smithsonian travel guide

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Your 2024 smithsonian pocket guide, amazing things happen here.

From our museums in Washington, DC and New York City, to our traveling exhibitions in venues closer to home, to our website and mobile apps, you will always find something worthwhile to discover and enjoy. This 2024 pocket guide offers a small sample of the thousands of things to see and do at the Smithsonian this year, all made possible thanks to the support of people like you.

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Tap to zoom, smithsonian museums located on or near the national mall in washington, dc, located elsewhere in washington, dc, and virginia, located in new york city, featured exhibitions.

In its new pose devouring a Triceratops, the Nation's T. rex is the centerpiece of the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils—Deep Time .

The david h. koch hall of fossils - deep time.

June 8, 2019 - Permanent, National Museum of Natural History The new David H. Koch Hall of Fossils showcases the museum's unrivaled collection of 46 million fossils re-positioned in new, dramatic, more scientifically-accurate positions, and presents the most up-to-date scientific research on how life on Earth has evolved. Find out more » Take me there »

Freedom papers and handmade tin carrying box belonging to Joseph Trammell, 1852. Gift of Elaine E. Thompson

Slavery and freedom.

September 24, 2016 - Permanent, National Museum of African American History and Culture As the centerpiece of the museum, this exhibition explores the complex story of slavery and freedom, a story standing at the core of our national experience. Find out more » Take me there »

Photo: Joel Barlow

Many voices, one nation the great leap of faith.

Summer 2017 - Permanent, National Museum of American History At the heart of this nation lies a great search for balance between unity and pluralism. Many Voices: One Nation presents the five-hundred-year journey of how many distinct peoples and cultures met, mingled and created the culture of the United States. Find out more » Take me there »

Photo: Indian Chief motorcycle on loan from the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Birmingham, Alabama. Photos by Matailong Du for the National Museum of the American Indian

January 18, 2018 – 2027, National Museum of the American Indian American Indian represent less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, yet names and images of Indians are everywhere: military weapons, town names, advertising and that holiday in November. American invites visitors to take a closer look, and to ask why. Find out more » Take me there »

Julie Packard by Hope Gangloff. Acrylic on Canvas, 2019. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; funded by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Board of Trustees. Copyright Hope Gangloff

Star power: photographs from hollywood’s golden era by george hurrell.

March 1, 2024 - January 5, 2025, National Portrait Gallery Widely regarded as the preeminent Hollywood portrait photographer of the 1930s and 1940s, George Hurrell (1904-1992) created definitive, timeless images of many of the most glamorous figures of filmdom’s golden era. Hurrell began his Hollywood career in 1930 as a photographer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the studio (founded in 1924) that claimed to have “more stars than there are in heaven.” With a keen eye for lighting effects and artful posing, he developed a style of presentation that magnified the stars and influenced popular standards of glamour. Advancing rapidly to become MGM’s in-house portraitist, he produced memorable images of film royalty, from Greta and Clark Gable to Spencer Tracy and Joan Crawford. He established his own studio on Sunset Boulevard in 1933, where he continued to photograph actors for MGM as well as those under contract with other major studios. After closing his studio in 1938, Hurrell concluded the decade as the head of photography for Warner Bros. Selected from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection by senior curator of photographs Ann Shumard, this exhibition features golden-era portraits that reveal Hurrell’s skill in shaping the images of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Find out more » Take me there »

William H. Johnson, Crispus Attucks, ca. 1945, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1983.95.53

Fighters for freedom: william h. johnson and the struggle for social justice.

March 8, 2024 - September 8, 2024, Smithsonian American Art Museum William H. Johnson painted the Fighters for Freedom series in the mid-1940s as a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers, and performers as well as international heads of state working to bring peace to the world. The exhibition Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson and the Struggle for Social Justice is drawn entirely from the collection of more than 1,000 works by William H. Johnson given to the Smithsonian American Art Museum by the Harmon Foundation in 1967 and reminds us that individual achievement and commitment to social justice are at the heart of the American story. Find out more » Take me there »

Artist and art professor Lois Mailou Jones (19051998) in her classroom at Howard University (c. 1930s), where she taught and mentored students for nearly 50 years. Credit: Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Bold and beautiful vision: a century of black arts education in washington, dc, 19002000.

March 23, 2024 March 2, 2025, Anacostia Community Museum Outside the spotlight of the nation’s major museums and galleries, and in a longtime segregated school system, African American artist-educators in twentieth-century Washington, D.C., achieved the extraordinary. Unified not by a singular aesthetic vision but by a bold and deeply held commitment to inspiring a love of the arts in young people, these artists shared their gifts with their students in the face of the seemingly insurmountable challenges of underfunding, overcrowding, and being overlooked. Some of the country’s most gifted artists taught and were taught in Washington’s educational institutions, from small community centers to university classrooms. They included such visionaries whose names are today both well-known and not-so-well-known: Elizabeth Catlett, Alma Thomas, James A. Porter, Loïs Mailou Jones, David Driskell, Hilda Wilkinson Brown, Thomas Hunster, and Georgette Seabrooke Powell, to name only a few. This exhibition traces the story of the teachers and students who made Washington, D.C., a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education. A Bold and Beautiful Vision features captivating original artworks, rare video footage, and awe-inspiring artistic artifacts, like Alma Thomas’s paintbrushes and watercolor paint set, an early 20th-century lifelike marionette that William Buckner made with his local high school students, original Elizabeth Catlett prints that once hung in the halls of her Washington high school, and Sam Gilliam artwork from the period when he was teaching at McKinley Technical High School. Come see the artwork and hear the voices of the African American artist-educators who enriched the lives of many generations of Washington’s young people and who—along with their students—produced work admired by audiences across the globe. Find out more » Take me there »

Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints

March 23, 2024 - October 6, 2024, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Throughout Japanese cultural history, the boundary between the real world and the world of supernatural beings has been remarkably porous. Certain sites, states of mind, or periods in the lunar cycle made humans particularly vulnerable to ghostly intervention. The Edo period (1603-1868) was a crucial stage in the development and solidification of ideas about the supernatural. Many of the beliefs that gained currency at this time are still held as conventional wisdom in Japan today. Supernatural entities came to life especially during noh and kabuki theater performances. Explore—if you dare—the roles that ghosts and spirits play in the retelling of Japanese legends and real events. Staging the Supernatural brings together a collection of vibrant, colorful woodblock prints and illustrated books depicting the specters that haunt these two theatrical traditions. Find out more » Take me there »

CLOSING SOON

Lily Hope, Memorial Beats , 2021, thigh-spun merino and cedar bark with copper, headphones, and audio files, 16 x 4 x 10 in., The Hope Family Trust. Photo by Sydney Akagi

Sharing honors and burdens: renwick invitational 2023.

May 26, 2023 - March 31, 2024, Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum The Renwick Invitational 2023 features artists Joe Feddersen (Arrow Lakes/Okanagan), Lily Hope (Tlingit), Ursala Hudson (Tlingit), Erica Lord (Athabaskan/Iñupiat), Geo Neptune (Passamaquoddy), and Maggie Thompson (Fond du Lac Ojibwe). Together, these artists present a fresh and nuanced vision of Native American art. The artists were selected for their work that expresses the honors and burdens that Native artists balance as they carry forward their cultural traditions. These artists highlight principles of respect, reciprocity, and responsibility through their work that addresses themes of environmentalism, displacement, and cultural connectedness. Find out more » Take me there »

Little Richard. Johnson Publishing Company Archive. Courtesy J. Paul Getty Trust and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. G. Marshall Wilson (1905-1998). Little Richard praying on the steps of a church. Brooklyn, New York, New York, 1957

Spirit in the dark: religion in black music, activism, and popular culture.

November 18, 2022 - April 7, 2024 , National Museum of African American History and Culture Spirit in the Dark examines Black religious life through a selection of photographs from the Johnson Publishing Company, publisher of Ebony , Jet , and Negro Digest . The images in the exhibition spotlight noteworthy individuals—including religious and political leaders, musicians, authors, athletes, activists, and educators—and uplift objects from the museum’s collection, many on display for the first time. Together they reflect diverse aspects of the Black religious experience and testify to the role religion has played in the struggle for human dignity and social equality. Find out more » Take me there »

Frederick Douglass by an unidentified artist. Oil on canvas, 1845. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

One life: frederick douglass.

