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VisitedName
Worth Visiting?
TypeSummary/Website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Washington,_D.C.#Museums
http://www.dcpages.com/Museums/
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XAfrican American Civil War Memorial MuseumYesAfrican American history
Operated by the National Mall and Memorial Parks, history of the African American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the United States Civil War
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ClosedAmerican University MuseumNAArtPart of American University, regional, national, and international contemporary art
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XAnacostia Community MuseumNoAfrican American historyLocal history and culture
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XArt Museum of the AmericasYESArtFounded by the Organization of American States as a museum for modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art
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XDAR MuseumNOArt
Owned by Daughters of the American Revolution, features 30 period rooms of decorative arts including furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, textiles, toys, quilts
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XFord's Theatre National Historic SiteYesHistorySite of assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, includes theater presentation, Lincoln museum, and Petersen House where he was taken
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XFreer Gallery of ArtYesArt
Asian art including East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Islamic world, the ancient Near East, and ancient Egypt, as well as a significant collection of American art
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XGallaudet University MuseumYesCulture/historyPermanent and rotating exhibits chronicling deaf culture and history[1]
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Closed
George Washington University Luther W. Brady Art Galleries
NAArtTwo galleries, includes painting, sculpture, and photographs, ranging from rare historic pieces to Washingtoniana and Americana to modern art
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Closed Georgetown University Art GalleriesNAArtLocated in the Walsh building and around the Georgetown campus[2]
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XGerman-American Heritage Museum of the USAYesEthnic German AmericanGerman-American history and culture, operated by the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA in a Victorian townhouse
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Not freeHillwood Estate, Museum & GardensNADecorative arts
Estate and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, rooms decorated with her collections of 18th- and 19th-century French art, china and art treasures from Imperial Russia
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XHirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenYesArtContemporary and modern art
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ClosedHistorical Society of Washington, D.C.NAHistory, LibraryExhibits of the city's history from its collections
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Inaccessible without student ID
Howard University Gallery of ArtNAArtLocated in Childers Hall, home of the Fine Arts Division of the College of Arts and Sciences[3]
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XInterior MuseumNoHistory
Activities of the agencies of the United States Department of the Interior, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Geological Survey
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Not freeInternational Spy MuseumNAHistoryEspionage history, artifacts, famous figures
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Donation suggestedKreeger MuseumNAArt19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculptures by internationally known artists, works by local Washington artists, traditional west and central African art
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Not freeLaogai MuseumNAPrisonConfronts the tragic legacy of China’s Laogai system of forced labor prisons
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XLibrary of CongressYESLibraryExhibits from its collections in American history, culture and art
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ClosedLillian & Albert Small Jewish MuseumNAEthnic - Jewish history
History of the local Jewish community; preserves the oldest synagogue building in the Washington, D.C., area; operated by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
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Not freeMadame Tussauds Washington D.C.NAWax museumWax figures of media celebrities, Presidents, political figures, historical figures, sports stars and more
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Need appointment Meridian International CenterNAArt
Exhibitions of paintings, photographs, sculptures, videos, and crafts that reflect various aspects of American culture to encourage foreign understanding
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Free if you're a musician
O Street Museum FoundationYesArt
The collection rotates and changes daily and includes art, music, architecture, memorabilia, manuscripts, sculpture and other items that promote exploration of the creative process.
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XNational Air and Space MuseumYesAerospaceHistory and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics
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XNational ArchivesYesArchives / History
Exhibits from its collections including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I
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XNational Bonsai and Penjing MuseumYesNatural historyLocated on the campus of the United States National Arboretum, Bonsai and Penjing botanical specimens and displays
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XNational Building MuseumYesArchitectureExhibits about architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning
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XNational Gallery of ArtYesArt
Paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts that trace the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the present
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Not freeNational Geographic MuseumNANatural historyOperated by the National Geographic Society, changing exhibits of photography, natural history, culture and history
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XNational Guard Memorial MuseumNoMilitaryHistory of the National Guard of the United States from the Revolutionary War era to post-9/11 era
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X
National Museum of African American History and Culture
YesEthnic - African AmericanPlanned museum to open on September 24, 2016,[4] exhibit gallery located on the second floor of the National Museum of American History
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XNational Museum of African ArtYesArtAfrican art and culture, includes paintings, musical instruments, sculpture, jewelry, regalia, textiles, pottery
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XNational Museum of American HistoryNoHistoryAmerican social, political, cultural, scientific and military history
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XNational Museum of the American IndianNoEthnic - Native AmericanLife, languages, literature, history and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere
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X
National Museum of American Jewish Military History
No
Ethnic - Jewish - Military - History
Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces
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XNational Museum of Natural HistoryYesNatural historyGalleries include paleontology, geology, mammals, human origins, insects, ocean life, gems and minerals, Western, African and Korean cultures
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Not freeNational Museum of Women in the ArtsNAArtWomen’s achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts
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XNational Portrait GalleryYesArt - HistoryImages and history of famous individual Americans
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XNational Postal MuseumYesPhilatelyHistory of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world
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Not freeNewseumYesMediaInteractive museum of news and journalism
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Not freePhillips CollectionNAArtAmerican and European impressionist and modern art
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Requires appointment
Ralph W. Hale, MD, History MuseumYesHistoryA collection of artifacts related to Obstetrics and Gynecology
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XRenwick GalleryYESDecorative artsAmerican craft and decorative arts from the 19th century to the 21st century
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XArthur M. Sackler GalleryYesArt
Include Chinese, Indian, Korean and Japanese paintings, photography, contemporary ceramics from China, 19th- and 20th-century Japanese prints, contemporary Japanese pottery, Persian and Islamic paintings and manuscripts
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XSalve Regina GalleryNoArtPart of Catholic University of America[5]
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XScottish Rite Temple and Supreme Council LibraryNoMasonicMasonic principles of personal, social and intellectual freedom, artifacts of American history, Masonic regalia and memorabilia
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XS. Dillon Ripley CenterNoExhibitionExhibits of art, photography
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XSmithsonian American Art MuseumYesArtAmerican art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States
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XTextile MuseumNoTextilesTextiles from around the world including rugs, clothing
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Not freeTudor PlaceNAHistoric houseMansion with European and American decorative arts including American silver, porcelain, furniture, glassware, sculpture, portraits, prints, and textiles
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XUnited States Capitol Visitor Center MuseumNoHistoryHistory of the U.S. Capitol and Congress
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XUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumYESHistoryHistory of the Holocaust in Europe
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Requires passport and background check
U.S. Navy Museum and Marine MuseumNAMaritime - MilitaryHistory of the U.S. Navy from the American Revolution to the present, naval artifacts, models, documents and fine art
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XWashington MonumentYesHistoryGorgeous views and history
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XThe Wilderness Society GalleryNoPhotographyExhibits from its collections, including photos by Ansel Adams[6]
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XWoman's National Democratic Club MuseumNoHistoric housewebsite, political memorabilia, artwork, and photographs in the Whittemore House, headquarters of the Woman's National Democratic Club
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