10 Essential Museums to Explore in Washington, D.C.

There are countless reasons to visit our nation's capital, including iconic landmarks like the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. However, one of the true gems of Washington, D.C. is the vast array of museums—over 70 in total—many of which offer free admission to the public.

Rest assured, the museums in the D.C. area offer much more than just American history (although you'll find plenty of that). Art enthusiasts will discover various galleries, while there are museums dedicated to African American and Native American history, as well as one focused on espionage. Plus, there's a museum specifically designed to engage children.

Here are the 10 top museums to visit in Washington, D.C.:

1. Smithsonian National Museum of American History

• Location: 1300 Constitution Ave. NW
• Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Established in 1964 as the National Museum of History and Technology, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History houses over 3 million artifacts and national treasures connected to key events in U.S. history. Notable items include the original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner,” an array of First Ladies’ gowns, the John Bull locomotive (the world’s oldest operational steam locomotive since it was run by the Smithsonian in 1981), Abraham Lincoln’s iconic top hat, the original Greensboro lunch counter from the 1960 Civil Rights protests, and an American Stories exhibit featuring Dorothy’s ruby slippers and a Kermit the Frog puppet. This museum offers a vast and remarkable overview of American history.

2. The National Museum of African American History and Culture

• Location: 1400 Constitution Ave. NW
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

As the latest addition to the extensive Smithsonian museum collection, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is both fascinating and significant. Opened in 2016 at its current permanent site (with a ceremony led by President Barack Obama), this sleek and modern museum features eight floors filled with exhibits. It is the largest museum dedicated solely to African American history and culture, boasting over 40,000 artifacts. Among its notable items are Harriet Tubman’s shawl, an original cabin from South Carolina that once sheltered enslaved people, and manacles used to restrain enslaved individuals. Visiting is a profound experience, and you may find that one trip isn’t enough to fully appreciate everything on display.

3. National Postal Museum

• Location: 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE
• Hours: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Opened in 1993, the National Postal Museum is one of the more specialized museums in the city, entirely focused on the history of the postal service (specifically the U.S. Postal Service, not the indie band from Seattle) from its early colonial roots to the present day. Here, guests can explore the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, home to the largest stamp collection in the world, featuring over 20,000 stamps, including items from John Lennon’s personal collection. There’s also a detailed exhibit about city mailboxes. On the ground floor, visitors can discover the various modes of transportation that were used to deliver mail across the country, including stagecoaches, carriages, steamboats, and trains.

4. The National Museum of the American Indian

• Location: Fourth St. SW
• Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Since its opening in 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian has been the first museum in the nation solely dedicated to the history and culture of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, presented from an Indigenous viewpoint. With over 80,000 artifacts, it ranks among the largest collections worldwide, encompassing items from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. Among its current notable exhibitions is Nation to Nation: Treaties, curated by Indigenous rights advocate Suzan Shown Harjo, highlighting significant Native American diplomats who advocated for Indigenous rights with the U.S. government. Visitors can also enjoy seasonal dishes at the on-site Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, featuring menu items like Bolivian-style chili braised pork shank and ceviche prepared by executive chef Freddie Bitsoie. Additionally, if a trip to D.C. isn't possible, the National Museum of the American Indian also has a branch in New York City.

5. National Gallery of Art

• Location: Sixth and Constitution Ave. NW
• Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Comprising two buildings and a sculpture garden, the National Gallery of Art is an art lover’s paradise. The West Building offers a chronological journey through Western art, featuring masterpieces by European greats such as Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, and Vincent van Gogh. Transition to the contemporary East Building via a moving walkway illuminated by Multiverse, a stunning light installation by Leo Villareal made up of 41,000 LED bulbs. Inside the East Building, visitors can marvel at Alexander Calder’s grand mobile suspended from the atrium ceiling, as well as works by Warhol and Pollock, and Katharina Fritsch’s striking 15-foot blue rooster sculpture proudly displayed on the rooftop terrace. If you’re still eager for more art, take a short walk north to the National Portrait Gallery, which houses portraits of notable Americans, including every president.

