wise Women" Featuring Dandi Daley Mackall
Through an immersive reading of her best-selling book, Three Wise Women, Dandi tells the story of Jesus through the eyes, ears, hearts, and spirits of three women God used to bring about the first Christmas: Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna the Prophetess. This event is free with a general admission ticket or online, but you must register.
Location: Members Lounge, Floor 6, and Zoom
December 11
12:00–1:00 p.m.
The Story of Hanukkah
See our living history interpreters bring the Maccabean Revolt to life. Pantomime battles, tyrannical rulership, heroes, and the miracle of eight days of light—all building up to the fight for freedom and the birth of the Jewish nation.
Location: Sea of Galilee mural, Floor 3
Available December 25, 2024 – January 2, 2025
1:30, 2:30 & 3:30 p.m.
Give the Gift of a Museum Visit
Give your friends and family the opportunity to visit the museum with a virtual gift card.