One of the wonderful aspects of Washington DC is that it contains the biggest museum complex in the world. The Smithsonian Institute is a conglomeration of sixteen widely different buildings and parks. Eleven of them are downtown between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, lining a large grassy field known as "The Mall." Four other museums and park are located in various suburbs of DC, easily accessible by the Metro subway system.
An Englishman who had never set foot in America founded the Smithsonian Institute. In 1829, James Smithson bequeathed over half a million dollars to the U.S. government to create an institute "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The United States government eventually used the gift to catalogue mankind's current knowledge in its museums, to fund science research, art projects, and to further exploration into unknown areas. Today, the government is still responsible for 75% of the institutes funding with the rest coming from private donations.
The Mall, at the center of DC, is within easy walking distance of the Capitol Building, the White House and most of the monuments. The Smithsonian Metro station, near the center of the Mall, provides convenient access and brings you only one block away from the original Smithsonian administrative building. Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial and L'Enfant Plaza Metro stations are also within easy walking distance to one or more of the museums.
All of the museums are open from 9 am to 5:30 pm every day except Christmas Day. The least crowded times are in the winter when the weather is at its worst. The summer months (June through August) are the busiest times. Weekend days are typically the most crowded, particularly around summer holidays such as Independence Day (July 4th), or Memorial Day (the last Monday in May). The quietest day is usually Monday, which is also a good day to get into any exhibit that needs a time-ticket entry (more about that later).
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| National Museum of American History |
The museums, parks, and zoo are all free, although some special exhibits may charge a modest entrance fee. ($3.00 to $5.00 per adult). Some of the museums have special Hands-On Centers for children, or special exhibits, which require timed-entry tickets. These free tickets are usually issued outside the exhibit on the same day and specify the time you may enter. Warning, you may want to get your tickets as soon as you reach the museum, because the special rooms are very popular, and the tickets are usually gone by lunchtime.
Some of the museums, such as the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museums, also run IMAX movies (70 mm films) or special interactive exhibits which cost around $6.00 a person. These shows vary throughout the year, but you can find a current listing is at the Smithsonian website.
Some unique exhibits are housed in the Arts and Industries Building and the original Smithsonian administrative building. The latter is usually referred to as "The Castle" because its red brickwork and ornate towers. The Castle is largely made up of administrative offices but the center area is devoted to tourist information and the few computers that line the walls can help you locate any special or temporary exhibits. James Smithson's sarcophagus is located in the north entry. The Arts and Industries building is used for temporary exhibits as well as a 19th century look at American life. It currently houses an exhibit that will form the core of the National Museum for the American Indian collection.
The three most popular museums in the area are the Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of Natural History. All three museums are quite large and would require a minimum of two to four hours to completely view.
