The Smithsonian is now on the list of attractions, organizations, and events that are set to reopen to the public again! After a year filled with closures galore, you can get ready to start planning a stellar summer vaycay—and it can include seven of the Smithsonian’s museums along with the National Zoo.
Over the course of May, all of the Smithsonian’s facilities will welcome back visitors on a staggered schedule. Keep reading to see when your local museum will open.
photo courtesy of the Smithsonian
May 5
The Sreven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
May 14
The National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
May 21
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian Washington, D.C. location
National Zoo
Like other national attractions that have reopened to the public, the Smithsonian facilities will adhere to safety measures based on the CDC’s guidelines. These include requiring visitors ages two and older to wear face coverings, implementing social distancing and one-way directional paths, providing hand sanitizer, conducting enhanced cleanings and monitoring the number of visitors in each location. Guests are asked to stay home if they are sick or don’t feel well.
There are currently no on-site public tours and some galleries or exhibits are closed or have capacity limits. The restaurants and food trucks at the National Zoo will open this May, but the museum cafes will remain closed.
You must reserve a free timed-entry pass for all Smithsonian facilities. To reserve passes, contact the Smithsonian at 1-800-514-3849 ext. 1 or visit the organization’s website here. Passes are available starting the week before each facility’s opening.
—Erica Loop/Feature image: Alejandro Barba via Unsplash
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