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How to Get Tickets to Smithsonian Museums

Updated: March 7, 2024

The Smithsonian Museums are open daily in Washington DC (with the exception of a few holidays!)

Most museums do NOT require tickets and you are able to enter at your leisure.

So how do you get tickets to visit the Smithsonian ?

  • Only NMAAHC, Air and Space (Mall location) and National Zoo require tickets
  • Tickets are available for groups of 12 or less. Groups larger than 12 people are prohibited. However, you can only book up to 6 tickets at a time. Groups 6-12 will need to make two reservations.
  • You will need a ticket for each person, regardless of age.

OVERWHELMED? We offer private Smithsonian museum tours to groups of 5 or less of American History, National Gallery of Art, Natural History, National Archives, Air and Space and National Portrait Gallery! Find out more.


NATIONAL ZOO

Entrance to the National Zoo requires timed tickets, and parking passes will need to be reserved in advance as well.

Passes open on a rolling basis 4 weeks in advance. Some same day passes are available at the gate.

While tickets are free, there is a fee to park at the Zoo lot. 

Learn more about how to get tickets to the National Zoo.


NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE TICKETS

Even before COVID, this museum required timed tickets at busy times.

Tickets are released at 8am each day for the next month 30 days out (so on May 26, you can book tickets for June 25.)

They book out within the first few minutes!

You can get same day tickets to the museum by checking online at 8:15am

Find out more about this museum on our article about the NMAAHC.


AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

NO TICKETS NEEDED for Udvar Hazy. Only the National Mall location requires timed tickets.

The location on the National Mall has been undergoing renovations. While the work is in progress, not all exhibits are open and with restriction open space, tickets are required.

The Air and Space museum open tickets out in chunks

Same day tickets are released online at 830am and 1230pm daily.

Release DatesAvailable for Reservation
Friday, March 15, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETTuesday, April 16 - Friday, May 31, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETSaturday, June 1 - Monday, July 15, 2024
Friday, June 14, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETTuesday, July 16 - Saturday, August 31, 2024
Friday, July 26, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETSunday, September 1 - Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Friday, September 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETWednesday, October 16 - Saturday November 30, 2024
Friday, October 25, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETSunday, December 1 - Wednesday January 15, 2025
Friday, December 13, 2024 at 12:00 pm ETThursday, January 16 - Friday, February 28, 2025


About The Author

Canden Arciniega

Follow On Instagram | I'm a historian & tour guide in Washington DC with 4 published books about the city. I have written for HuffPost Travel and have been featured in the Washington Post, WTOP, and numerous other DC papers. I've also been interviewed by the BBC, NPR, Travel Channel and Discovery Family Channel. I am the producer of the podcast, Tour Guide Tell All. I am an authority on D.C. history, and have led tours in the city since 2011. I currently resides in DC, but have also lived in London and South Korea, and have traveled to over 28 countries and every US State but Hawaii. I homeschool my 2 children by exploring the plethora of museums in DC. Read More...
Updated: March 7th, 2024
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