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Are The Smithsonian Museums Free

Savor Free Community Day At The National Museum Of Women In The Arts

The Smithsonian looks toward the “Futures”

On the first Sunday of the month, one of the Districts most intriguing museums waives its admission charge. During Free Community Day, the National Museum of Women in the Arts opens up its collection and features programs that connect to its current exhibitions, helping you to discover the immense impact that women have on the world of art.

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See Planes Rockets And Spaceships At The Udvar

Part of the Smithsonians Air and Space Museum, the jumbo Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center collection houses all sorts of flying machines and gears, filling two enormous hangars with crafts like the space shuttle Voyager and a Concorde jet, as well as oddities like a flying car. Add an IMAX theater, an observation deck and flight simulators, and its no surprise that, along with its sister museum on the National Mall, this place draws eight million visitors annually.

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Into The Living Memorial That Is The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Washington, DC

Dedicated to one of the worst tragedies in world history, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum educates its visitors on the dangers of hatred and the atrocities of genocide, as well as how society can confront challenges to freedom and human dignity. Its in-depth exhibits form some of the most essential viewing that DCs museums have to offer.

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National Museum Of American History: Collection Of 3 Million Pieces Of American History

If youre interested in seeing Americas story unfold through brilliant exhibits, then this is the best museum for you. The National Museum of American History holds more than 3 million pieces from our nations past. This museum is a must-see for American history buffs.

Expect to find pieces from the nations film history, such as Dorothys red slippers from the Wizard of Oz. You can also feast your eyes on the original Star-Spangled Banner Flag which inspired Francis Scott Keys poem or take a look at past presidential artifacts.

Theme: American historical artifacts Location: 1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560

Whether youre an aviation aficionado or a cultural collector, the National Mall in Washington, DC, has a free museum and gallery for everyone. Take a couple of days to pick out your must-see museums and get started early to avoid the crowds!

What Free Museums Are Open In Washington Dc

National Museum of Natural History

The best way to do Washington, DC?For free, thanks to these no-admission museums on the National Mall.

  • National Air & Space Museum. …
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. …
  • National Museum of Natural History. …
  • National Museum of American History. …
  • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. …
  • National Museum of the American Indian.

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Find Out Why Dc Is The Capital Of Free Museums And Interactive Exhibits From Groundbreaking Cultural Museums To Art Galleries And So Much More

Washington, DC is filled with free museums, from Smithsonians including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum, to art-filled museums like the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art. Free museum experiences should be part of any trip to DC, and we have laid out some of our favorites below.

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Do You Pay To Get Into The Smithsonian

Admission is free of charge at all museums and the zoo. … Timed-entry passes are only required at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Zoo, and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. All Smithsonian museums and the zoo are closed on December 25.

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Fun For The Whole Family

One of the most popular exhibits is the National Gem and Mineral Collection, featuring some of the worldâs most famous gems, including the Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia Sapphire.

Kids of all ages will love the T-Rex and Triceratops skeletons in the Hall of Dinosaurs. Visit the museums iconic African Elephant exhibit, located in the Hall of Mammals.

With over 8 million visitors each year, the National Museum of Natural History is the most visited natural history museum in the world. Make the most of your family vacation in our comfortable accommodations, just a short walk from numerous Smithsonian museums!

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Ready To Go Use These Helpful Links To Book Your Trip

8 Tips for the Smithsonian and FREE museums in DC

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Can I Buy You A Drink

Like any world-class museum, food and drink are not permitted in the Smithsonian museums. Sack lunches, water bottles, and snacks that are properly secured and stowed during your visit may be carried but not consumed except in designated areas. Remember that the cafes, cafeterias, coffee shops, and other dining facilities in the Smithsonian museums are for guests who have purchased an item there and not for food and drink brought in from the outside.

Parking At The Smithsonian Natural History Museum Can Be Frustrating

It is never easy to find Smithsonian Natural History Museum parking, but it is not impossible either.

Three hour parking is available on Madison Drive between 7th Street and 12th Street NW near the entrance to the Natural History Museum.

Some of the spaces are restricted zones, so make sure you check the signs. The fine for parking in a handicapped spot without a tag is $250. If you want a spot on Madison Drive, your best bet is to arrive at 10:00 AM, which is when the Smithsonian Natural History Museum opens every morning. Later in the day, you will find it increasingly difficult to find a spot.

