Anna & Matthew
Anna & Matthew
Explore Our Nation's Capital
The National Mall, in the heart of Washington DC, is home to most of the Smithsonian Museums. There are plenty of different experiences to keep one busy for days, but the most popular are listed at the bottom of the page.
Other museums on the Mall include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Hirshhorn Modern Art Gallery, the Freer/Sackler Gallery, and the Botanical Gardens.
Along the Mall you will also find the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol.
Washington DC also has historical homes open to visitors as well.
The Anderson House, Hillwood House, and Dumbarton House offer tours through their beautiful mansions away from the hustle of downtown DC.
Additional art galleries in Washington DC are also popular destinations.
The Renwick Gallery is just steps from the White House, the National Portrait Gallery holds presidential portraits and modern art, and the Kreeger Museum boasts a lovely collection of impressionist art as well as sculpture.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art, founded as a gift to the nation, serves as a center of visual art, education, and culture. Their collection of more than 150,000 paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings spans the history of Western art and showcases some of the triumphs of human creativity. Across 363 days a year, the National Gallery offers a full spectrum of special exhibitions and public programs free of charge.
Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free and no tickets are required.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Under slight renovation, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum maintains the world's largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human flight, as well as related works of art and archival materials.
Free, timed entry passes are required to visit this museum.
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is the original Star-Spangled Banner.
Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and no tickets are required.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Their mission is to promote understanding of the natural world and our place in it. The museum’s collections tell the history of the planet and are a record of human interaction with the environment and one another.
Open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and no tickets are required.