June 16, 2023 - April 21, 2024, National Portrait Gallery One Life: Frederick Douglass illuminates the legacy of one of the 19th century’s most influential writers, speakers and intellectuals through prints, photographs, and ephemera. After escaping slavery in 1838, Douglass published three autobiographies and a novella, delivered thousands of speeches, and edited the longest continually running Black newspaper of the 19th century. Always a radical activist, Douglass devoted his life to abolitionism and “all rights for all.” A political insider and policy influencer during the Civil War, he befriended and advised President Lincoln. Crucially, Douglass changed traditional rules of representation by explaining how “true art” (as opposed to insidious caricatures) could be an engine of social change. Find out more » Take me there »

Left to right: Ritual wine pouring vessel (gong) with masks (taotie), dragons, and real animals, Anyang or middle Yangzi region, ca. 1100 B.C., bronze, Gift of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer, F1961.33ab; Ritual wine-pouring vessel (gong) with masks (taotie) and dragons, middle or late Anyang period, ca. 1100 B.C., bronze, Gift of Arthur M. Sackler, S1987.279ab; Ritual wine-pouring vessel (gong) with masks (taotie), dragons, and real animals, middle Anyang period, ca. 11501100 B.C., bronze, Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment, F1939.53ab (National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution)

Anyang: china's ancient city of kings.

February 25, 2023 - April 28, 2024 , Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings is the first major exhibition in the United States dedicated to Anyang, the capital of China’s Shang dynasty (occupied ca. 1250 BCE-ca. 1050 BCE). The source of China’s earliest surviving written records and the birthplace of Chinese archaeology, Anyang holds a special connection with the National Museum of Asian Art. In 1929, one year after Academia Sinica began archaeological work at the Bronze Age site, Li Chi assumed leadership of the excavations. At the time, he was also a staff member of the Freer Gallery of Art (192530). To promote archaeological practice in China, the Freer supported Li Chi and his first two seasons of work at Anyang. This collaboration, predicated on the advancement of scientific knowledge and the protection of cultural patrimony, marks an important chapter in the history of Sino-American relations. Anyang: China’s Ancient City of Kings features over two hundred remarkable artifacts—including jade ornaments, ceremonial weapons, ritual bronze vessels, bells, and chariot fittings—drawn exclusively from the museum’s permanent collection. Explore the early development of Chinese writing, enduring ritual practices, innovations in weaponry and warfare, advances in design and manufacturing, and the highly personal spaces of tombs, including objects chosen for the afterlife. The exhibition includes a series of digital activations developed in partnership with award-winning production studio UNIT9 that allows visitors to dive deeper into the life of the city. Find out more » Take me there »

WHERE TO EAT

Mitsitam Café

National Museum of the American Indian This cafe features Native foods found throughout the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains. Find out more » Take me there »

Sweet Home Café

National Museum of African American History and Culture Sweet Home Café showcases the rich culture and history of the African American people with traditional, authentic offerings as well as present-day food traditions. * Access to the museum is limited and entry pass may be required Find out more » Take me there »

Castle Café

Smithsonian Castle An assortment of fresh baked goods, gelato and fresh fruit makes the Castle Café the perfect place for a quick snack. The café also offers a seasonal selection of sandwiches, salads, and soups. Find out more » Take me there »

Dolcezza at the Hirshhorn

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden Located in the courtyard of the museum, Dolcezza offers locally sourced and handcrafted gelato, specialty espresso drinks, and gourmet pastries in a stunning contemporary setting designed by world-renowned artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. Find out more » Take me there »

TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS

Dancers in a field for the Farm Art D'Tour in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Courtesy Wormfarm Institute.

Spark places of innovation.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, Kentucky March 2, 2024 - March 30, 2024 The story of human history is written in inventions and innovations. People are problem solvers. Sometimes we invent. More often, we innovate, introducing a fresh idea or an invention into use in some way that creates a new way of doing or thinking. Rural Americans are creating new products, processes and experiences that change local life and sometimes reach far beyond. Yet, invention and innovation truly flourishes in some places and not others. Why? Spark! Places of Innovation will be the springboard for diverse local programming in the humanities, sciences, and arts. Visitors will be inspired to learn about innovation has shaped their own communities and how they may be innovators themselves. This exhibition will be an opportunity for community members to come together in conversation around their community’s history, present, and future with innovation. Find out more » See tour schedule »

US Department of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation

Buffalo County Historical Society, Kearney, Nebraska March 2, 2024 - May 12, 2024 Water/Ways dives into water—an essential component of life on our planet, environmentally, culturally, and historically. In societies across the globe, water serves as a source of peace and contemplation. Many faiths revere water as a sacred symbol. Authors and artists are inspired by the complex character of water—a substance that is seemingly soft and graceful, and yet a powerful and nearly unstoppable force. Water also plays a practical role in American society. The availability of water affected settlement and migration patterns. Access to water and control of water resources have long been a central part of political and economic planning. Human creativity and resourcefulness provide new ways of protecting water resources and renewing respect for the natural environment. Find out more » See tour schedule »

Downtown Lanesboro, Minnesota - photo by Heather Shelton

Crossroads: change in rural america.

Yampa-Egeria Historical Society, Yampa, Colorado

March 11, 2024 - April 20, 2024 In 1900, about 40% of Americans lived in rural areas, By 2010, less than 18% of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. In just over a century, massive economic and social changes moved millions of Americans into urban areas. Yet, only 10% of the U.S. landmass is considered urban. Crossroads: Change in Rural America offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. The exhibition will prompt discussions about what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the ripple effects that occurred. Find out more » See tour schedule »

X-ray Vision: Fish Inside Out

University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska

March 12, 2024 - May 12, 2024 The Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fishes is the largest and most diverse collection of its kind, with an estimated four million individual fish specimens representing more than 70 percent of the world’s fish species. Encompassing males, females, juveniles, larvae, and even eggs, these specimens serve as a historical record of fish biodiversity and a working reference library for scientists around the world. The exhibition includes the digital files for 40 dramatic digital prints, which are paired with illustrated labels that explore the scientific, environmental, and photographic relevance of each specimen. Interpretive panels describe how the study of fish skeletons, fin spines, and teeth helps scientists differentiate one species from another and examine fish anatomy and evolutionary development. Other panels document the process of scientific digital image preparation and explore the critical role of such collection data in understanding the long-term effects of climate and planetary change on diverse species. Find out more » See tour schedule »

ONLINE RESOURCES

Online Exhibits

Can't make it to the museums in person? Explore Smithsonian exhibits online! Find out more »

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Staff, interns, volunteers and others share insights and stories that provide a closer look at the Smithsonian's collections, research and more in Smithsonian blogs. Find out more »

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Discover more than a million resources, create personal collections and educational experiences, and share your work. Find out more »

Smithsonian Science Education Center

Students of all ages can learn science from the Smithsonian Science Education Center's videos, games, blog posts, ebooks and more. Find out more »

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A Visitor's Guide to the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC

A Guide to All of the Museums in Washington DC

The Smithsonian Museums in Washington, DC are world class attractions with a variety of exhibits ranging from a 3.5 billion-year-old fossil to the Apollo lunar landing module. Visitors enjoy examining more than 137 million objects, including many irreplaceable historic artifacts, works of art, scientific specimens and cultural exhibits. Admission to all of the Smithsonian museums is free. With 19 museums and galleries, there truly is something for everyone. Guided tours, hands-on activities and special programs are available. Although many of the museums are located within walking distance to each other on the National Mall, several of them are located in other parts of the city.

Following is a guide to help you plan your visit to the Smithsonian.

General Information

• Frequently Asked Questions
• A Map of the Smithsonian Museums
• 10 Things to Know About the Mall in Washington DC

