Best Museums in Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is home to 6 world-class museums. From ancient collections to contemporary art, here is your complete guide with opening hours, prices, and directions.
Free Entry
Smithsonian American Art Museum
A museum in Washington, D.C. with an extensive collection of American art.
- Admission
- Free admission
- Founded
- 1829
Free Entry
National Gallery of Art
The United States' national art museum on the National Mall, displaying works from the Middle Ages to the present and the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas.
- Admission
- Free admission
- Founded
- 1937
Free Entry
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
One of the world's great natural history museums, home to the Hope Diamond and more than 145 million scientific specimens. Free entry.
- Admission
- Free admission
- Founded
- 1910
Free Entry
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The most visited museum in the United States, housing the Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 command module, and Space Shuttle Discovery. Free entry.
- Admission
- Free admission (timed-entry passes recommended for peak times)
- Founded
- 1946
Free Entry
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Home to the original Star-Spangled Banner, Abraham Lincoln's top hat, and three million objects that tell the story of America. Free entry.
- Admission
- Free admission
- Founded
- 1964
Free Entry
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
America's official memorial institution to the Holocaust, with permanent and special exhibitions documenting history's most documented genocide. Free entry.
- Admission
- Free (timed-entry passes required for the permanent exhibition; book well in advance during peak season)
- Founded
- 1993