Put your fingers on the pulse of American media at Washington, D.C.’s Newseum

How does the news affect our everyday lives? How has journalism evolved through the centuries? What makes an event newsworthy? And what does it take for a newscast to appear on your television or a newspaper to arrive on your doorstep?

Mere blocks from the U.S. Capitol and White House, the innovative Newseum invites visitors to discover the fast-paced world of news for themselves. Dedicated to a mission “to help the public and the news media understand one another better” and to “raise public awareness of the important role of a free press in a democratic society,” this 250,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art museum offers visitors a hands-on experience that delves into five centuries of news history and peeks behind the scenes to see how news is made.

With its high-tech, four-dimensional theater, interactive newsroom and educational games, the Newseum has proved to be a hit with students. Even before the museum reopened to the public in April 2008, representatives from Smithsonian Student Travel toured the museum and determined that the Newseum was a must-see for teachers and students. Since then, we’ve added the Newseum to several of our itineraries, including our 5-day Washington, D.C.: The Capital Tour and our 5-day Washington, D.C., & Gettysburg tour.

Be sure to make the Newseum a stop on your next tour to Washington, D.C.! For more information, go to newseum.org.