Museums Located on the National Mall

• Smithsonian Institution Building - 1000 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, D.C. The historic building, also known as the Castle, is a good place to start your tour of the museums. The Smithsonian Information Center is located here and you can find a map and schedule of events.
• Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building - 900 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, DC. The original home of the National Museum is currently closed for renovations.
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Jefferson Drive, between 4 th  Street and 7 th  Street, SW, Washington, D.C. This impressive museum displays the largest collection of air and spacecraft in the world as well as smaller items like instruments, memorabilia, and clothing. Learn about the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight.
• Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - Independence Ave. and 7th St. SW, Washington, D.C. The modern and contemporary art exhibits include arts of traditional historical themes and collections addressing emotion, abstraction, politics, process, religion, and economics.
• Smithsonian Freer Gallery - 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. The world-renowned collection highlights art from China, Japan, Korea, South, and Southeast Asia, and the Near East. Paintings, ceramics, manuscripts, and sculptures are among the favorites of this museum. The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Auditorium provides free programs relating to the collections of the Freer and Sackler galleries, including performances of Asian music and dance, films, lectures, chamber music, and dramatic presentations.
• Smithsonian Sackler Gallery - 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. This unique building is connected underground to the Freer Gallery of Art. The Sackler collection includes Chinese bronzes, jades, paintings and lacquerware, ancient Near Eastern ceramics and metalware, and sculpture from Asia.
• Smithsonian National Museum of African Art - 950 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. The collection includes ancient as well as contemporary works from Africa. There are special events, storytelling, demonstrations and children’s programs.
• Smithsonian Natural History Museum - 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. At this family favorite museum, you will see a variety of artifacts including an 80-foot dinosaur skeleton, a life-size model of a blue whale, an enormous prehistoric white shark, and a 45-and-a-half karat jewel a known as the Hope Diamond. The Discovery Room is a great hands-on display for young children. Feel the skin of a crocodile, examine the jaws and teeth of different animals or try on clothes from around the globe.
• Smithsonian American History Museum - 12th to 14th Sts. NW, Washington, D.C. With more than 3 million artifacts of American history and culture, visitors learn about the nation's history from the War of Independence to the present day. At the heart of the museum, the Star-Spangled Banner—one of the most recognized symbols of the nation—has been given a new state-of-the-art gallery. New galleries such as the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Hall of Invention, presenting “Invention at Play,” join old favorites including “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden” and “America on the Move.”
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian - 4th St. and Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. The newest museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC showcases Native American objects from ancient pre-Columbian civilizations through the 21st century. Multimedia presentations, live performances, and hands-on demonstrations will bring the Native American people’s history and culture to life.
• Smithsonian International Gallery - 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW Washington, D.C. Housed in the S. Dillon Ripley Center, this is the education and membership branch of the Smithsonian Associates and hosts a variety of traveling exhibits. The Smithsonian Discovery Theater and conference facilities are also located here.
• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture - Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC. The 300,000-square-foot museum is under construction and is expected to open in 2016. The museum has created a website to involve the public in planning a variety of exhibits and educational programs on topics such as slavery, post-Civil War reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights movement.

Don't miss the other Smithsonian Museums that are located off of the Mall:

• National Zoo  -  Rock Creek Park , Washington, DC. The National Zoo is a part of the Smithsonian Institution with more than 435 different species of animals. Open year-round, the world-class property offers the opportunity to view and learn about favorites including giant pandas, elephants, tigers, cheetahs, sea lions and much more.  The Smithsonian Biology Conservation Institute , the Zoo's conservation, and research center, located in Front Royal, Virginia, is a breeding preserve for rare and endangered species.
• Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum - 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC. This small museum focuses on African American culture. Exhibits rotate and feature regional and national topics.
• Smithsonian National Postal Museum  - 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC. The museum displays the largest stamp collection in the world and examines the development of the postal system using interactive displays. This museum is located under Washington's old Main Post Office near Union Station.
• Smithsonian Renwick Gallery  - 70 9th St. NW, Washington, DC. The building was the original site of the  Corcoran Gallery  and is furnished with American crafts and contemporary arts from the 19th to 21st centuries. The museum features unique works of art in an impressive setting across the street from the White House.
• National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum  - 8th and F Streets NW., Washington, DC. This restored historic building in the  Penn Quarter neighborhood  of downtown Washington, DC, houses two museums in one building. The National Portrait Gallery presents six permanent exhibitions of nearly 20,000 works ranges from paintings and sculpture to photographs and drawings. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is the home of the largest collection of American art in the world including more than 41,000 artworks, spanning more than three centuries.
• Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center  - 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum opened a companion facility on the property of Washington Dulles International Airport to showcase additional aircraft, spacecraft, and other artifacts. The museum has an  IMAX Theater , flight simulators, a museum store, guided tours, and educational programs.

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Penn Quarter Washington, DC Neighborhood

Open seven days a week.

10:00 a.m - 5:30 p.m., including holidays with the exception of December 25th when we are closed to the public.

10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20560

Visitors may enter from the National Mall on Madison Drive or Constitution Ave.

Admission is FREE.

Tickets are not required

Guidelines for Visiting

The Smithsonian is implementing COVID-19 safety measures based on guidance from the CDC and local governments. The latest guidelines are available at si.edu/visit/tips .

When is the museum open? The National Museum of Natural History is seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except December 25.

Are masks still required? As of March 11, masks are not required to visit Smithsonian museums or the National Zoo. While it will not be required, all visitors who feel more comfortable wearing a face mask during their visit are encouraged to do so.

Are passes necessary to enter the museum? No, free timed-entry passes are no longer needed to enter the museum.

Will there be security screening?  For everyone’s safety, all visitors are required to go through screening during the security process. One of our security personnel will conduct a thorough but hand-check of all bags, briefcases, purses, strollers, and containers. Please visit the Smithsonian’s security information page for more information on prohibited items. 

All visitors are required to walk through a metal detector. Those unable to go through the metal detector will be hand-screened with an electronic wand by security personnel.

Protective safety shields have been installed at bag-check screening stations and register. We encourage visitors to limit the number of personal belongings and bags brought into the museum as they will be subject to a thorough search. Limiting the items brought will increase your speed through security checkpoints and help us all maintain a safe social distance. Please note that we do not offer coat, bag, or locker storage at this time.

Is a COVID-19 vaccine required? Visitors are not required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the museum. 

Will everything be open at NMNH? We will open as much as we determine it is safe to open, but some spaces will remain closed for now. Visitors should check the website for complete information about programs, learning venues, cafes, retail, and high-touch, interactive exhibits.   The restrooms will be open. Limited locker storage is available for small bags and items.

Will the museum cafés and retail shops be open?

The Atrium Café is open from 11:30am-3:30pm and the Ocean Terrace Café is open 11:30am-4:00pm. The Family Store, Gallery Store, and Gems and Minerals Store are open from 10am-5:30pm.

Will guided tours, demonstrations, and events resume? Some in-person events have resumed.

Is there a coat or bag check at the museum? We have limited locker storage available for small bags and items. Visitors are encouraged to travel as lightly as possible and refrain from bringing large bags and packs for the best museum experience.

Are there family-friendly restrooms? A restroom designated for family use is located on the 1st floor of the museum, off of the Sant Ocean Hall. 

Can I bring my stroller, scooter, walker, wheelchair or any type of mobility device? The museum is accessible to visitors using strollers, scooters, walkers, wheelchairs, and mobility devices. There are elevators available to visitors on every floor of the museum.

Are wheelchairs available? A very limited number of manual wheelchairs are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis for use while visiting the museum. You are encouraged to bring a wheelchair with you due to limited availability.

How do I contact the museum with questions? For more information about visiting the museum, please email [email protected] .

Masks are not currently required to visit. While not required, all visitors who feel more comfortable wearing a face mask during their visit are encouraged to do so.

Our current health and safety measures are based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local governments. These measures may change in response to changing CDC COVID-19 Community Levels, so we encourage visitors to regularly check our website before their visit for the latest guidelines.

Museum Address The museum is located on Madison Dr. NW, between 9th St NW and 12 St NW ( Google Map ). Visitors may enter on Madison Ave. or at 10th St. NW & Constitution Ave. NW. 

Metro The closest Metro stations to the museum are the Federal Triangle Metro station, located on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines; the Archives/Navy Memorial station on the Green and Yellow lines; and the Metro Center station on the Red line. View a map of the closest Metro stations .

Parking There are no Smithsonian Institution public parking facilities on the National Mall. There are a number of nearby commercial lots and garages  which may have available parking. If you must drive, please see parking options . For additional information on bus parking, contact the National Park Service Mall Operations Office at 202-426-6841 .

For More: Visit our Getting Here and Parking Page .

The National Museum of Natural History is committed to providing inclusive experiences for all audiences. Please contact 202-633-3611 or send an email [email protected] for access services. For more information visit the Accessibility Information page .

Entrance All museum entrances and exits are accessible. 

Parking The Smithsonian does not provide parking, but there are designated accessible spaces around the National Mall.

Service Animals Service dogs specially trained to assist a person with a disability are welcome in the museum.

Information for Visitors in a Wheelchair

• All of the museum's exhibitions are accessible by wheelchair, and all public floors of the museum can be reached by elevator.
• All theaters include wheelchair locations and companion seats.
• All food service areas are accessible by wheelchair with no steps, turnstiles, or other potential obstructions
• All museum restrooms are accessible to those with mobility disabilities or in wheelchairs. Family/companion care restrooms are located on the First Floor off the Rotunda via the Sant Ocean Hall.

Information for Visitors Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

• Video presentations within exhibitions are open captioned. 
• Induction loops are installed at the Rotunda Visitor Information Desk and the Worldwide Theater in the Hall of Human Origins.
• Assisted Listening Devices are available upon request for programs in Baird Auditorium and Q?rius Theater.
• Sign language interpretation or real-time captioning (CART) are available for public programs with a two week advanced notice. To request this service, please call (202) 633-5238 or e-mail [email protected] .

Information for Visitors Who Are Blind or Partially Sighted

• Tactile objects are provided for all visitors at designated points throughout the museum. A full list of tactile objects can be found at the Information Desks in large print and braille.
• Verbally-described tours with tactile elements designed for visitors with visual disabilities are available with a two-week advanced notice. Subject to volunteer availability. To request this service, please call (202) 633-5238 or e-mail [email protected] .
• Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/deep-time-audio-description/id1465972882?ls=1
• Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.si.natualhistory.deeptime

Information for Visitors with Developmental, Learning & Sensory Disabilities

Calendar of Events This calendar of events highlights some of the programs and activities that will be happening at the museum.

For More: Visit Our Accessibility Information Page

We are committed to visitor safety and have security measures in place to keep you and Museum objects protected. When you arrive at the Museum you can expect a full security screening similar to what you might experience at the airport, except you can keep your shoes and belts on.

Items Not Permitted in the Museum

• Firearms / ammunition
• Knives (including pen, pocket or "Swiss Army"-style knives)
• Aerosol cans (including pepper spray and Mace)
• Tools (screwdrivers, awls, etc.)
• Placards, signs, or banners
• Pets (except service animals)
• Wagons (collapsible and fixed wheel)

Items You Are Prohibited from Using Inside the Museum

• Selfie sticks
• E-cigarettes
• Skateboards / scooters

Items Permitted in the Museum

• Mobility aids (canes, walkers, etc.)
• Service animals (not emotional support animals)
• Bottled water

Check the Smithsonian's security policy for the most up-to-date information. 

The museum's Security Office is located on the Ground Floor in the north (Constitution Avenue) lobby next to the elevators.

Ocean Terrace Café Open 11:30am – 2:00pm Location: First Floor Make-your-own Grain Bowls at the Ocean Terrace Café with fresh greens and nutritious toppings. In addition, we feature fresh sandwiches, desserts, snacks, and beverages.

Atrium Café Open 11:00am – 3:00pm Location: Ground Floor National Museum of Natural History: Featuring butcher craft burgers, grill items, a chef’s market table featuring seasonal menus, made-in-house Focaccia hot melts, desserts, and beverages.   

Shopping Selected merchandise items in our shops are now available for purchase online at the Smithsonian Store .

For inquiries about our museum stores, please contact the NMNH Store Management Team at 202.633.2060.

Gem and Mineral Store Location: Second Floor Open 10:00am – 5:30pm

Gallery Store Location: Ground Floor, Evans Gallery Open 10:00am – 5:30pm

Family Store Location: Ground Floor, Evans Gallery Open 10:00am – 5:30pm

Dinos and More Store Location: First Floor, near the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals Open hours vary

Natural History Express Kiosk Location: Second Floor, near Cellphone: Unseen Connections Open hours vary

Bag Lunches Seating for bagged lunches is not currently available. Bagged lunches must be stowed away at all times while visiting the museum and must be eaten outside of the museum. The museum has no refrigerated storage for lunches.

Nursing Station The museum now has a dedicated public nursing room. Located in the Constitution Avenue Lobby, the public nursing room allows our visitors to nurse in private and is close to the restrooms and health unit.

Pets Pets (except service animals) are not permitted in the museum. Emotional support animals are not permitted in the museum.

Photography The Smithsonian permits still and video photography for noncommercial use only in its museums and exhibitions, unless otherwise posted. For the safety of our visitors and collections, the use of tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks is not permitted at any time. Working members of the media who need to use a tripod or monopod must obtain permission from the museum’s Press Office and must be escorted by a museum staff member while in the building.

Notice: Visitors may be filmed, photographed, or recorded by the Smithsonian for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on the Smithsonian’s and other public websites.

Wi-Fi The museum provides free Wi-Fi access; choose the "si-visitor" network on your device. No password necessary. This is a public, unsecured network.

Smoking Smoking is prohibited in all Smithsonian facilities. This includes e-cigarettes.

Please see the "Prepare for Security" section above for items that are not permitted inside the museum.

Must-do Experiences

Butterfly Pavilion

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The ultimate guide to all 19 Smithsonian Museums

The world’s biggest museum and research facility — the Smithsonian Institution — is every art, history or culture lovers dream. With 19 museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park , the Smithsonian has something for everyone to appreciate and learn from.

Two of the museums are in New York City, while several others are within walking distance of one another on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and a few are just located in the metro area. The District is a fantastic place to visit because of its rich American history, accessible subway system and hospitable hotels in and around the D.C. area .

The Smithsonian offers guided tours, various exhibitions and events, and hands-on activities for people of all ages. All museums have free admission, except for the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in NYC, which requires an entry fee.

1. National Museum of African American History and Culture

Source: Flickr

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 14 th St. and Constitution Avenue NW

This museum became the 19 th of the Smithsonian Institution museums after being established in 2003. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum completely devoted to African American art, history, life and culture and opened a glorious new multi-floor facility in the fall of 2016.

2. National Museum of African Art

Source: Facebook

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 950 Independence Avenue SW

The National Museum of African Art features exhibits from the continent of Africa. Contemporary and traditional art is on display for people to see, admire and be inspired by. This museum lets those from around the world learn about the African culture from its finest pieces of art.

3. National Air and Space Museum

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: Independence Avenue, 6 th Street SW

To those interested in space and air travel, this one’s a must see. At the National Air and Space Museum visitors have the chance to explore 23 galleries exhibiting thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including missiles, rockets and various types of planes.

4. National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, Virginia

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the companion facility of the before-mentioned museum. They offer daily tours, an IMAX theater, and special lectures and events throughout the year. The two large hangers on site — the Boeing Aviation Hangar and the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar — showcase thousands of aviation and space pieces, including the space shuttle Discovery .

5. Smithsonian American Art Museum

Hours:  11:30 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 8 th Street, F Street NW

Come here for beautiful American artwork. Learn about the true American experience and way of life from the colonial period up until today through folk art, decorative arts, paintings, photographs and sculptures at the Smithsonian American Art Museum .

6. National Museum of American History

Hours:   10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25 Location: 1300 Constitution Avenue NW

Go back in time at the National Museum of American History to discover and explore the complexity of American history. Through exhibits and events, visitors come to better understand the cultural, social, technological and political developments of the United States.

7. National Museum of the American Indian

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 4 th Street, Independence Avenue SW

At the Washington, D.C. location, the National Museum of the American Indian holds a massive collection of artifacts about the Native American culture. The architecture of the museum, as well as its exhibitions, are designed and focused around various Indian tribes and communities from around the globe.

8. Anacostia Community Museum

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 1901 Fort Place SE

Deep thinkers, knowledge seekers and community activists will thoroughly enjoy this Smithsonian museum. The Anacostia Community Museum is committed to critical thinking about issues impacting America and bringing people together around shared community problems.

9. Arts and Industries Building

Hours: Currently closed for renovations Location: 900 Jefferson Drive SW

The Arts and Industries Building is the original home of the National Museum. It’s currently closed due to renovation.

10. Freer Gallery of Art

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: Jefferson Drive, 12 th Street SW

You can find a premier collection of Asian art at the Freer Gallery of Art , but that’s not all you’ll find. It also houses American and Ancient Egyptian art, and a famous collection of artwork by James McNeill Whistler.

11. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Hours: Museum 10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily; Sculpture Garden 7:30 a.m. — dusk; closed December 25. Location: Independence Avenue, 7 th Street SW

A cylinder-shaped building with an adjoining plaza and sunken sculpture garden is what your eyes see when looking at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden . The modern and contemporary art displayed here is meant to give a voice to the art and artists and create meaningful experiences for those in attendance.

12. National Museum of Natural History

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 10 th Street and Constitution Avenue NW

Learn about the world’s scientific and cultural heritage at this museum. Exhibitions, research programs and documented collections at the National Museum of Natural History include the earliest human and animal origins. Millions and millions of insects, fish and plants reside inside this Smithsonian museum.

13. National Portrait Gallery

Hours:  11:30 a.m. — 7:00 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 8 th Street and F. Street NW

Through new media, performing arts and visual arts, the story of America and those who’ve helped shaped it is told. Lives of American presidents, poets, activists, actors and visionaries are portrayed at the National Portrait Gallery .

14. National Postal Museum

Hours: 10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE

Are you a stamp collector? Then don’t miss out on the amazing stamp collection and the opportunity to learn about the history of the American mail service at the National Postal Museum .

15. The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Hours:  10:00 AM-5:30 PM daily, closed on December 25th. Location: 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

The Renwick Gallery exhibits American decorative and contemporary arts and crafts from the 19 th through the 21 st centuries. It’s currently closed to the public because of a two-year renovation project. The building is projected to reopen in 2016.

16. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Hours:  10:00 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 1050 Independence Avenue SW

In connection with the Freer Gallery, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery also showcases Asian art. Featured here are temporary and permanent Asian art exhibitions from ancient to contemporary times.

