Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is always free — general admission never costs anything. None required. Verified on Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's own page, last checked 2026-10-02.
| Free day | Always free |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Everyone |
| Reservation | None required. |
| What's included | All permanent halls, including the Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, the Hope Diamond in the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Sant Ocean Hall and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo. |
| Regular adult price | $0 — always free |
| Source | naturalhistory.si.edu · checked 2026-10-02 |
Natural History Museum doesn't need savings math — the ticket line is free for everyone, every open day. The only costs left are the extras — special exhibitions, parking and food are where the day's budget actually goes.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural 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.. 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 permanent halls, including the Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, the Hope Diamond in the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Sant Ocean Hall and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo.) run on their own schedules and prices.
Regular tickets ($0 — always free) are on naturalhistory.si.edu — the official site is the place to buy; resellers only add fees. A membership card from another city's museum or zoo might work here too — the reciprocity lookup answers it in one search.
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) · National Museum of American History (always free) · National Portrait Gallery (always free) — or see the full free museum days in Washington guide.
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Admission is free and no tickets are required. Open seven days a week, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., including holidays, except December 25.
None required.
All permanent halls, including the Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, the Hope Diamond in the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Sant Ocean Hall and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo.
$0 — always free. Time the visit right and that's the amount you keep.
Yes — general admission is free for all visitors, every open day, no residency requirement. All permanent halls, including the Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, the Hope Diamond in the Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Sant Ocean Hall and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo..