Tyler's first field trip will go to the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC (both these museums are in the same building). There are many other places students might be interested in going to. The National Building Museum, with a show on Landscape Architecture and one on timber building construction, is about 5 blocks away ($6 w/ student ID). The International Spy Museum ($22) is across the street. The Newseum ($25, ask for student discount) is 8blocks). The National Gallery of Art (free) is 8 blocks. There is also a Metro station adjacent to the building should you want to go somehwere else in DC.
Bus leaves at 9 am from 13th & Diamond Street to go to the the Bus leaves the National Portrait Gallery at 4:30 pm to return to Tyler around 8 pm.
The bus trip is free. Most Smithsonian-affiliated museums in Washington DC are also free. You are not required to go to any museum to ride the bus. You are not required to return on the bus if you do not want to. If you are not there at 4:30 pm when the bus leaves, you will get left behind.