17. Smithsonian Institution Building

Hours:  8:30 a.m. — 5:30 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 1000 Jefferson Drive SW

Located in the Smithsonian Institution Building , better known as The Castle, are the Smithsonian Information Center and the Smithsonian Institution’s administrative headquarters. Enjoy free visitor Wi-Fi and a delicious snack at the Castle Café.

18. American Indian Museum

Hours: 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, New York City

The New York site of the American Indian Museum presents the life, culture and traditions of the Native American people from around the world through exhibitions, live performances and film screenings.

19. Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Hours: 10:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m. daily, closed December 25. Location: 2 East 91 st Street, New York City

At the Cooper-Hewitt Museum , viewpoints on the impact of design on people’s daily life are presented over exhibitions and educational programs offered onsite and online. Currently the museum is closed for renovation but is expected to reopen on December 12, 2014.

As you can see, any and everyone who visits the Smithsonian Institution finds something that interests them. Prepare to be amazed at what you see, hear and discover at each one of the Smithsonian’s 19 museums and galleries.

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The Ultimate Guide to the Smithsonian Museums

“Can we visit the Smithsonian?” It’s a common question I get asked when people visit me from other states. But the Smithsonian isn’t just a single place that you can visit in a day! The Smithsonian Institution includes 21 museums plus the National Zoo making it the largest museum, education, and research complex in the world. Most of the museums are on the National Mall in Washington, DC plus two in New York City and one in Chantilly, VA. So, it’s going to require some time to visit everything! That said, the Smithsonian museums are a great way to spend any kind of day in the city. They are perfect for first-time tourists, locals, and escaping any kind of harsh weather.

If you are visiting DC or guiding out-of-town friends, remember that bucket list item to “visit the Smithsonian” might take a little more planning for someone who didn’t realize how big it is. This guide will break down the 21 museums and give you a sense of what you’ll see when you visit. 

Visit the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall

Smithsonian gardens.

• Independence Ave SW
• L’Enfant and Smithsonian
• Recommended time: 1 to 2 hours
• No tickets required

The Smithsonian Gardens are behind the Smithsonian Institution Building, affectionally referred to as The Castle. The Castle is a great place to start your trip as it is home to the Smithsonian Visitor Center. While you are there, make sure you take photos of The Castle and visit the garden in the back. You’ll find the Enid A. Haupt Garden, Moongate Garden, and Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden. The gardens change with the seasons and make great backgrounds for photos year-round. 

The gardens are walkable from 2 metro stops: Smithsonian & Federal Triangle (orange, blue, silver) and L’Enfant Plaza (green, yellow, orange, blue, silver). Open daily except Christmas. 

National Museum of Natural History

• 10th Street and Constitution Ave NW
• Free ($8 for the Butterfly Pavillion)
• Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, Archives
• Recommended time: 2 to 4 hours

The National Museum of Natural History is one of the most recognizable of the Smithsonian museums due to the large African Elephant in the lobby. You’ll find larger-than-life exhibits, including the Hall of Fossils (lots of dinosaurs), Ocean Hall, and the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals (including the Hope Diamond). Plus, don’t miss the smaller natural world with the Insect Zoo and Butterfly Pavilion. 

This museum is great for all ages, but it is also a particularly good place to start if you are traveling with children. There is so much to see, and a lot of it is interactive. Because of the sheer size of many exhibits, it’s easy to keep short attention spans interested and fill an entire afternoon. For extra fun, check out the Butterfly Pavillion with live butterflies. It’s open Tuesday to Saturday, and tickets are $8/adult or free on Tuesday. Plan for 2-4 hours. 

The Museum of Natural History is easily walkable from three metro stops: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle (orange, blue, silver) and Archives (green, yellow). Open daily except Christmas Day. Timed tickets are not required.

National Museum of American History

• 1300 Constitution Ave NW
• Recommended time: 1 to 4 hours

Many of the Smithsonian museums cover aspects of our country’s history, but the Museum of American History is a great place to start. This museum usually features a variety of rotating exhibits to cover as much history as possible throughout the year. 

Ongoing exhibits include American Democracy, The First Ladies, Food: Transforming The American Table, and The Star Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem. The Museum of American History is great for all ages but might be better for kids and teens with some context for history through school. 

National Museums of African American History and Culture

• 1400 Constitution Ave NW
• Smithsonian, Federal Triangle
• Recommended time: 4 to 6 hours
• Tickets required

The Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016 and remains among the most popular Smithsonian museums. You can easily spend an entire day exploring this museum. Generally, the museum covers early American history on the lower flowers and works its way up to the present day. If you only have a few hours, I recommend selecting a few museum sections, including the two lower floors or the pop culture exhibits on the top floor. You’ll find everything covering slavery and freedom, sports, pop culture, visual arts, and more. 

Timed tickets are required to visit the Museum of African American History. They are available for groups up to 6 people 30 days in advance on a rolling basis. The museum is walkable from 2 metro stops: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle (orange, blue, silver). Open daily except Christmas. 

National Museum of African Art

• 950 Independence Ave SW

The National Museum of African Art features both traditional and contemporary art representing the entire continent. Current ongoing exhibits include Currents: Water in African Art and Visionary: Viewpoints of Africa’s Arts. This is a great museum to stop at if you are short on time but want to see a museum during your time on the National Mall. Not only is the museum on the smaller side but it tends to be less crowded. Even if you only have an hour or so, you’ll have room to spend as much time as you’d like with each piece. 

The museum is walkable from 2 metro stops: Smithsonian (orange, blue, silver) and L’Enfant Plaza (green, yellow, orange, blue, silver). Open daily except Christmas. 

National Museum of Asian Art

• 1050 Independence Ave SW

The National Museum of Asian Art includes the Freer Gallery of Art and the Slacker Gallery. The art collections across both galleries include more than 45,000 objects from the present day, dating back to Neolithic times. You’ll find pieces from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, and the Islamic World. It is also home to the world’s largest collection of works by James McNeill Whistler. Walking tours are available at 1:00 pm from Thursday to Sunday. 

This museum is also smaller than some of the other Smithsonian museums and can still be appreciated if you are short on time. Or pair it with the National Museum of African Art right next door for a longer day of art appreciation. 

Hirshhorn Museum

• 7th Street and Independence Ave SW
• Recommended time: 1 to 3 hours
• Tickets required for select exhibits

The Hirshhorn Museum features modern and contemporary art. You can visit anytime, but some of the more popular temporary exhibits require timed passes. Always check the website before you go to see what is on display. Also, don’t miss the sculpture garden right outside the museum with sculpture and water features. You can also visit the notable cafe with coffee and small snacks. 

The Air and Space Museum

• 600 Independence Ave SW
• Free but there is an extra cost for the planetarium

The Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, was recently renovated in 2022 and features a variety of exhibitions from The Wright Brothers, the first trip to the moon, and exploration of other planets. This museum requires free timed passes to visit, released in 6-week blocks. While the exhibits at the museum are free, you may want to consider a planetarium show which is $9 per adult. (The planetarium is closed until March 10, 2024 for renovations.)

National Museums of the American Indian

• 4th Street SW
• L’Enfant, Smithsonian, Federal Center
• Recommended time: 2 to 3 hours

The National Museum of the American Indian is home to one of the most expansive collections of Native artifacts. Like the African American History Museum, this museum has a wide variety of exhibitions covering both the extensive history of the American Indians and their impact today. One of my favorite exhibits is the powerful Americans exhibit highlighting Native American images used in pop culture. Connecting rooms dive deeper into the truth behind 3 widely known but frequently misunderstood historical events including the story of Pocahontas, the Trail of Tears, and the Battle of Little Bighorn. The Mitsitam Cafe is known to have some of the most interesting options among the museum cafes on the National Mall. The menu is divided into different regions with dishes representing native tribes across the continent.

The museum is walkable from 2 metro stops: Smithsonian & Federal Triangle (orange, blue, silver) and L’Enfant Plaza (green, yellow, orange, blue, silver). Open daily except Christmas. 

Renwick Gallery

• 1661 Pennsylvania Ave NW
• Farragut West and Farragut North

The Renwick Gallery is very close to the White House and is set a little farther away from the rest of the museums on the National Mall. This gallery is a branch of the American Art Museums that focuses primarily on contemporary art. It is on the smaller side but is highly visual with regularly rotating exhibits. Art lovers of all ages will find these exhibits fun and engaging. 

Smithsonian Museums in Downtown DC

Portrait gallery.

• 8th Street and G Street NW
• Gallery Place – Chinatown

The Portrait Gallery is the only place you can see all the Presidential Portraits outside of the White House. Wandering through the progression of US Presidents not only highlights snapshots of American history but also highlights pop culture and art trends used to portray each one. Additionally, you’ll find paintings and photographs of notable people from various points in history. While portraits of early Americans are often limited to the wealthy and powerful, The Portrait Gallery is actively working to ensure all Americans’ stories are represented. 

