National Museum of American History is always free — general admission never costs anything. None required. Groups of 10+ may email ahead, but it's not a reservation. Verified on National Museum of American History's own page, last checked 2026-10-02.
| Free day | Always free |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Everyone |
| Reservation | None required. Groups of 10+ may email ahead, but it's not a reservation. |
| What's included | All three floors of exhibitions, including the Star-Spangled Banner. Also Wegmans Wonderplace (ages 0–6) and Draper Spark!Lab (ages 6–12). |
| Regular adult price | $0 — always free |
| Source | americanhistory.si.edu · checked 2026-10-02 |
American History Museum doesn't need savings math — the ticket line is free for everyone, every open day. Budget for the rest instead: all three floors of exhibitions, including the Star-Spangled Banner. Also Wegmans Wonderplace (ages 0–6) and Draper Spark!Lab (ages 6–12)..
National Museum of American History doesn't need a calendar — general admission is free every day it's open, which changes how you plan compared with a free-day museum. There's no crowd spike to dodge and no reservation race — though note the entry mechanics: none required. Groups of 10+ may email ahead, but it's not a reservation.. The date that matters here isn't an admission date at all: it's whichever ticketed special exhibition you might want to add, since those (all three floors of exhibitions, including the Star-Spangled Banner. Also Wegmans Wonderplace (ages 0–6) and Draper Spark!Lab (ages 6–12).) run on their own schedules and prices.
Regular tickets ($0 — always free) are on americanhistory.si.edu — book direct, there's no markup. Already a member somewhere else? Our reciprocity lookup checks whether that card covers admission here.
National Gallery of Art (always free) · Smithsonian Museums & National Zoo (always free) · Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (always free) · Smithsonian's National Zoo (always free) · National Air and Space Museum (always free) · Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (National Air and Space Museum) (always free) · Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (always free) · National Portrait Gallery (always free) — or see the full free museum days in Washington guide.
One short email a month with Washington's verified free days — the dates, the resident rules, nothing else.
↥ Check another museum → Browse all free museum & zoo days →
Admission is free and no tickets are required. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
None required. Groups of 10+ may email ahead, but it's not a reservation.
All three floors of exhibitions, including the Star-Spangled Banner. Also Wegmans Wonderplace (ages 0–6) and Draper Spark!Lab (ages 6–12).
$0 — always free. That's what a well-timed visit saves you.
Yes — general admission is free for all visitors, every open day, no residency requirement. All three floors of exhibitions, including the Star-Spangled Banner. Also Wegmans Wonderplace (ages 0–6) and Draper Spark!Lab (ages 6–12)..