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Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC

What is the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and where is it? The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is located on Independence Avenue SW on the National Mall. The museum boasts one of the world’s most expansive collections of Native American objects, photographs, artifacts and media. The NMAI is dedicated to bringing Native voices to life throughout its contemplative exhibitions and colorful activities. The easiest way to get there is via public transportation. If traveling by Metrorail, get off at the L’Enfant Plaza stop on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines and use the Maryland Avenue/Smithsonian Museums exit. If traveling by bus, take the DC Circulator’s National Mall route or the 30, 32, 34 or 36 Metrobus lines. What’s inside the National Museum of the American Indian? The NMAI provides its first “wow!” moment before you even walk in the door. The building (designed entirely by Native architects) is one of DC’s most visually striking, with its curvilinear structure and limestone material designed to resemble rock formations affected by wind and water over thousands of years. The museum's collections represent more than 12,000 years of history across 1,200-plus indigenous cultures from the Americas. These objects range from the aesthetic to the religious to the historical, helping to form a comprehensive catalogue of Native American culture. Ongoing exhibitions at the museum include Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake, which allows you to meet the Native peoples of the Chesapeake Bay through maps, ceremonial objects, photographs and interactive displays. These details can help you have a deeper understanding of just how prevalent Native Americans were, and are, to the areas surrounding DC. The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire takes you back to earlier Andean cultures to explore the foundations of the Inka Road. You will learn of technologies that made the road possible, the politics and cosmology of the Inka world and the legacy that the Inka Empire left, from the colonial period to today. Of course, the museum regularly features new exhibits, so check to see what’s on display before you go. Your visit must include the National Native American Veterans Memorial, located on museum grounds. The touching tribute to Native heroes is beautifully designed, featuring an elevated stainless-steel circle balanced on a stone drum.

Visiting the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC

What and where is the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery? Painting a picture of the many influential people throughout America’s history, the National Portrait Gallery is a must-see for pop culture fans, history buffs and art lovers alike. From activists and actors to presidents and poets, the museum displays paintings, photographs and sculptures of the people that have come to define America as we know it. Located at 8th and F streets NW, the Portrait Gallery is inside the Donald W. Reynolds Center, which also serves as the space for the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Admission is free, and the museum is open from 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. seven days a week. The building also features the beautiful Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, a quiet place to work or relax with free Wi-Fi. For accessibility information check out our guide on accessibility within the Smithsonian museums. The easiest way to get to the National Portrait Gallery? Use the Metro’s Red Line, stop at Gallery Place/Chinatown, and you’re a short walk away. The DC Circulator services the neighborhood via the Georgetown-Union Station route, so a trip by bus is convenient as well. Before or after your museum experience, explore Penn Quarter and Chinatown and all of the dining and entertainment options that it offers. What’s inside the National Portrait Gallery? The National Portrait Gallery’s permanent exhibits take comprehensive looks at icons from different segments of U.S. history – The Struggle for Justice focuses on Civil Rights leaders, while 20th Century Americans showcases important figures from the past century specifically. And of course, what individuals have shaped this country more than the presidents in charge of leading it? The presidents of the United States are forever immortalized in America’s Presidents, the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside of the White House. The exhibit recently underwent an extensive renovation and has reopened with new interactive elements and layouts. The exhibit features multiple images of every president (the current commander-in-chief excluded), including the famous “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington (painted by Gilbert Stuart), a stunning portrait of Barack Obama by Kehinde Wileythe, the Alexander Gardner “cracked-plate” portrait of Abraham Lincoln and even caricatured sculptures of Lyndon Johnson, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Dive even deeper into the history and growth of the U.S. with American Origins, 1600-1900, a series of nearly 20 galleries arranged in chronological order. You can embark on a visual journey from the first days of contact between Native Americans and European explorers to the end of the Civil War. Using art forms ranging from daguerreotypes (the earliest form of photography) to modern photographic prints, American Origins gives a fantastic overview of our country as it grew from infancy to independence to economic power as the 20th century approached. BRAVO! takes visitors from the beginnings of modern entertainment in the late 19th century to the present day. Sports fans will be drawn to Champions, a collection of artifacts, memorabilia, portraits and videos celebrating figures whose athletic achievements have become a part of the American story. The gallery also regularly rotates new and exciting exhibits in and out of its halls, meaning there is always something fresh to observe. Check the Gallery’s website for current and upcoming exhibits.

Visiting the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC

What is the National Museum of Asian Art and how do I get there? The vibrant and colorful world of Asian art is all around at this breathtaking museum located on the National Mall and part of the Smithsonian Institution museums. The National Museum of Asian Art is located at 1050 Independence Avenue SW. The museum opened to the public in 1987, with Dr. Arthur M. Sackler as its primary donor. His immense collection of Asian art included famous Chinese jades and ancient bronzes, necessitating a new Smithsonian museum dedicated to works from Asian nations more than 60 years after the Freer Gallery opened in 1923, whose founder was a railroad-car manufacturer named Charles Lang Freer. The museum now contains more than 26,000 objects across 6,000 years of history. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., except on December 25. Admission is always free. In terms of transportation, on-street parking is very limited, so using Metrobus or Metrorail is the best option to reach both galleries. Use the Smithsonian Metro station on the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. The 32, 34 or 36 Metrobus routes all serve the National Mall area. The DC Circulator’s National Mall route will also take you near the museums – making it easy to continue your exploration afterwards. The Freer Gallery features a handicap accessible entrance on Independence Avenue at 12th Street SW. What’s inside the National Museum of Asian Art? Expect a wide variety of Asian art from several regions and eras, including Islamic works, Chinese art, ancient Near Eastern art and pieces from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas. It all adds up to a comprehensive and historical look at some of the world’s most fascinating cultures. The museum also hosts events and film screenings, with some held at other museums around town. Check the calendar to see if you can catch one during your DC visit. A final insider tip: make sure to check out the beautiful Enid A. Haupt Garden, situated just outside of the galleries. The four-acre public garden boasts gorgeous fountains, brick paths for walking, a famous Parterre and beautiful scenery.

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