If you do not want to deal with looking for parking, then arrange for a tour of the National Mall with Nonpartisan Pedicab. Free pickup from any downtown location, including museums, hotels, parking garages, Metro stations, etc.

On-street parking on the National Mall is no longer free of charge. Three hour parking is available at $2 per hour. Parking meters only accept credit cards.

Visiting the National Mall? Check out our visitors guide to Washington DC What to See in Washington DC. Get the most out of your time checking out monuments and memorials and museums.

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National Air And Space Museum Parking Tips

The National Air and Space Museum is located on the south side of the National Mall. If visitors to the museum are driving in from the north of the city, they will want to park on the north side of the Mall to avoid a traffic headache. Likewise, those traveling from the south should park on the south side of the mall so that they dont have to circumnavigate the entire National Mall.

Air and Space Museum parking spaces are located on and off-premise. There are limited metered parking spaces peppered around the museum, but many of these spaces are limited to a certain amount of time and have additional restrictions on them. There are dozens of local parking spaces within miles of the museum.

There are 18,000 on-street metered spaces throughout the District of Columbia. Generally, the meters run from 7am-6:30pm Monday through Saturday Although, in some areas where there is a high demand, they run until 10pm. Metered parking costs $2.30 an hour citywide and requires payment by coins, at the kiosk or by cell phone.

See the official Smithsonian Parking Map below, for a directory of nearby garages.

National Air And Space Museum

Free science virtual tours: Mars, the Smithsonian and more

With thousands of air and space objects and aircraft on display, science enthusiasts will love the National Air and Space Museum. Families can also visit the museum’s companion facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, to see the Space Shuttle Discovery up close. Both museums are free, but parking costs $15 at the Udvar-Hazy Center. In-person family programs are on hold due to COVID, but the museums offer a variety of free online family activities, including storytimes, expert chats, and more.

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Free Days At Private Museums

Washington DC has enough always-free museums to keep you occupied for weeks, but if you’re interested in some of the small specialty museums, you may want to find out how to save on admission costs to these.

Each summer you can visit 5 of the smaller private museums in the Dupont Circle neighborhood during the Dupont Kalorama Museum Walk.

Anderson House, Dumbarton House, National Museum of American Jewish Military History, The Phillips Collection, and the President Woodrow Wilson House are all free of charge during this two-day event.

Dc Public Schools Ride Metro For Free

Mayor Muriel Bowser established and championed the Kids Ride Free transit subsidy program to ensure that enrolled District students who are also District residents can get to school and school-related activities for free. DC Public School students can enroll in Kids Ride Free and take metro bus, rail, or DC Circulator for no cost to school-related activities . Discovery Theater is close to many Metro bus routes and is just steps from The Smithsonian Metro rail stop. For more information and program guidelines, please visit: .

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National Gallery Of Art: Collection Spanning Classical To Modern Art

With two massive buildings filled with contemporary and classical art, whats not to love about this gallery? The National Gallery of Art also features a six-acre sculpture garden. In the permanent art collection, you can expect to find artworks from the likes of da Vinci and Calder.

You will often find free shows, including classical concerts and the screening of art history movies. In the winter months, theres even an ice skating rink where you can practice your pirouettes between the large-scale sculptures.

Theme: Classical and modern art Opening times: 10 am 5 pm daily Location: Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20565

How To Get A Ticket For Free Museum Day Entry

Smithsonian’s National Museum Of Natural History To Reopen

In order to snag a ticket, people have to select a museum and download one from Smithsonian magazine. Tickets will be available starting Aug. 18. You can only download one ticket per email address, but each one allows entry for two people.

Tickets may be free, but take note that many participating museums will have varying COVID-19 safety precautions in place this year. Check the museum website before you go.

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National Archives Museum: Home Of The National Archives And Records Administration

Many may be familiar with this museum due to its prominence in the National Treasure films. The National Archives Museum houses the one and only Declaration of Independence. While some may have skipped Nicholas Cages performance, we dont recommend skipping this free museum.

You can also get a glimpse of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights before heading home.