The Portrait Gallery is connected to the American Art Museum by a large covered courtyard. You can easily experience both in the same afternoon. Outside food is allowed, so you can grab a bite from a nearby restaurant to enjoy in the courtyard. The courtyard also has Wi-Fi and is a lovely place to spend a “work from home” day.  

The museum is walkable to the Gallery Place – Chinatown metro stop (green, yellow, red). Open daily except Christmas. 

The American Art Museum

The American Art Museum is home to one the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. Collections include photography, paintings, sculpture, and more representing artists from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Currently, you can see a special exhibit from self-taught American artists. Because it is located so close to the Portrait Gallery, visitors get to see both artistic interpretations of both the American people as well as American life and culture in the same afternoon. 

Be sure to spend some time in the courtyard that connects the Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum (mentioned above). 

The museum is walkable from the Chinatown metro stop (green, yellow, red). Open daily except Christmas. 

Smithsonian Museums Outside Downtown DC

Anacostia community museum.

• 1901 Fort Pl SE

The Anacostia Community Museum is a space in the Anacostia neighborhood that is committed to telling the overlooked stories of the city. Exhibits are meant to shed a positive light on the stories of people making the most impact toward creating a more equitable future for all. Highlighted issues include social, economic, and environmental opportunities for growth. 

The museum is about a 30-minute walk from the Anacostia metro stop (green). Open daily except Christmas. 

National Postal Museum

• 2 Massachusetts Ave NE
• Union Station

The National Postal Museum is committed to the preservation and study of postal history. Dive into postal history with a massive collection of stamps and a special look at baseball through the lens of postal history. Visitors can also learn about what happens once a letter is dropped in the mail and how letters, magazines, and packages have traveled for the past 200 years.  

The museum is walkable from the Union Station metro stop (red). Open daily except Christmas. 

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

• 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy Chantilly, VA
• Free but parking is $15
• Parking on site

 The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located outside the city in Chantilly, Virginia. It is an extension of the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. The Udvar-Hazy Center is worth a trip for all aviation lovers to see bigger aircrafts including Space Shuttle Discovery. While the planetarium remains closed in DC, don’t miss the IMAX theatre at the Chantilly location. Shows include topics like the moon landing, deep sea exploration, and aircraft carrier history. The theatre also features special showings of popular mainstream movies. 

The Udvar-Hazy Center is not metro accessible but has plenty of on-site parking. The museum is free like the rest of the Smithsonian museums but plan to pay $15/car. Open daily except Christmas. 

National Zoo

• 3001 Connecticut Ave NW
• Free but bring money for snacks
• Cleveland Park and Woodley Park
• Recommended time: 2 to 5 hours

The National Zoo in Washington, DC is free but requires timed tickets to visit. In the warmer months, the best time to visit the zoo is in the morning before the animals get too hot. There are also many food stalls available and daily animal demos. 

While many of the food stands are closed during the winter, the colder months are an under-rated time to visit. The zoo is not very crowded and you can warm up in a little of the indoor exhibits including the Small Mammal House and Reptile Discovery House.

The National Zoo is easily walkable in a day but sometimes feels like it’s uphill both ways. If you have small children, it’s important to keep their physical limits (and yours if you are pushing a stroller!) in mind. 

While the zoo offers plenty of snacks, consider grabbing lunch nearby at restaurants like Duke’s Counter or Open City. 

The National Zoo is walkable from 2 metro stops: Woodley Park and Cleveland Park (both red). Open daily except Christmas. 

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To support those searching for armchair travel inspiration,  smithsonian  magazine has compiled a collection of coverage dedicated to virtual reality experiences, digital exhibits and books that will transport you to far-off lands..

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Smithsonian Museum Guide: Museums and Galleries on the National Mall

In this Article

For more than 150 years, the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of world-class museums has attracted millions of visitors from around the world. Here is a complete guide to the Smithsonian museums, galleries, and gardens on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

I always chuckle when folks describe their ideal itinerary for a trip to Washington, DC and say that they want to spend a day visiting the Smithsonian museum. Little do they realize that the Smithsonian Institution is just that, an institution! And it’s way more than a single, world-renowned museum. It’s a collection of museums, galleries, and even a zoo! So how do you start to break down what you want to see at the Smithsonian museums, galleries, or National Zoo when you visit Washington, DC? Fear not! This complete guide to visiting the Smithsonian will help!

Sage Advice:   These are the best places to stay in Washington DC based on your travel itinerary .

Museum exhibit designers classify visitors into three types:   streakers, strollers, and studiers .

• Streakers are typically at a museum because someone else in their party wants to be. Not them. They may glance at a few pieces, but their hearts are generally not into the experience.
• A stroller is someone with a moderate interest in the topic, region, or other aspects of the exhibit. They are the museum equivalent of someone who picks up a magazine and casually flips through the pages looking at the photos, reading the captions, and skimming the articles until they stop and read a piece fully.
• And a studier will carefully absorb every detail of an exhibit, from reading every word on the signage to carefully examining each piece on display.

Even if you are a streaker, I think you’d be hard-pressed to walk every inch of the National Mall museums in a single day. As a stroller myself, I think you can successfully tackle two Smithsonian museums a day and feel like you did it justice. But if you’re a studier, you’ll likely want one full day per museum.  

Sage Advice:  Funded by a private trust fund and American taxpayers, there is no admission fee to experience any of the Smithsonian museums, galleries, or the National Zoo. But some museums may only be accessible with a little advanced planning and a timed-entry ticket.  For the smoothest experience, check each individual museum website before you visit.

Have You Visited the Smithsonian?

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To help offset the costs of running EverydayWanderer.com, you’ll find affiliate links lightly sprinkled throughout the site.   If you choose to make a purchase via   one of these links , there’s no additional cost to you, but I’ll earn a teeny tiny commission.   You can read all of the legal blah blah blah (as my little niece says) on the   full disclosure page .

About this Guide to the Smithsonian

This guide to the Smithsonian starts with the Smithsonian Visitor Center and then loosely follows a counter-clockwise fashion around the National Mall. Simply walking from the Smithsonian Castle to the other nine museums listed in this guide is a 2.4-mile undertaking. Add in the distance you’ll walk exploring each museum, and that distance quickly grows longer.

Sage Advice:  Explore Washington DC beyond the National Mall museums with this interactive scavenger hunt of DC .

Map of the National Mall Museums

How to Use This Map

• Zoom in or out using the + and – keys in the bottom right corner.
• Click the “More options” text link in the upper left corner to open this embedded map in a new browser window and take advantage of more  options including the ability to send these directions to your phone.

The Smithsonian Institution Building (AKA The Castle)

1000 Jefferson Dr. SW Hours of Operation:  8:30 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

Kicking off this complete guide to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall is the Smithsonian Visitors Center. Designed by architect James Renwick, Jr., the Smithsonian Institution red sandstone building looks like a 12th-century castle in Normandy, France. Thus, its nickname, the Castle.

The Castle is the perfect place to begin your Smithsonian Institution experience because a crypt just outside the north entrance to the Castle contains the tomb of James Smithson. And if it weren’t for James Smithson, there probably wouldn’t be a Smithsonian Institution.

Born out of wedlock in Paris and raised in England, James Smithson was an 18th-century English chemist and mineralogist. Smithson never married nor had children, so his entire estate was left to his nephew. However, if Smithson’s nephew were to die without heirs (which is exactly what happened when he perished in 1835), then Smithson’s worldly possessions were to be used to “found in Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”

Fun Fact:  Although James Smithson stipulated that the Smithsonian Institution be founded in Washington, DC, the scientist had never actually visited the United States. How lucky for us!

In addition to paying homage to James Smithson, use your time at the Smithsonian Castle to get an overview of the collections at each of the Smithsonian museums and chat with in-house experts to fine tune your Smithsonian experience.

Related Article:   Helpful Tips for Visiting the Smithsonian Museums

Freer gallery of art and the arthur m. sackler gallery (aka the national museum of asian art).

1050 Independence Ave, SW Hours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

Heading southwest from the Smithsonian Castle, this guide to the Smithsonian takes you to the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art.  Together, they form the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. Thanks to the generous donation of Charles Lang Freer’s collection of Asian and American art, the Freer Gallery was the first art museum in the Smithsonian Institution when it opened to the public in 1923.

If you plan to visit the National Museum of Art’s Freer Gallery or Sackler Gallery, don’t miss the recently restored Peacock Room. Originally a dining room in an English mansion in London, the Peacock Room is now a work of art in Washington, DC. Blending rich blue, green, and gold tones with ceramics from Syria, Iran, Japan, China, and Korea, the Peacock Room continues to prove Freer’s belief that “all works of art go together, whatever their period.”

