The Smithsonian gift shops are no longer taking cash, accepting only credit cards instead. Make sure your student is prepared for this change before his/her trip to Washington, D.C. Prepaid debit cards are a great and safe way to control what your student has access to and able to be replaced should they be lost.
The change to cashless for the Smithsonian gift shops is part of a continuing evolution in the industry that is occurring as things reopen and travel resumes. We'll keep you abreast of the changes you need to know about for student travel!