Theme: National records and artifacts Opening times: 10:00 am 5:30 pm, daily Location: 701 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20408

Venture X Takes Travelers Further

Before you start exploring Washington, D.C.âor anywhere else youâre planning to goâcheck out Venture X. With Venture X, you can earn unlimited miles, get statement credits on travel bookings, enjoy exclusive airport benefits and receive anniversary bonus miles, all just for being a cardholder.2

Using your Venture X card to book on Capital One Travel? Each year, youâll receive up to $300 back in statement credits.2 Plus youâll earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel. And no matter where you use your card, youâll earn 2X miles on all other purchases.

1 There may be additional health and safety requirements to enter these museums, or schedule changes. Visit the museum websites for more information.2Terms apply. See Venture X for details.

Learn more about Capital Oneâs response to COVID-19 and resources available to customers. For information about COVID-19, head over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Government and private relief efforts vary by location and may have changed since this article was published. Consult a financial adviser or the relevant government agencies and private lenders for the most current information.

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Parking For The Smithsonians

Iâm planning a day trip to Washington DC this Saturday to go check out a few of the Smithsonians such as the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of History, etc.

Can anyone recommend a place to park nearby so that I donât have to take the metro?

If you arrive early itâs pretty easy to find street parking around the Mall area, on the streets in front of the museums, or on Independence Ave or Constitution Ave.

If youâre starting your day a bit later it might still be worth driving around a bit to look, or you could head for Union Station and park there, but that will involve a bit of walking.

Public parking is very limited near the National Mall. On-street parking in Washington, DC is restricted during the morning and evening rush hours. On street parking is not restricted during the weekends. There are many free parking spaces on the National Mall along Madison and Jefferson Drives in front of the Smithsonian Museums but they usually fill quickly. Most of the free on-street parking is restricted to two hours. I would suggest parking in East/Potomac Park parking lot on Ohio Drive. It is a free lot that is very convenient to the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial. If you are looking for a parking garage, there are Colonial Parking Garages available in the nearby vicinity. One location is 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. Here is a great website that will located the nearby parking garages for you,

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African American Civil War Museum

More Than 1,200 Museums Will Be Free to Enter This Weekend

Located just off the historic U Street Corridor once known as Black Broadway, the African American Civil War Museum honors the 209, 125 members of the United States Colored Troops who fought during the American Civil War.

The museum is always free for individuals and groups and we recommend spending at least an hour.

Be sure to go across the street to visit the African American Civil War Memorial.

Find out more about this museum on their website.

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Make The Most Of The Metro

One of the most important tips for visiting the Smithsonian museums is not to drive. The DC Metro is a fast, easy, and affordable way to get to the Smithsonian museums located on or near the National Mall. The Smithsonian metro station stop at 12th & Jefferson, SW, is just to the west of the Smithsonian Castle, the perfect place to begin your Smithsonian adventure. This stop is available on the blue, orange, and silver lines.

If your itinerary includes visiting the Smithsonian museums on the east half of the National Mall, then the Archives Metro Station or the LEnfant Metro Station may be more convenient.

Sage Advice: The Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley is another convenient way to get around Washington, DC. And, if you plan on visiting Arlington National Cemetery during your trip to Washington, DC, you can upgrade your ticket to include the cemetery and water taxi.

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National Museum Of The United States Army

This museum celebrates the history of the U.S. Army through a variety of immersive exhibits. Army vehicles, uniforms, and many other objects from various wars and time periods are on display. Virtual-reality and motion-theater experiences are available for purchase. Kids ages 4 to 8 can do crafts and other activities on weekend mornings from 9am to 12pm in the on-site Experiential Learning Center.

Explore the world of language at Planet Word. Photo courtesy of planetword.org

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Smithsonian Castle: Striking Architecture And Information About Every Smithsonian Museum

We recommend starting at this architectural marvel before heading out to the other museums. At the Smithsonian Castle, you will find information about all of the museums and exhibits.

The castle, which until the end of the 19th century accommodated a library, laboratories, and all aspects of Smithsonian operations, today houses administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. This is the perfect place to start your day and plan your route.

The building is magnificent and a must-see while in DC.

Theme: Information about every museum at National Mall Opening times: 8:30 am 5:30 pm, daily

Visit The Smithsonian Museums

Underrated Smithsonian Museums in DC

Collectively called the Smithsonian Institution, this world-renowned museum and research complex in the District consists of 17 museums, galleries and a zoo. Each one is free to enter, and across the spectrum, you can learn about the origins of man, the wonders of art, the history and future of flight and so much more.

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