United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Free Days

Updated 2026-10-02 · Free · No sign-up

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is always free — general admission never costs anything. A free timed-entry ticket is required for the Permanent Exhibition only. As of 2026-10-02 the official page no longer limits this to March–August; it gives no seasonal window. Advance tickets through December 2026 are on sale now online, with a $1 Etix transaction fee. A limited number of same-day tickets go online daily at 7 a.m. ET. Small groups can book up to 25 per transaction; groups of 55 or more use the group system. Verified on United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's own page, last checked 2026-10-02.

At a glance

Free dayAlways free
Who qualifiesEveryone
ReservationA free timed-entry ticket is required for the Permanent Exhibition only. As of 2026-10-02 the official page no longer limits this to March–August; it gives no seasonal window. Advance tickets through December 2026 are on sale now online, with a $1 Etix transaction fee. A limited number of same-day tickets go online daily at 7 a.m. ET. Small groups can book up to 25 per transaction; groups of 55 or more use the group system.
What's includedPermanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas.
Regular adult price$0 — always free
Sourceushmm.org · checked 2026-10-02

What "free" covers here

Holocaust Museum doesn't need savings math — the ticket line is free for everyone, every open day. Budget for the rest instead: permanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas..

Upcoming free days

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 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: a free timed-entry ticket is required for the Permanent Exhibition only. As of 2026-10-02 the official page no longer limits this to March–August; it gives no seasonal window. Advance tickets through December 2026 are on sale now online, with a $1 Etix transaction fee. A limited number of same-day tickets go online daily at 7 a.m. ET. Small groups can book up to 25 per transaction; groups of 55 or more use the group system.. 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 (permanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas.) run on their own schedules and prices.

Know before you go

  • Who qualifies: everyone — no residency requirement on this one.
  • Reservations: A free timed-entry ticket is required for the Permanent Exhibition only. As of 2026-10-02 the official page no longer limits this to March–August; it gives no seasonal window. Advance tickets through December 2026 are on sale now online, with a $1 Etix transaction fee. A limited number of same-day tickets go online daily at 7 a.m. ET. Small groups can book up to 25 per transaction; groups of 55 or more use the group system..
  • What's covered: Permanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas..
  • Schedule detail: Always free (timed ticket for the Permanent Exhibition).
  • Worth knowing: Last chance for the current Permanent Exhibition: it closes in January 2027 while a new one is built (finishing in 2029). The museum stays open, and from January 2027 through spring 2029 it will show the acclaimed exhibition 'Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.' This is the first stop on that exhibition's tour where it is free. Tickets for it are 'available for reservation soon.'

Other ways in, no calendar required

  • Museums for All is worth knowing for any museum trip: a SNAP EBT card plus photo ID gets up to four people in for free to $5 at 1,700+ participating institutions nationwide — during all normal hours, not just special days. Check whether Holocaust Museum participates on the official list.
  • An art- or history-museum membership from another city may already cover Holocaust Museum: check the NARM roster with our reciprocity lookup — a qualifying membership travels to 1,400+ museums.

Dates don't line up?

Regular tickets ($0 — always free) are on ushmm.org — book direct, there's no markup. A membership card from another city's museum or zoo might work here too — the reciprocity lookup answers it in one search.

Also free in Washington

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 Museum of American History (always free) — or see the full free museum days in Washington guide.

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FAQ

When is United States Holocaust Memorial Museum free?

Admission is always free. Only the Permanent Exhibition needs a free timed-entry ticket; Daniel's Story and the special exhibitions need no ticket. Advance online tickets carry a $1 Etix transaction fee, and a limited batch of same-day tickets is released online each day at 7 a.m. ET.

Do I need a reservation for United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's free days?

A free timed-entry ticket is required for the Permanent Exhibition only. As of 2026-10-02 the official page no longer limits this to March–August; it gives no seasonal window. Advance tickets through December 2026 are on sale now online, with a $1 Etix transaction fee. A limited number of same-day tickets go online daily at 7 a.m. ET. Small groups can book up to 25 per transaction; groups of 55 or more use the group system.

What does a free day at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum include?

Permanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas.

How much is United States Holocaust Memorial Museum normally?

$0 — always free. That's what a well-timed visit saves you.

Is Holocaust Museum really free for everyone?

Yes — general admission is free for all visitors, every open day, no residency requirement. Permanent Exhibition (with a timed ticket), Daniel's Story and other special exhibitions. Open daily 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (last Permanent Exhibition entry 4:30 p.m.); closed Yom Kippur and Christmas..

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