Get ready to see the US capital for next to nothing with our round up of the best Smithsonian museums located along the National Mall in the heart of Washington D.C.
Header photo credit: Douglas Remley (Smithsonian)
Visiting Washington D.C. on a budget just got a whole lot easier with our guide to the best free museums in the city. Packed with exciting exhibitions and cool collections including items from the Apollo Space mission and Chuck Berry’s red Cadillac Eldorado, museum hopping is the best way to learn more about US history.
What’s more, they’re all within walking distance of each other, so you can drop by each museum as little or as much as you like. Make sure you’ve got plenty of space on your camera — you won’t stop snapping the entire way round (wear comfy shoes as well).
And once you’ve had your fill of shiny gems, ancient fossils and tribal carvings find out what else is going on in the capital with our events calendar. Oh, and don’t leave without stopping off at the White House — you never know who might be stood out on the balcony.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
History geeks can go wild in our first museum of choice: the National Museum of Natural History. Home to giant replica mammals including the much-loved 14-foot-tall African elephant and 45-foot-long whale named Phoenix as well as exhibitions on human evolution, the Hope Diamond and nature’s best photography, you can easily spend the entire day exploring.
The Sant Ocean Hall is a must-see if you’re fascinated by the underwater world, with over 600 marine specimens and models on display including two giant squids, a coral reef aquarium featuring around 50 different species of fish and a detailed explanation of the North and South Pole and their inhabitants. There’s also an ‘Ocean in the News’ section which keeps visitors up to date with the latest ocean goings-on as well as a ‘Deep Ocean Exploration’ video that plays on a loop throughout the day, showing how scientists explore the deepest corners of the ocean and what they discover.
There’s also a fascinating exhibition called ‘Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt’ where you can meet a mummy and discover how mummification happens. If you’re interested in gems and minerals there are plenty on display, with the ‘Hope Diamond’ taking centre stage in the Harry Winston Gallery.
The museum has a number of temporary exhibitions that change throughout the year so make sure you check the official website to find out what will be on during your visit. If you plan to go in the summer, you’ll have until 7.30 p.m. to peruse the collections, with normal opening hours between 10.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Admission is free, apart from the Butterfly Pavilion which costs $6, but can be accessed free of charge on Tuesdays. The IMAX Theatre also charges an entry fee, showing interesting documentaries and popular movies relevant to its displays.
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
Photo credit: Mark Avino, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
If you were gripped by Tim Peake’s recent trip to space and the Martian is your new favourite Matt Damon movie then you should make the National Air and Space Museum your first stop.
Spend some time investigating the Apollo Lunar Module LM-2, a model that was built for the second unmanned Earth-orbit test flight. Due to the success of LM (1) a second flight didn’t take place, so whilst this little guy has never actually been in space it does give you pretty good idea of how a lunar module is made. Plus, the LM-2 was used as a testing vehicle in preparation for the Moon-landing mission, so we reckon we can forgive it for never actually going into orbit. The Apollo to the Moon collection also features equipment used in the mission and the sample return container that held the samples taken from the moon itself.
If space is your thing you’ll love the ‘Space Race’ exhibition which looks at the rivalry between the US and Soviet Union as they raced to secure the first moon-landing. ‘Exploring the Planets’ should also be on your list if you want to track how the solar system is monitored by the spacecrafts.
You’ll also be able to see a tonne of other space and air crafts that are suspended from the ceiling of the museum, to give visitors that ‘in flight’ experience during their exploration. Take a step into the past with the Wright Glider’s, replicas of the models that were used by the Wright brothers when testing aerodynamics in preparation for their first successfully powered airplane. Explore the Golden Age of Flight exhibition if you’d like to map the course of aviation from the very beginning to the present day.
With the addition of a Planetarium and IMAX Theatre showing space favourites, you really won’t know where to head first when you visit the National Air and Space Museum. But with free entry and opening hours of 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. everyday (except Christmas Day), you’ll have plenty of time to look at each room in detail.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
Photo credit: Douglas Remley, National Museum of African American History and Culture
The youngest of the Smithsonian Museums, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has already been a hit with locals and tourists since it officially opened on September 24th 2016. It already houses almost 37,000 objects which feature in exhibitions such as ‘A Changing America’, ‘ Slavery and Freedom’ and ‘Taking the Stage’.
