National Museum of the American Indian

American Indian Museum
4th Street and Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC

See on Map

americanindian.si.edu

Floor Plan

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday through Sunday
Closed December 25 and January 20

Admission is free, timed-entry passes required

About

The National Museum of the American Indian cares for one of the world’s most expansive collections of Native objects, photographs, and media, covering the entire Western Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. The museum’s sweeping curvilinear architecture, its indigenous landscaping, and its exhibitions, all designed in collaboration with tribes and communities, combine to give visitors from around the world the sense and spirit of Native America.

Highlights

Who We Are, an introductory film in the Lelawi Theater; The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire; Americans; Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake; Imaginations Creativity Center.

  • Temporarily closed.

    Mitsitam Café
    "Mitsitam" means "Let's Eat!" in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples. The café enhances the museum experience by offering Native-inspired cuisines from five regions of the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains.Tamales, roasted turkey, grilled salmon, homemade seasonal soups, buffalo burgers, