First Time in DC: Which Smithsonian Museums to Visit (and in What Order)

The Smithsonian Institution runs more museums in Washington than any first-time visitor can see on a single trip, and admission to all of them is free. That generosity creates its own problem: with so many choices lined up along the National Mall, it is easy to spend a day walking between buildings instead of enjoying what is inside them. This guide helps you choose by interest, cluster museums to save your feet, and plan a half day or a full day that you will actually enjoy.

First, a Quick Map

Most of the Smithsonian's Washington museums line the National Mall between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, facing each other across the grass:

• North side, along Constitution Avenue: the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture near the Washington Monument.
• South side, along Independence Avenue: the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian near the Capitol end, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Museum of Asian Art.
• Off the Mall: the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which share a historic building in Penn Quarter; the Renwick Gallery near the White House; the National Postal Museum next to Union Station; the National Zoo in Northwest DC; and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Air and Space's huge companion facility near Dulles Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.

One common mix-up: the National Gallery of Art, on the north side of the Mall, is not part of the Smithsonian, although it is also free and is often included in the same day.

Choosing by Traveler Type

Families with younger kids. The National Museum of Natural History is the classic first choice, with dinosaurs, the giant squid, the gem collection and plenty of hands-on spaces. The National Air and Space Museum is a close second for children excited by aircraft and spacecraft, and the National Zoo makes a good separate outing on another day. Pick one or two museums and leave time for running around on the Mall.

American history fans. The National Museum of American History holds objects from across the country's story, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture is one of the most powerful museums in the city; plan several hours there alone, starting from the history galleries on the lower levels. The National Portrait Gallery adds the faces of American history, including the presidential portraits.

Art lovers. The National Museum of Asian Art, the Hirshhorn for modern and contemporary art, and the combined American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery building in Penn Quarter make a strong art day. Add the National Gallery of Art across the Mall, even though it is not Smithsonian, and you have more than enough for two days.

Aviation and space fans. Start with the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall, which has been reopening its galleries in phases after a long renovation. If you have a car or a driver, the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, with its hangar of aircraft and spacecraft, is worth a half day of its own.

Passes, Hours and Bag Checks

Admission is free, but some museums have required free timed-entry passes, particularly the National Air and Space Museum and, at times, the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Pass requirements and release schedules change, so check each museum's official website before you go and reserve passes where needed. Also check hours and any gallery closures; renovations and special events can close parts of a building.

Expect a bag check at the entrance of every museum. Lines can build on busy days, especially in spring and summer, so travel light and arrive near opening time when you can.

Cluster to Save Your Feet

The Mall is wider and longer than it looks, and crossing it repeatedly wears visitors out fast. Plan museum stops by side:

• North-side day: Natural History, then American History, then the African American History museum near 15th Street, all along Constitution Avenue.
• South-side day: the American Indian museum, Air and Space, the Hirshhorn and Asian Art, all along Independence Avenue.
• Penn Quarter add-on: the Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, a short ride north of the Mall, good for an afternoon when the Mall is hot.

Two or three museums in a day is plenty for most people. Five is a sprint, and you will remember little of it.

A Half-Day Plan

1. Arrive at opening time at your top-priority museum.
2. Spend two to three hours there, with a break at its cafe or a bench outside.
3. Walk to one neighboring museum on the same side of the Mall for a shorter visit.
4. Lunch nearby, then head back to the hotel or on to an afternoon activity.

A Full-Day Plan

1. Morning at your top-priority museum.
2. Midday at a second museum on the same side.
3. Lunch away from the Mall, in Penn Quarter or the Wharf, for a change of scene.
4. Afternoon at the Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, or the National Gallery of Art.
5. Evening at the monuments, which are lit after dark.

An hourly chauffeur booking is especially useful on a full day: drop-offs at each museum door, a quick hop between clusters, and a place to leave coats, shopping and snacks.

Planning for Groups

School and youth groups have their own logistics, from headcounts to bus parking. Our guide to tour-group transportation for the Smithsonian and the National Mall covers those, and our list of the top things to do in Washington DC helps fit the museums into a longer trip.

Two Smithsonian Outings Beyond the Mall

If you have more than two days, two Smithsonian sites away from the Mall deserve a place on the list. The National Zoo, in Rock Creek Park in Northwest DC, is free and spread across hilly grounds, so plan on a few hours and comfortable shoes; check the zoo's site for any entry pass requirements and seasonal hours. Our National Zoo transportation page covers drop-off and parking there. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles houses aircraft and spacecraft too large for the Mall building in an enormous hangar, and it is easiest to reach by car. See our Udvar-Hazy Center transportation page for the drive, which pairs well with an arrival or departure at Dulles.

Booking Your Museum Day

Tell us which museums you have chosen and we will plan the drop-offs. Call (877) 609-1919 or book online.