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MuseumsIconicFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

600 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC · Washington, DC

Why you should go…

Home to the 1903 Wright Flyer, Apollo-era spacecraft, and a moon rock you can actually touch, this Smithsonian icon just emerged from a dazzling top-to-bottom renovation. It's the story of flight told at full scale, and like every Smithsonian museum, admission is free (grab a timed-entry pass online).

  • #smithsonian
  • #aviation
  • #space
  • #national mall
  • #free

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    National Gallery of Art

    Free

    Da Vinci, Vermeer, and the Impressionists for free, plus a sculpture garden that becomes an ice rink in winter.

    0.2 mi awayMore like this

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    National Archives Museum

    Free

    Stand before the originals: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights in the marble Rotunda.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

    Free

    The Hope Diamond, the Nation's T. rex, and Henry the elephant, the Mall's busiest free museum packs the whole natural world under one green dome.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
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    International Spy Museum

    $25–$50

    Crack codes, adopt a cover identity, and squeeze through ductwork at the world's largest espionage museum.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    U.S. Capitol & Capitol Visitor Center

    Free

    Free guided tours under the Rotunda's frescoed dome, the heart of American democracy, up close.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Theatre & Events
    History Buff

    Ford's Theatre

    Under $25

    Stand in the theatre where Lincoln was shot, then cross the street to the Petersen House where the story ended.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events