Smithsonian and DC museums
The best DC museums
The free Smithsonians on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art, the African American history museum, the Spy Museum and the Museum of the Bible. Here is how to pick DC museums, with honest advice on whether a paid tour is worth it when entry is free, timed passes and crowds.
See our 5 picks
Most of DC's big museums are free, including the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The Smithsonian says entry is free.
Start with Natural History, Air and Space, American History, the African American history museum and the National Gallery of Art.
A guided tour only adds the story. Our top pick is a 3-hour walk plus the African American history museum, from €71.
Our 5 picks for DC museum tours
Entry to the Smithsonian museums is free, so these tours sell a guide, a plan or a reservation. All five have free cancellation. Tours with few or no reviews come last, marked.
- from €71 per person Our top pick
African American history, 3 hours
Mall walk and museum
3 hours 4.4 (162) reviews on GetYourGuide
Mall walk and the African American history museum
A guided walk past three landmarks, then a reserved entry to the African American history museum. You see the museum at your own pace; the guide does not come inside. The museum ticket itself is free, says the listing.
Best for First-timers who want the Mall story
Check availability: Mall walk and the African American history museum on GetYourGuide - from €312 per group up to 5
African American history, 2 hours
Private museum tour
2 hours 4.7 (55) reviews on GetYourGuide
Private guide inside the African American history museum
A private 2-hour tour for your own group, on the Mall and inside the museum. The guide is family-friendly, says the listing. Entry is free; the seller makes the reservation.
Best for A family or small group that wants a guide inside
Check availability: Private guide inside the African American history museum on GetYourGuide -
from €67 per person 3 hours 4.7 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
National Archives and American History Museum with a historian
Few reviews so far (4). A 3-hour small-group tour of two museums. You see the Declaration of Independence, the Star-Spangled Banner flag and Jefferson's writing desk.
Best for History fans
Check availability: National Archives and American History Museum with a historian on GetYourGuide -
from €53 per person 3 hours 4.5 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
Landmarks bus tour with an optional Air and Space ticket
Few reviews so far (4). A 3-hour bus tour of the monuments with a live guide. You can add an Air and Space, Washington Monument or African American museum ticket. The attraction sets the ticket date and time, says the listing.
Best for Seeing the sights, then one museum
Check availability: Landmarks bus tour with an optional Air and Space ticket on GetYourGuide - from €290 per group up to 8
American History, 1.5 hours
Family scavenger hunt
1 h 30 min New, no reviews yet
Family scavenger hunt at the American History Museum
New on GetYourGuide: no reviews yet. A 1.5-hour guided hunt for your own group. Kids look for the First Ladies' dresses, Lincoln's top hat and the flag behind the national anthem.
Best for Families with kids
Check availability: Family scavenger hunt at the American History Museum on GetYourGuide
The 5 museum tours side by side
| Tour | From | Duration | Group size | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mall walk and the African American history museum | €71 per person | 3 hours | Up to 18 | First-timers who want the Mall story | The most-reviewed museum tour here, with the museum reservation done for you. |
| Private guide inside the African American history museum | €312 per group up to 5 | 2 hours | Private, up to 5 | A family or small group that wants a guide inside | The only pick with a guide inside this museum. |
| National Archives and American History Museum with a historian | €67 per person | 3 hours | Up to 6 | History fans | Two museums and a historian in one morning. |
| Landmarks bus tour with an optional Air and Space ticket | €53 per person | 3 hours | Up to 40 | Seeing the sights, then one museum | Sights by bus and a museum ticket in one booking. |
| Family scavenger hunt at the American History Museum | €290 per group up to 8 | 1 h 30 min | Private, up to 8 | Families with kids | A guided game that keeps kids busy in a big museum. |
Mall walk and the African American history museum
€71 per person3 hours 4.4 (162)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 18
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want the Mall story
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed museum tour here, with the museum reservation done for you.
Private guide inside the African American history museum
€312 per group up to 52 hours 4.7 (55)
Details
- Group size
- Private, up to 5
- Who it suits
- A family or small group that wants a guide inside
- Why we picked it
- The only pick with a guide inside this museum.
National Archives and American History Museum with a historian
€67 per person3 hours 4.7 (4)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 6
- Who it suits
- History fans
- Why we picked it
- Two museums and a historian in one morning.
Landmarks bus tour with an optional Air and Space ticket
€53 per person3 hours 4.5 (4)
Details
- Group size
- Up to 40
- Who it suits
- Seeing the sights, then one museum
- Why we picked it
- Sights by bus and a museum ticket in one booking.