As additional time and interest permits, explore other collections of American, Egyptian, Islamic, Chinese, Himalayan, Japanese, Korean, Near Eastern, and Southeastern Asian Art at the National Museum of Asian Art.

Enid A. Haupt Garden

950 Independence Ave., SW Hours of Operation:  7:00 am to 7:00 pm daily (except December 25)

As you travel between the Sackler Gallery and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, don’t miss the opportunity to stroll through the four-acre Victorian garden. The garden’s namesake, Enid A. Haupt, provided the $3 million endowment to construct and maintain the garden.

Fun Fact:  The Haupt family built its wealth in publishing and included TV Guide and Seventeen in their list of publications.

The Haupt Garden is actually three separate gardens, all located on the rooftops of Smithsonian museums:

• The Parterre. Organized around a parterre , a series of symmetrical flower beds and walking paths, the Parterre reminds me of the gardens surrounding most castles in France.
• Moongate Garden. Inspired by the gardens and architecture of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, the Moongate Garden is a peaceful, Zen-like experience.
• Fountain Garden. And returning to Europe, the Fountain Garden is designed to look like the Court of the Lions at Alhambra, a 13th-century palace in Granada, Spain.

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Museum of African Art

950 Independence Ave., SW H ours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

Started as a privately funded collection in 1964, once it was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in 1979, the Museum of African Art contained roughly 8,000 sculptures, costumes, books, maps, photographs, and other objects.

Fun Fact:  Between the African Art Museum and the Hirshhorn Museum is the second oldest building in the Smithsonian Institution. Although the Arts and Industries Building doesn’t currently house any Smithsonian exhibits, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971 and was the site of an inaugural ball for President James A. Garfield, POTUS #20.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Independence Ave and 7th St. Hours of Operation:  M useum – Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm (except December 25).  Plaza – Open daily from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm (except December 25).  Sculpture Garden – Open daily from 7:30 am to dusk (except December 25)

Sage Advice:  The Hirshhorn Museum offers free, 45-minute tours daily at 12:30 and 3:30.

The large, circular building that looks like a car air filter on legs is the Hirshhorn Museum. It sits almost equally between the Washington Monument on the west side of the National Mall and the US Capitol Building on the right and includes a sunken sculpture garden. It is named after Joseph H. Hirshhorn who achieved success by investing in uranium-mining businesses. When he sold his interests in 1955, he earned more than $50 million. With this money, Hirshhorn expanded an already impressive collection of classic French Impressionists to include many other works of art.

Fun Fact:  Although most of the funding for the museum that bears his name was via federal funds, Hirshhorn ultimately contributed $1 million toward the building’s construction.

With its large collection of 12,000 works of modern and contemporary art in the forms of paintings, photographs, and sculptures, the Hirshhorn is a great art museum for kids. (Or adults who are less inclined to visit an art museum.)

Related Article:   5 Tips to Help Kids of All Ages Appreciate Art Museums

After you’ve explored the outside of the Hirshhorn Museum, don’t overlook the sculpture garden. Sunk below street level (thanks to those “legs” that hold up the building), the circular inner core of the car air filter-shaped building holds an acre of sculptures in a manicured courtyard with a fountain. Don’t miss Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais or Yoko Ono’s (yes, THAT Yoko Ono) Wish Tree for Washington, DC .

National Air and Space Museum

600 Independence Ave. SW Hours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

Sage Advice:  The National Air and Space Museum offers free, 90-minute tours daily at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm.

Kicking off the second half of this guide to the Smithsonian National Mall museums is the National Air and Space Museum . With more than 20 galleries in a 161,000 square foot museum, the National Air and Space Museum is the largest in the Smithsonian Institution’s portfolio. And with more than eight million visitors annually, the National Air and Space Museum is not only the most popular of the Smithsonian museums, it’s actually the most visited museum in the entire United States! Its collection of aircraft, artwork, instruments, uniforms and more is fully dedicated to the history of flight and exploring beyond planet Earth.

Visit the National Air and Space Museum to see historic objects like:

• America’s first airplane. See the 1903 Wright Flyer flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina back in 1903.
• The Spirit of St. Louis. After successfully crossing the Atlantic Ocean between New York and Paris in 1927, pilot Charles Lindbergh flew his craft from St. Louis to Washington, DC the following spring and presented it to the Smithsonian Institution.
• Apollo 11 command module. This is the trapezoid-shaped unit that the three Apollo 11 astronauts used to return to space after walking on the Earth’s moon .
• Astronaut food. Far from a five-star meal, the Apollo 11 astronauts enjoyed silver packets of dehydrated food.

Sage Advice:  Away from the National Mall, the Air and Space Museum at the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport in Chantilly, Virginia, houses even more amazing sights. See more about it below.

When you visit, don’t overlook other experiences like:

• Watching a movie in the IMAX theater or attending a show in the planetarium
• Seeing a demonstration or attending a storytime
• Experiencing the thrill of flight in a virtual reality simulator

National Museum of the American Indian

4th St SW & Independence Ave. Hours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

This guide to the Smithsonian now brings you to the southeastern most Smithsonian museum on the National Mall.  As you approach the National Museum of the American Indian, you’ll immediately note that the building is quite unique from the others in the Smithsonian Institution.

With a team of Native Americans leading its design, the five-story, curved building looks like natural rock shaped by the elements of wind and water over thousands of years. Every aspect of the museum is intended to reinforce the oneness that the indigenous people have with the planet. Donna E. House, the Navajo and Oneida botanist who supervised the museum’s landscaping explained the approach by saying, “We are the trees, we are the rocks, we are the water. And that had to be part of the museum.”

Sage Advice:  If you’re in New York, you can visit a second National Museum of the American Indian. Housed in the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House at One Bowling Green.

A collection of more than 800,000 objects and 125,000 photographs is on display at the National Museum of the American Indian. It represents the history and culture of a wide range of indigenous people from both North and South America. The galleries are organized into areas dedicated to people from the Amazon, Andes, Arctic and Subarctic, California, Mesoamerican and Caribbean, Northwestern Coast, Patagonia, Plains and Plateau, and Woodlands regions.

Native Americans also manage the daily operations of the museum, and they work hard to ensure that visitors will experience something quite different from museums of European and Euro-American culture when they visit. One example of this is the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe inside the National Museum of the American Indian. Offering a seasonal, Native American-inspired menu, the museum cafeteria is divided into regions like the Northern Woodlands and Great Plains. Visitors can enjoy wild salmon, bison, Indian fry bread tacos, prickly pear mole, and other unique choices.

Fun Fact:  More than 20,000 native Americans, from the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, and Hawaii attended the museum’s inauguration in September 2004. It was the largest gathering of indigenous people in Washington, DC to date.

Sage Advice:  While not part of the Smithsonian Institution, don’t overlook the National Gallery of Art which includes the East Building, the West Building, and a sculpture garden.

National Museum of Natural History

10th St. & Constitution Ave. Hours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

The National Museum of Natural History is the second-most popular museum in the Smithsonian Institution after the National Air and Space Museum. It houses more than 126 million specimens of animals, plants, minerals, rocks, and other objects.

View this post on Instagram Long line to get into the Natural History Museum, but it will be worth it! A post shared by TJ and Trey (@t.n.t.adventure) on May 27, 2018 at 11:50am PDT

When you visit the National Museum of Natural History , you won’t want to miss the following:

• Dinosaurs. From the tyrannosaurus rex skull on the first floor to scientists at work in the FossiLab on the second floor, the National Museum of Natural History will satisfy any budding paleontologist in your travel group.
• Hall of Human Origins. One of the museum’s newer collections, the Hall of Human Origins, opened in 2010 on its 100th anniversary. With a focus on human evolution, this gallery explores the Earth’s earliest humans through the impact today’s people are having on the planet.
• Hall of Mammals. Organized by continent, from the savannas of Africa to the ice shelves of the Arctic, the National Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Mammals has more than 250 preserved specimens.
• National Gem and Mineral Collection. With the Hope Diamond, a 45-karat blue diamond, and more than 15,000 other gems, 350,000 minerals, and 35,000 meteorites, the museum’s collection is one of the largest in the world.

Wrap up your visit to the Museum of Natural History with a stroll through the Butterfly Pavilion. A timed-entry ticket is required for this live butterfly experience, and admission is approximately $7 per person with discounts offered to children and seniors.

Sage Advice:   The Butterfly Pavilion is free on Tuesdays, but a timed entry ticket is still required. So plan ahead!

National Museum of American History

• Star-Spangled Banner. On the second floor, you can see the original flag flown at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. As you might recall from elementary school history, these stars and stripes inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the song that would become our national anthem.
• First Lady Fashion. From bustles to beaded bodices, sewn from silks and satins, experience 200 years of fashion trends in this gallery featuring the ball gowns worn by America’s First Ladies.   
• Bon Appétit! Explore the kitchen of Julia Child, the California-born chef who brought French cuisine to the American public.

