Best Free Museums in Washington DC

The National Museum of African Art brings the art and history of Africa to life through its comprehensive collection spanning millennia. From ancient times to the modern age, this museum takes you on a voyage of discovery of the diverse cultural and social fabric of this vast continent as you explore over 9,000 objects from virtually every African country. Beyond simply being a display room, the museum seeks to create a dialog between visitors and itself via educational talks, thematic exhibitions, films, storytelling workshops, music, and more. Highlights include the "Africa ReViewed: The Photographic Legacy of Eliot Elisofon," "African Cosmos: Stellar Arts," classical treasures, African textiles, and artful animals. A part of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of African Art is the only national level museum dedicated to preserving African art.

Visitors should come prepared for an experience they'll not forget when visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. At the start of the tour, each visitor is given an identity card of a Holocaust victim that matches the visitor's own age and gender. Ordinary reality is skewed through off-center stairways, weird angles, and the shadows of other visitors on the glass walkways overhead. An elaborate audio-visual display includes interviews, films, and photographs. The Hall of Remembrance provides a calm, empty space at the end of the tour where one can reflect on the experience. The museum discourages children under the age of 11 from attending. Admission to the museum is free. However, from March through August, a free pass is required to enter the permanent exhibition. Passes are not required to gain entrance to the museum building or to go to any of the smaller exhibitions, memorials, or special programming.

From stagecoach to Model T, learn about the techniques and technologies the U.S. Postal Service has employed to deliver mail over the years. Exhibits at the National Postal Museum also demonstrate the important role that mail has played in the country's development. Interactive computer displays and videos of train robberies are especially popular. Stamp collectors should not miss the museum shop. Admission is free.

Located in National Mall, the National Museum of the American Indian opened in 2004 as a part of the Smithsonian group of museums and research centers. The Museum structure is a throwback to adobe homes in early Native American culture. This fascinating museum takes you on a riveting journey of learning Native American History. With a highly naturalistic design, the NMAI illustrates Native American history through various works of art, artifacts, and other remnants of American Indian culture are on display. In the past, exhibits have included indigenous world views through dress, native modernism, and contemporary indigenous viewpoints as told through poetry that provided a valuable addition to our understanding of Native American culture. Admission to the museum is free.

The Art Museum of the Americas works to showcase artists whose compelling works speak to political or social issues. This engaging museum was originally founded in 1917 as the Visual Arts Unit of the Pan American Union, but opened its doors as the Art Museum of the Americas in 1976. The museum boasts an impressive collection of important contemporary Latin American and Caribbean works, as well as hosting rotating exhibits that display the work of both emerging and established artists. The museum also runs educational programs and hosts events like free screenings of socially and politically-geared documentaries.