• DC Discounts
  • Events
  • News
  • Hottest Tickets in Town

Visit Washington, DC!

Hotel and travel tips for visiting Washington, DC

  • Home
  • Visitor Information
    • Traveling to Washington DC
    • Getting Around Washington DC
    • Parking in Washington DC
    • Guided Tours of Washington DC
    • Washington DC News, Media, and Weather
    • Shopping in Washington DC
    • Restaurants in Washington DC
  • Sightseeing
    • Monuments & Memorials
    • Museums and Galleries
    • Other Washington DC Attractions
    • Parks
    • Day Trips
    • Take the Kids
    • Annual Events
  • Hotels
    • Featured Hotels
    • Hotels Near the Mall
    • Hotel Package Deals
    • Group Accommodations
    • Washington DC Hotels
    • Virginia Hotels
    • Maryland Hotels
  • Tour Books
  • Event Tickets
    • Kennedy Center Tickets
    • Capital One Arena Tickets
    • Warner Theatre Tickets
    • Eagle Bank Arena Tickets
    • Wolf Trap Tickets
    • Royal Farms Arena Tickets
    • The Theater at MGM National Harbor
    • FedEx Field Tickets
    • Washington Capitals Tickets
    • Washington Nationals Tickets
    • Washington Redskins Tickets
    • Washington Wizards Tickets
    • DC United Tickets
    • All Washington, DC Events
  • Tour Deals
  • Top 10
You are here: Home / Washington DC Sightseeing / Washington DC Museums and Galleries / National Museum of American History (Smithsonian)

National Museum of American History (Smithsonian)

Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC

Dorothy’s ruby slippers, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet — these are just a few of the three million artifacts housed in the National Museum of American History, a collection that represents the diversity of American life through the centuries.

As part of a recent two-year, $85 million renovation, the museum added a new gallery to display the original Star-Spangled Banner — the 200-year-old flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the U.S. national anthem. An interactive table allows visitors to investigate details of the flag and how it was made. The exhibition also explores how Americans have used the Star-Spangled Banner — the flag and the song — to express national identity.

Other crowd-pleasers include Julia Child’s kitchen, moved to the museum lock, stock, and barrel from Child’s house in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2001, and the “First Ladies at the Smithsonian” exhibit, which features gowns worn by 14 first ladies, including Laura Bush and Jackie Kennedy. Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown is also on display.

You can also see a stretch of the famed Route 66 in the museum’s “America on the Move” exhibit, or ponder the civil rights era at the Greensboro Lunch Counter — an iconic artifact that recalls the moment when four African American college students were refused service at a “whites only” lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Travel Tips

In addition to daily, 60-minute guided tours, the museum offers an evolving roster of lectures, interactive activities and musical performances; check the web site’s “Events and Programs” page for information.

The museum houses two cafes, offering soups, salads, and pizza, but expect long lines during the school year when a large number of student groups visit. Packing a lunch and eating on the Mall, or picking up a hot dog from one of the vendors on Constitution Avenue or Madison Drive, may be a better alternative.

For more, visit: www.americanhistory.si.edu.

Photos

Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC

Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC

Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC
Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC

Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC

Travel Information

National Museum of American History (Smithsonian)
14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20560
202.633.1000

Hours: Open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., every day except Christmas.

Admission: Free

Parking: There are a limited number of free, three-hour-limit, on-street parking spaces along Jefferson and Madison Drives.

Metrorail: Orange and Blue Line stops for Smithsonian or Federal Triangle.

Nearby Attractions
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian)
White House
Washington Monument

Suggested Tours
Old Town Trolley Tour

 

Comments

  1. Cal Allen says

    December 8, 2020 at 11:55 pm

    In 2008 I visited the Museum and was captivated by a video of the uses (and abuses) of the American Flag throughout our history. The video was being run on a small black and white TV above the entrance to the main display of the Ft. Sumpter flag.
    Is this video available for viewing at home through U_Tube or other means?

    Reply
    • The District says

      December 10, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      I don’t know of a YouTube video, but their online exhibition for this display is located here: https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/star-spangled-banner

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Promote Your Event

Know of an event that would interest tourists in D.C.? We want to hear about it. Drop us a note and we'll help you get the word out.
Copyright 2019 Big Fish Design. All Rights Reserved. The District | Advertising Rates | Privacy Policy | Contact Us