The Experience

A visit to the Innovation Center is more than a field trip. It's an opportunity for students to step into the heart of innovation, civic life, and American history. Each group participates in hands-on programs led by court staff. Students take part in mock trials, explore historic homes, and engage in thought-provoking discussions that connect classroom learning to real-world issues. Every visit includes a personal conversation with a federal judge, offering a unique window into how the law shapes our daily lives and future innovations.

What makes a visit here unlike any other in DC?
This video follows students as they argue a mock trial, explore historic houses, test their skills in interactive exhibits, and meet a federal judge. See how history, science, and civics come alive in one unforgettable day.

The National Courts Building has long been a center of civic life in Washington, DC. Generations of leaders and changemakers lived, worked, and shaped history within its walls. Your students will walk through spaces that once housed:

• Dolley Madison, who turned her Lafayette Square home into a center of social and political life in the nation’s capital.
• NASA, which helped lead the United States into the Space Age.
• The National Woman’s Party, which turned Lafayette Square into the center of the fight for women’s suffrage.
• The Cosmos Club, whose members advanced science, exploration, and the founding of the National Geographic Society.

Our programs weave these stories throughout, giving students a deeper understanding of how innovation and activism have long shared the same address.