Visit every Smithsonian museum in Washington
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
The Smithsonian calls itself the world's largest museum complex, and most of its museums stand on or near the National Mall, with admission free at every Washington location. Ticking off the whole set takes you from aircraft and natural history to portraits, postage stamps and African and Asian art.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A year or moreIndoorsAlone or with othersDistrict of Columbia
How to start
- Print the Smithsonian's official list of museums and mark those in and around Washington.
- Reserve the free timed-entry passes that some museums require, such as the African American History and Culture Museum.
- Group nearby museums into days, and check the list for any that are closed for renovation.
Where to go
We opened this link on 8 October 2026 and found it to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Projects run over months and stall without a rhythm, so the plan sets milestones you can see.
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