Smithsonian Institution

Museums

National Museum of Natural History - Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of Natural History offers displays which comprise more than 120 million scientific specimens and cultural artifacts from around the world.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - The Hirshhorn offers a superb collection of modern art. The collection features outstanding works by major artists of our time. Changing exhibitions focus mostly on established contemporary masters and emerging artists.

National Museum of African Art - As a leading center for the visual arts of Africa, the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) fosters and sustains--through exhibitions, collections, research, and public programs--an interest in and an understanding of the diverse cultures in Africa as these are embodied in aesthetic achievements in the visual arts.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery - The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery together form the national museum of Asian art. The galleries offer one of the Western world's most refined collection's of Asian art and the finest collections of paintings by James McNeill Whistler . . . anywhere.

National Postal Museum - The National Postal Museum offers an educational experience for those who are interested in the history and facts of different aspects of the postal system. Unique collection of airmail planes, stagecoaches, rare stamps and letters, Owney the Postal Dog, Pony Express exhibit, rare postage and more.

Smithsonian American Art Museum - The Museum features paintings, sculpture, folk art, photography and graphics by American artists from the 18th century to the present.

Arts and Industries Building - The Arts and Industries Building (originally known as the U.S. National Museum) was designed in a High Victorian style by the Washington architectural firm of Cluss and Schulze. Opened in 1881 in time for the inaugural ball of President James A. Garfield, the building was constructed to exhibit materials acquired from the nation's Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia.

National Air and Space Museum - The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum (NASM) maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight.

The National Zoo - The Zoo was created in 1889 'for the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the people.' Today they are becoming a new kind of zoo, the BioPark. This vision of the modern zoo combines wildlife with the best of natural history museums, botanic gardens, aquaria, and even art galleries to illustrate the splendor of all living things.

Freer Gallery of Art - The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery together form the national museum of Asian art. The galleries offer one of the Western world's most refined collection's of Asian art and the finest collections of paintings by James McNeill Whistler . . . anywhere.

Smithsonian Institution Building - Completed in 1855, the original Smithsonian Institution Building, popularly known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick Jr., whose other works include St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. Today, the Castle houses the Institution’s administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center.

National Museum of American History - The Museum offers three floors of exhibitions that explore the rich diversity of American history, from 'After the Revolution: Everyday Life in America, 1780-1800' to the 'Information Age: People, Information, and Technology.'

Anacostia Museum and Center - The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture has grown from an experiment in community outreach to a national resource devoted to the identification, documentation, protection, and interpretation of the African American experience.

National Portrait Gallery - Unique collection of portraits of famous Americans from the world of politics, sports, literature, stage and screen. The Hall of Presidents features official portraits of U.S. presidents.