The Smithsonian Institute operates 12 museums and galleries on the National Mall, as well as many other facilities in the area.  Museums are free to visit, and most are open 10am-5:30pm all days except December 25.  Several metro stations on all lines get you close to the museums, including Smithsonian, Federial Triangle, and L’Enfant.  See 10 Metro stops for popular DC attractions for more station information.

1. National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photo by Tony Hisgett

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the newest addition to the Smithsonian Institute’s National Mall museums.  The museum views the history of America through the lens of African Americans, from the realities of slavery through to contemporary culture.

2. National Museum of American History

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History oversees the institutes collection of items with cultural, political, and historical significance in the history of the United States. Visitors will learn about the events and cultures that have shaped the nation, including military conflicts, political and social events, and scientific discovery.  Exhibits include the First Ladies dresses, the original Star-Spangled Banner, and much more.

3. National Museum of Natural History

The Natural Museum of Natural History features exhibits showcasing the natural world, including flora and fauna to minerals and geological history.  Find everything from real dinosaur bones to a butterfly exhibit to the Hope Diamond.

4. National Museum of the American Indian

The Smithsonian Institution’s National National Museum of the American Indian is dedicated to the history and culture of the native peoples of the Americas, including all of the Western Hemisphere. The museum’s facility on the National Mall houses the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of Native American artifacts, hosts events and festivals, and teaches visitors about the diverse native cultures.

5. National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum is spread across two facilities, holding and displaying the Institution’s collection of aircraft and spacecraft; the largest in the world. The museum’s primary facility is located on the National Mall, with a larger building and grounds, the National Air and Space Museum – Udvar-Hazy Center located in Virginia near Dulles International Airport.

6. Hirshhorn Museum

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the National Museum of Modern Art.  Find a variety of exhibits featuring modern art and sculptures, including regular installations and rotating exhibits.

7. Arts and Industries Center

The Arts and Industries building is closed for renovation.  It occasionally hosts special events.

8. National Museum of African Art

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art is home to the Institution’s collection of African artwork. Exhibits include paintings, ceramics, textiles, pottery, and other forms of artwork from African artists representing styles and cultures of the continent. The museum’s includes the Walt-Disney Tishman collection, with over 500 items collected by Paul and Ruth Tishman, donated to the museum to the Smithsonian in 2005.

9. Smithsonian Castle

The Smithsonian Castle contains an exhibits showcasing the Smithsonian Institute, including samples from exhibits in other museums on the Naional Mall and beyond.  The space also features cafeteria space and is popular for group gatherings.

10. The S. Dillon Ripley Center

The Dillon Ripley Center features rotating exhibits and the Discovery Theater.

11. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery features several collections of art from the continent of Asia. Artwork includes photography, ceramics, prints, pottery, sculptures, and more. The gallery if closely associated with the attached Freer Gallery of Art.

12. Freer Gallery of Art

The Smithsonian Institution’s Freer Gallery of art is home to part of the institution’s collection of Asian art. The gallery is located on the National Mall, and features paintings, sculptures, and their artistic objects from Asian, Middle Eastern, and American artists. An addition to the 26,000 object Freer collection, the facility is connected to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery underground, which completes the institution’s Asian collections.

The National Mall is administered by the National Park Service.  Stretching two miles from the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol Building, you can easily get to the National Mall from several downtown DC Metro stops.  (See our article on 10 Popular Metro Stops).

This map shows the nine monuments and memorials described in the article below:

Click for full size

1. The Lincoln Memorial

Perhaps best known as the backdrop for the famous 1963 “I have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., the Lincoln Memorial is located at the far west of the National Mall just near the bank of the Potomac River.  Lincoln looks out over the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument.

The memorial remembers Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Quotes and murals on the interior walls of the memorial represent Lincoln’s efforts to end slavery as he led the nation through the Civil War.  The lower level of the memorial contains an exhibit, store, and restrooms.

2. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Photo by Hu Totya

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located on Washington DC’s National Mall, honors and remembers the service members of the US military who fought in the Vietnam War between 1955 and 1975. The lengthy conflict caused much disagreement at home and cost the United States the painful loss of over 58,000 deaths. The memorial’s three components are the Memorial Wall, the Three Soldiers, and the Women’s Memorial.  They remember those lost, those who served, and the role of women in the war.

3. The World War II Memorial

The National World War II Memorial is located just west of the Washington Monument, overlooking the Reflecting Pool. It represents the sacrifices made during the second world war, with pillars representing the US states, the District of Columbia, and the Territories of the US as of 1945.

4. The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is an iconic US landmark located on the National Mall. The monument pays tribute to the first President of the United States, George Washington. At just over 555′ tall, it is the world’s tallest obelisk and tallest stone structure. The monument is located on the Mall between many key Washington DC structures, located roughly halfway between the Lincoln Memorial and US Capitol Building to the west and east, and the White House and Jefferson Memorial to the North and South.

The structure includes a viewing area near the monument’s top (currently closed for elevator renovations).

5. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial is a tribute to Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States and the nation’s third president. Directly south of the White House, and nearly in line with the Washington Monument, the memorial makes up the end of one axis defining the National Mall. The Tidal Basin area is planted with many Cherry Trees which blossom in dazzling fashion each spring, creating a centerpiece for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Inside the monument, a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson gazes across the Tidal Basin at the White House. The building housing the statue was influenced in design by Roman Pantheon, and its domed interior is lined by many quotations from Jefferson. The serene atmosphere, beautiful location, and grandiose space creates a larger-than-life remembrance for the former patriot and president.

6. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Photo by Matt Wade

Located on the south-west edge of the tidal basin, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is a path through the presidency of FDR. The memorial is a pathway spread over 7.5 acres with sections for each of the president’s terms in office. Unlike most DC memorials with a distinctive centerpiece, the path is long and varied, much like FDR’s time in office.

Walls, statues, and water features depict the president’s time in office, during the Great Depression, through the beginning of World War II. Distinct sections of the era are presented, from a bread line depicting the depression when FDR took office, his fireside chats, the implementation of his “New Deal”, and quotes on his attitude about the war and the nation throughout his tenure.

7. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Photo by Ron Cogswell

In August, 2011, one of the most influential civil rights leader in history of the United States found his place on the National Mall, alongside the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial remembers a man who faced the frustration of racial discrimination with patience and determination needed to help turn the nation around.

8. The DC War Memorial

Photo by Tim Evanson

The DC War Memorial, nestled in a small grove of trees across from the MLK Memorial, commemorates the DC residents who fought and served in World War I.  While the National Mall has no national monument to the first world war, this monument is a simple but powerful reminder of those who fought in The Great War.

9. The Korean War Veterans Memorial

Photo by Jennifer

The Korean War Veterans Memorial respects those who fought in the Korean War. It is located south of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Reflecting Pool, off of Independence Ave.