National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC)

1400 Constitution Ave, NW Hours of Operation:  10:00 am to 5:30 pm daily (except December 25)

Wrapping up this guide to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, also known as the NMAAHC. After nearly 100 years in the making, the NMAAHC opened its doors on September 24, 2016. It remains the only national museum dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans. Over 85,000 square feet and five floors, the museum covers important historical topics like slavery, segregation, and civil rights as well as cultural topics like the arts, community, and religion.

View this post on Instagram One Shot Wanders - The relatively new Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture is wonderful on the inside and the outside. #carolinegilmore #oneshotwanders #washingtondc A post shared by Caroline Gilmore (@carolinegilmore_1) on May 27, 2018 at 12:07pm PDT

On the National Mall where each Smithsonian Museum’s architectural design appears to be as intentional as the collections inside it, the NMAAHC is no different. I found myself mesmerized by the three tiers of detailed, metal lattice inspired by the iron grilles found in the African American communities in Charleston, South Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Consistent with all of the other Smithsonian Museums, there is no admission fee. But the free, timed-entry passes are one of the hottest tickets in Washington, DC. The best way to visit the NMAAHC is to plan ahead and score Advance Online tickets, but there are a few other options you can try .

View this post on Instagram Fifty years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. King had been working to organize the Poor People’s Campaign, a movement to confront poverty as a human rights issue, and had given a speech the day before when he said, "I've been to the mountaintop [and] I've seen the promised land"—words and deeds that left a lasting legacy. Four days later, Coretta Scott King led a massive, peaceful march in Memphis that honored her husband’s memory by supporting the striking sanitation workers whose cause had drawn King to the city. In this @nmaahc photo, participants carry signs that demand "HONOR KING: END RACISM" and "UNION JUSTICE NOW!" A post shared by Smithsonian (@smithsonian) on Apr 4, 2018 at 1:00pm PDT

If you are lucky enough to land a ticket to the NMAAHC when you visit Washington, DC, you won’t want to miss:

• Rare Photo of Harriet Tubman. Escaped slave turned conductor of the Underground Railroad , Tubman’s contributions to history are significant.
• Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet. With a career that spanned five decades, Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century. See one of his brass trumpets on display at NMAAHC, and when you visit, look for his name engraved in script along the leadpipe.
• Signs of Segregation. From a “colored” drinking fountain to a bus sign from Nashville, Tennessee, signs of segregation that still divided the nation long after the Civil War are on display. Visitors can also see the dress Rosa Parks was sewing the day she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama.
• The Champ. See the boxing gloves and headgear worn by one of the world’s most accomplished boxers, Muhammad Ali.

Related Article:   Must-See Destinations to Learn About Black History

Sage Advice:  While it’s also not part of the Smithsonian Institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located directly across the National Mall from the National Museum of African History and Culture does an outstanding job of presenting this dark period in world history. If you plan to visit this museum, it’s worth it to pay a $1 per ticket convenience fee to guarantee your timed-entry ticket to the permanent collection.

Frequently Asked Questions About the National Mall Museums

How many smithsonian museums are there.

There are 13 Smithsonian museums, galleries, and gardens located on the National Mall in Washington, DC. There are additional museums outside the National Mall in Washington, DC, (including the National Zoo ). And there are two Smithsonian museums in New York City.

Are All Smithsonian Museums Free?

Yes! There is no admission fee at any Smithsonian museum, gallery, garden, or zoo.

What are the Smithsonian's Hours?

Hours of operation for the National Mall museums vary. Please find the operating hours for each Smithsonian Museum listed above.

Have You Visited Any of the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall?

Which museums, exhibits, or artifacts did you enjoy the most? Is there anything missing from this guide to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall?  If you haven’t been to a Smithsonian Museum yet, what is at the top of your travel bucket list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Looking for more information to plan your Washington DC vacation? Check out my additional recommendations to help you plan your trip to Washington, DC , including what to see and do in Washington DC, the best places to stay in Washington DC, where to eat in Washington DC, and more!

Ready to Go? Use These Helpful Links to Book Your Trip!

• Find low fares with  airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner
• Book your plane ticket with   Expedia or Kayak
• Or take the scenic route on an epic road trip in a rental car or an RV from Outdoorsy
• From hotels to private homes, find the perfect accommodation with Hotels.com or Vrbo  
• Travel in style with a suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or handbag from eBags
• Save on tickets to attractions, sightseeing tours, and more with CityPASS , Tiqets , and Viator
• Don’t leave home without travel insurance from AXA
• Discover the sights, history, and culture of your destination with an interactive scavenger hunt
• Need something else to plan your perfect trip? Visit my travel resources page for more trusted partners. Happy wandering!

Thank you for sharing!

21 thoughts on “Smithsonian Museum Guide: Museums and Galleries on the National Mall”

Wow! So many…I did not know. I haven’t visited anyone of them and look forward to doing so. Excellent write-up with complete information for any travellers to plan a trip to the Smithsonian Museum on the mall.

Wow, amazing that these are free! So much to see, do, and learn. Thanks for this comprehensive guide, I especially love your fun facts 🙂

Thanks for sharing a very helpful guide on Smithsonian museums with all pro tips. I went to its Natural Air Space museum and loved all the shows and displays. I would love to see their other museums when I visit Washington DC next time.

That’s an excellent choice. After all, it’s one of the most popular Smithsonian museum with good reason!

I wasn’t aware of Smithsonian museums at all! Now I have learnt from the blog that they are the most widely visible part of the US. They have so many museums and I guess most of them are located in Washington DC, and again most of them in the National Mall. This is surely going to my DC itinerary.

Oh, yes, you can’t go to Washington, DC, and not visit at least ONE Smithsonian museum!

I was so thrilled to read this thorough post as I learned A LOT! I have always heard of the Smithsonian but had no idea what it entailed. I think I would like to start with the National Museum of American History (Dorothy’s slippers and Julia’s kitchen…) and also would find the NMAAHC fascinating and educational. Thank you. Pinned for future use!

Two great choices! There are a lot of nostalgic, “feel good” exhibits at the Museum of American History. And the NMAAHC is a heartbreaking, but necessary, walk through a shameful period of American history. You could spend a week exploring just the museums on the National Mall and still not see them all!

Whoa! That is a long list of museums. And here I was planning a couple of days for museums in the city. But what a great round-up, making choices will be so much simpler with this guide.

I think you could dedicate a full week to just the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall and still not see all of them!

Such a thorough guide of the museums, helpful to anyone who is looking to go there. I especially liked the facts your spread throughout your post. It seems it requires a great deal of time to visit as there is just so much to offer. I think I would enjoy the upcoming Julia Child exhibit. I would love to see her kitchen.

Julia’s kitchen was so incredibly cool. And reading your comment makes me want to watch Julie & Julia again! <3

So cool that Smithsonian museums are a collection of museums, galleries, and zoo. Your comprehensive guide with tips is great. I don’t think anybody can do justice by visiting it for a day! If I ever go there, my top must visits would be the Castle and Zoo!

You could spend a week and still not see everything at the Smithsonian museums in DC! Your top two choices are great ones!

I had little knowlege of the history behind the name Smithson until now. I thought it was very interesting that he had no heirs, neither his nephew, and that he never even lived in the US. I really need to make a week long trip to visit all these amazing museums. I was surprised to see the photo of the long lines at the Museum of Natural History. I’m sure it’s worth the wait tho!

Lucky us here in the US, right?!? Every exhibit I’ve seen at the Smithsonians are amazing. You’ll be impressed!

I really had no idea that the Smithsonian was made up of so many pieces. Your guide is fantastic in laying it all out because it would be so consuming to try and see it all. Me personally, I’d put The Castle at the top of my list.

I think you could spend a week tackling just the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall and still not see it all. The Castle is the perfect place to kick off a visit to the Smithsonian, so good choice! 🙂

I had no idea that Smithson never lived in the US. Definitely lucky for us then! I have been to DC several times and visited a few of the museums that help make up the Smithsonian. By far my favorites (and obviously the two most popular) were the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. This is a very thorough guide that is quite useful whether it’s your first time or you 20th time! I am saving it for when I go back!

Yes, we Americans are so lucky! Your two favorites are two very good ones. From what I know about your travel interests (I LOVE reading your articles), I recommend the National Museum of American History your next trip to DC. You’ll be able to see the flag flown over Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the Star Spangled Banner. There is a really cool exhibit on First Lady Fashion, Julia Child’s kitchen, and so much more.

I wasn’t aware of all these! Great info! I flipped this and re-tweeted it!

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