Family scavenger hunt at the American History Museum
€290 per group up to 81 h 30 minNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Group size
- Private, up to 8
- Who it suits
- Families with kids
- Why we picked it
- A guided game that keeps kids busy in a big museum.
- None of the 5 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 5 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Are the museums in Washington, DC free? The short answer
- Free
- Smithsonian museums
- Paid
- Spy Museum, Museum of the Bible
Yes, the Smithsonian museums are free. The Smithsonian says entry costs nothing.
Some museums use free timed passes, like the African American history museum. You book those passes through the museum.
A few private museums charge. The Spy Museum and the Museum of the Bible sell tickets.
So a paid tour never buys you entry you could not get free. It buys a guide or a plan.
The big Smithsonian museums on the National Mall
The big Smithsonians sit side by side on the National Mall, between the monuments. You can walk from one to the next.
Start with the ones below. Pick by what you like: science, flight or history.
National Museum of Natural History
This is the museum of the natural world. It suits kids and anyone who likes science.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
This museum is about flight and space. Its second site, the Udvar-Hazy Center, is free and open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is in Chantilly, Virginia, and parking costs $15.
National Museum of American History
Here you find the Star-Spangled Banner flag, the First Ladies' dresses and Lincoln's top hat, say the tour listings.
The Smithsonian Institution Building (the Castle)
The red sandstone Castle stands on the Mall. Check the Smithsonian's site before you go to see if it is open.
Guides on DC museums and tickets
Art museums: the National Gallery of Art and the others
For art, go to the National Gallery of Art on the Mall. It is not part of the Smithsonian, so check its own site for hours.
National Building Museum
The National Building Museum is about buildings and design. Check its site for tickets and hours.
History and culture museums, including African American museums in DC
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the big one for Black history. It stands on the Mall.
Entry is free, say both tour listings. The tours only make the reservation and add a guide.
Pass rules change by season. Check the museum's site for the current pass rule.
For American history, the National Museum of American History is close by. The National Archives holds the Declaration of Independence.
Spy Museum, Museum of the Bible and other paid or private museums
The Spy Museum and the Museum of the Bible are not free. Both show the price only after you pick a date.
International Spy Museum in DC
The Spy Museum is at 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW. It opens 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The last ticket is sold one hour before closing.
Museum of the Bible in DC
The Museum of the Bible is at 400 4th St. SW. Its price goes up as your visit date gets closer, so book early.
Best museums for kids and families
For kids, start with Natural History or Air and Space. Both are free and easy to leave when kids get tired.
For a guided game, book the family scavenger hunt at the American History Museum. It is private, for up to 8 people.
For a guide inside the African American history museum, the private tour has a family-friendly guide.
How to pick: a one-day, two-day and rainy-day museum plan
Pick two museums a day at most. The Mall is long, and the museums are big.
- One day: take a Capitol tour in the morning. Then walk west to Air and Space or Natural History.
- Two days: day one for Natural History and American History. Day two for the African American history museum and the National Gallery of Art.
- Rainy day: stay indoors at the Spy Museum or the Museum of the Bible. With a car, drive to the Udvar-Hazy Center.
Hours, entry and crowds: what to check before you go
- 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- many Smithsonians
- Free
- Smithsonian entry
Many Smithsonian museums open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Each museum sets its own hours, so check its page.
Go early on a weekday to beat the crowds. Book any timed pass before you travel.
For the free timed passes, see our guide to Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum tickets.
The Metro is the easy way to reach the Mall.
Museum tours compared: when a guide is worth it
A guide is worth it if you want the story, not just the objects. You can see every Smithsonian free on your own.
The walk plus the African American history museum is the best value. The guide covers the Mall, and you see the museum alone.
For a guide inside, pick the private tour. It costs more, but the price is for your whole group of up to 5.
For two museums with a historian, the Archives and American History tour fits. It has few reviews so far.
Before you book a DC museum tour
Reserve free passes yourself first
Smithsonian entry is free. Check the museum's own site for a free pass before you pay for a reservation.
Go early on a weekday
Arrive at opening time to beat the crowds, and plan two museums a day at most.
Cancel if plans change
All five tours have free cancellation. Check the exact deadline on each listing.
Know what the guide covers
On the walk plus African American history museum, the guide does not come inside the museum.
Check the ticket date
On the bus tour, the attraction sets the date and time of the museum ticket. You cannot choose it.
Book paid museums early
The Museum of the Bible price goes up as your visit date gets closer.
Questions about DC museums
Are the museums in Washington, DC free?
How many Smithsonian museums are there?
Are the DC museums open on Sundays?
What time do the museums in DC close?
Where is the Museum of the Bible?
What is the best museum in DC?
Can I just walk into the Smithsonian?
More DC museum tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (6), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.