How things work

Have you ever wondered why children get so many shots or whether the climate has changed in the past 500 years or which scientific discoveries are considered the most important?

Small but interesting

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you might be interested in a trip to the Marian Koshland Science Museum in the downtown area of Washington, DC.

The three-year-old museum, part of the National Academy of Sciences, is designed for middle-schoolers and older pupils.

Compared with the gigantic National Air and Space Museum, the Koshland museum is small. But it has interesting things to see and — here's a big plus — no crowds, so visitors rarely have to wait in line to check out the interactive exhibits.

The newest display, which opened recently, is on infectious diseases. The others are about global warming and scientific wonders.

Disease discussions

Perhaps you have heard your parents or grandparents talk about measles and polio.

At the museum, you'll learn that children now get shots that protect them from these and other diseases that were once common — and greatly feared because they caused paralysis, blindness or death.

Infectious diseases are spread from person to person. They include colds, flu and tuberculosis. Many are caused by viruses or bacteria.

One part of the exhibit lets you pretend to be a doctor and see how far the flu would spread during a severe outbreak if you give vaccinations to more — or fewer — people.

A red dot on a large map shows the first flu victim. Tiny red dots spread or disappear depending on the number of people vaccinated.

The climate exhibit lets you test how different actions, including turning down the thermostat two degrees in winter, could reduce greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

One of the most enjoyable displays lets you grab a joystick and navigate a twinkly, 3-D satellite view of Earth at night, comparing energy use all over the world.

Don't miss

• The Marian Koshland Science Museum is located at Sixth and E streets NW in Washington, near the Gallery Place/Chinatown and Judiciary Square subway stations. It is open from 10am to 6pm.
• The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is $5 (Dh18) for adults, $3 (Dh11) for children. For more information, visit www.koshland-science-museum.org.