The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will release advance timed-entry passes for March 2019 Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 9 a.m. ET. The museum will open with extended hours, 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 29.
Starting in January 2019, the museum will launch a new set of visitation guidelines with the introduction of peak and off-peak seasons. From March through August, the museum will require timed-entry passes for the peak season when visitation is highest. During off-peak season, September–February, when visitation is lowest, visitors can enter the museum without passes. Passes are required every weekend throughout the year.
Following are guidelines for visiting the museum:
- During peak season (March–August), visitors will need a timed-entry pass to enter the museum before 1 p.m.
- During off-peak season (September–February), walk-up entry is available every Monday through Friday 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- Advance timed-entry passes are required every Saturday and Sunday, regardless of the season.
- Walk-up entry is available every Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. until close, regardless of the season.
- Same-day online passes are available on weekdays during peak season (March–August) and weekends year-round.
- The museum’s hours of operation are 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. 364 days a year. The museum is closed Dec. 25. The museum will have extended hours, 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26 through Saturday, Dec. 29.
- When planning a trip to the museum, visitors are encouraged to check nmaahc.si.edu/visit to determine whether they will need to obtain timed-entry passes.
- Groups of 10 or more people must reserve group passes every day of the year, during peak and off-peak seasons.
About the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed nearly 5 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat—or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.
WAF’s children’s tours of Washington’s neighborhoods focus on the history and architecture of parts of our community that are both familiar and surprising. Whether your family lives here or you have friends and family coming for a visit, there’s plenty to discover in our own back yard. Our kids’ tours explain why buildings look the way they do and explore the stories of the people who shaped our city. The free tour kit can be downloaded or printed at home or at your local library or through the hotel concierge if you’re a visitor.