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Visitor Information
Free admission:
  • Smithsonian museums & the National Zoo (DC, VA)
  • American Indian Museum Heye Center (NYC)
Entry fee required:
  • Cooper-Hewitt Museum (NYC) (closed for renovation)
Information for
For Kids & Families
Kids and Families   Kids Tips (PDF)

Group Tours

Many Smithsonian museums have group tours which can be arranged by appointment only. Chaperones are required for school group tours. Please contact the museum below.

Highlights and Docent Museum Tours »
These tours are for individuals and are not pre-arranged. Look for our friendly docent who will give a tour of the highlights of the museum.

Group Sales »
Group rates are available for dining, films, flight simulators, the planetarium, and the butterfly pavilion.

Docent giving tour at NASM
African Art Museum

By appointment only, 4-week notice required Call Mon.-Fri., 9am-5am, except federal holidays: 202-633-4633 or 202-357-4814 (TTY)

Air and Space Museum on the Mall and its Udvar-Hazy Center

By appointment only; 2- to 3-week notice required to reserve and Adult Group tour or School Group tour; visit the museum's website or call Mon.-Fri., 9 AM-5 PM, 202-633-2563, 202-633-1957 (fax), or e-mail NASMTours@si.edu

American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery

By appointment; 4-week notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 9 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-8550 or e-mail AmericanArtTours@si.edu

Group tours are available for Highlights, special exhibitions, and Heritage Months.

School Group Tours

See americanart.si.edu/education/tours

Note: No tours are scheduled on federal holidays.

American History Museum

School Visits

See americanhistory.si.edu/educators/visiting.cfm

Notes:

American Indian Museum

Group Tours: School

By appointment; visit the museum's website; call Mon.-Fri.: 202-633-6644 (voice), 1-888-618-0572 (toll-free voice), or 202-633-6751 (TTY), or e-mail NMAI-GroupReservations@si.edu. Museum will send a confirmation letter.

Note:

  • School groups arriving for reserved tour are to enter at the museum's south entrance on Maryland Ave.
Anacostia Community Museum

Group Tours: Exhibitions

For groups of 15 or more; by appointment only, call Mon.-Fri., 10 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-4844 or e-mail parkers@si.edu

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

For information on guided or self-guided tours, please call 212-849-8351 or email Chtours2@si.edu. Reservations required for all tours and must be made at least two weeks in advance. Guided group tours require a fee.

Freer and Sackler Gallery of Art

By appointment only, 4-week written notice required.

For more information, e-mail asiatours@si.edu, or call 202-633-1012

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

By appointment only, 4-week notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 9 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-2796 (voice) or 202-633-8043 (TTY), or e-mail marucak@si.edu

Natural History Museum

School Visits

See Plan your Field Trip

Portrait Gallery

Group and Thematic Tours: School

Offered October-May: By appointment; 1-month notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 8 AM-4 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-8503 (voice/answering machine) or e-mail: NPGEducation@si.edu

Note: On hiatus June-September.

Group and Thematic Tours: Non-School

By appointment; 2-month notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 9:30 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-8519 (voice/answering machine) or e-mail: NPGAdultTours@si.edu

Postal Museum

By appointment only, 3-week notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 9 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-5535 (voice) or 202-633-9849 (TTY)

Smithsonian Castle

For groups of 10 or more, by appointment only, 3-week notice required; call Mon.-Fri., 9 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-2987 (voice) or e-mail CastleTours@si.edu

Notes:

  • Behind-the-Scenes tour offered Saturdays and Sundays only.
  • Not recommended for school groups.
Zoo

Individual and Group Tours

By appointment only, at least 4- to 6-week notice required; call daily, 9 AM-5 PM, except federal holidays: 202-633-3025 (voice) or 202-673-7800 (TTY)

Note: Highlights tours offered Saturday and Sunday mornings only.

Fees: Groups of ten or fewer and individuals: $30