6. The National Air and Space Museum

• Location: 600 Independence Ave. SW
• Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

Inaugurated during the country’s bicentennial celebrations in 1976, the National Air and Space Museum stands as the largest of the Smithsonian Institution’s 20 museums and has recently undergone significant renovations. After a four-year transformation, it reopened in October 2022 featuring over 100 new interactive and digital exhibits. Highlights include a T-38 flown by Jackie Cochran, a full-sized X-Wing Starfighter from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the WR-3 air racer built by Neal Loving, the first Black American licensed to race planes. The museum boasts the world’s largest collection of air and spacecraft, an IMAX theater, the Einstein Planetarium, and hands-on flight simulators.

Among the over 60,000 items related to aviation and human flight on display are the Wright brothers’ 1903 Wright Flyer; Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis; Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1, known as Glamorous Glennis, which was the first to break the sound barrier; astronaut John Glenn’s Friendship 7 Mercury capsule; the Apollo 11 command module Columbia that carried the first astronauts to the moon; the Apollo-Soyuz docking; and Skylab. Although the museum is vast, visitors can view only 10 percent of the entire collection here, with the remaining 90 percent housed at the Steven Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, the largest air and space museum facility globally.

7. International Spy Museum

• Location: 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Admission: Tickets starting at $29 per person

For those fascinated by spies and eager to distinguish reality from fiction (sorry, Austin Powers), the International Spy Museum is a must-visit. It’s the only museum in the United States solely dedicated to the world of espionage. Here, you can delve into the gadgets and techniques employed by actual spies, from German watch cameras to lipstick pistols. Explore the intricate world of ciphers and codes used for secret communications, uncover the stories of female spies, and learn how carrier pigeons played a role in espionage. One of the highlights of this museum is its interactive features. Upon entry, guests can take on the persona of one of 16 different spy identities, with plaques and even “guards” throughout the exhibits to challenge how well visitors can remember their assigned roles.

8. The National Museum of Natural History

• Location: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW
• Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free

The National Museum of Natural History boasts one of the largest collections of natural history specimens in the world, featuring over 147 million items, including countless mammals from Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Visitors can easily spend hours here, captivated by treasures like the Hope Diamond (rumored to be cursed since it was aboard the Titanic when it sank), the newly renovated Hall of Fossils, and the enchanting Butterfly Pavilion. This museum tends to be bustling, particularly on weekends and holidays, so visiting early in the day during the week is ideal for a more enjoyable experience.

9. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

• Location: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW
• Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Admission: Free, but a timed reservation is necessary

The Holocaust Memorial Museum stands as a tribute to the over 6 million Jewish individuals who were systematically exterminated by the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945. It also functions as an educational center dedicated to raising awareness about antisemitism and the ongoing threats of genocide and hatred worldwide. Established in 1993, the museum narrates the full chronological history of the Holocaust through artifacts, archival footage, and testimonies from survivors. Holocaust survivors frequently volunteer at the museum, allowing visitors to hear their personal stories firsthand. The exhibitions begin with the rise of the Nazi party, cover the ghettoization of German cities, and detail the use of concentration camps for Jewish people and other marginalized groups, concluding with modern genocides, such as the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The museum also addresses topics like the Nazis' eugenics program, Jewish resistance, and the murder of millions of other victims, including political prisoners, Romani and Polish people, LGBTQ individuals, and those with disabilities. A visit to this museum can be a profoundly somber experience; it is advisable to allocate an entire day to fully absorb the information presented.

10. National Children’s Museum

• Location: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
• Hours: Open Wednesday to Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Admission: $19 per person (applies to children over the age of one)

If you've taken your kids to every museum along the National Mall and they might not have grasped the brilliance of Jackson Pollock at the National Gallery of Art, don't worry—the National Children’s Museum is here to help! This museum is entirely dedicated to hands-on activities designed to ignite interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), primarily catering to children aged 12 and under. For infants and toddlers, there's the Little Dreamers area, themed around clouds and flight, which promotes the development of gross and fine motor skills through sensory exploration. Be sure to visit the Art and Tech wing (sponsored by Nickelodeon), which features exciting exhibits with characters from popular shows like SpongeBob and Paw Patrol.