‘Musical Crossroads’ has quickly become a favourite amongst visitors with Chuck Berry’s red Cadillac Eldorado, Jimi Hendrix’s vest and the neon sign from Minton’s Playhouse being just a few of the items in this collection. The Collection Stories have also been a hit with Muhammad Ali’s ‘Float like a Butterfly’ drawing the attention of basketball star Le Bron James who has donated $2.5 million dollars to extend the collection so visitors can learn about Ali’s life outside of the ring as well as his sporting achievements.
What’s more the museum houses the Sweet Home Café which gives visitors a taste of African American history and culture by offering food from ‘The Agricultural South’, ‘The Creole Coast’, ‘The North States’ and ‘The Western Range’. Stop off for lunch here when you need a small break — tasting these cuisines is a big part of the museum experience. With dishes such as ‘Buttermilk Fried Chicken’, ‘BBQ Buffalo Brisket Sandwich’ and ‘Wild Turkey Pecan Pie’ on the menu you better wear your stretchy pants.
Whilst the entry is free, you will have to obtain a timed pass to be granted entry. As the museum is still in its first few months of opening, passes are in place for crowd control — check the website for more details as rules and availability can change quickly.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
Photo credit: Destination DC (washington.org)
For a real glimpse into American history, spend an afternoon in the National Museum of the American Indian. The building’s unique architecture was inspired by native tribes from around the world, influences that extend into the museums interiors.
Discover the history of the Chesapeake bay area, now known as Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware in the ‘Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake’ exhibition, be educated on the cultural philosophies of important tribe figures in ‘Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World’ and map the turbulent relationship between the United States and the American Indian Nations at the ‘Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations’ exhibition.
The collections should also be given close examination — they span more than 12,000 years of history and feature items from over 1,200 indigenous cultures who have lived across the Americas. Study the intricate designs on jars, vases and pottery as well as the colourful needlework on clothing that include leggings and moccasins from the Northern Shoshone tribe.
Stop by the Mitsitam Cafe before you leave to sample food from the Americas indigenous cultures. Embrace the interactivity where visitors are given a glimpse into traditional cooking techniques or enjoy a coffee at the Espresso Coffee Bar which uses Tribal Grounds Coffee, a brand that is grown and cultivated by indigenous farmers. Just don’t forget the museum closes at 5.30 p.m. or else you might be sleeping in a teepee for the night before it reopens at 10.00 a.m. the next day.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Photo credit: National Museum of American History
Of course a trip to the States wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the National Museum of American History, especially since it houses the original ‘Star Spangled Banner’. Take a walk through American history with collections that feature items from: industry and manufacturing, sports and leisure, transportation, clothing, military and music.
Special exhibitions such as ‘Food: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000’ are worth exploring. You can peer into kitchens of times gone by, examine food from different cultures that were once exotic and foreign to the American plate, and learn about the ‘rise of snacking’ in US culture. ‘Women’s History’ is also examined in detail across a number of exhibitions. Pay attention to the work of female photographers, particularly that of Bernie Palmer who photographed survivors of the Titanic iceberg disaster. You can also learn about women in World War I and Mexican America.
The museum’s newest exhibition ‘American Stories’ is sure to draw in a lot of visitors as it showcases the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, a signed baseball from the 1937 All-Star Game and Apolo Ohno’s speed skates from the 2002 Winter Olympics. Like the other museums it’s open everyday from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily (except Christmas Day) and with free admission you’ll be able to pop in and out throughout your stay. Just don’t blame us if you’re singing ‘O Say Can’t You See’ on the flight home.
Where to stay: If you’re heading to the free museums because you’re on a budget, book a room at HighRoad Hostel DC. Prices start from around $50 and include access to a modern, fully-equipped kitchen, personal lockers and a communal area with a fireplace to lounge in after your day of exploring. The museums are just over an hour’s walk away or a 40 minute metro ride. If you can afford to stay in central D.C., we’d recommend the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. but this does cost $300 plus a night. You’’ll live in luxury during your stay with free access to spa facilities including a plunge pool, sauna and steam room. You’ll be able to walk to the museums, or hop on the metro at the L’Enfant Plaza station to explore the rest of the city.
How to get there: The Ronald Reagan National Airport is the closest to Washington D.C. but often requires multiple flight changes depending on where you are departing from. Fly into Dulles International Airport or Baltimore-Washington International Airport if you aren’t flying domestically. Transport links from these airports to the city are frequent and easy to book.
Have you visited any of the Smithsonian Museums? Tweet us @travioor or post a comment on Travioor’s Facebook page to let us know.
Originally published at www.travioor.com.
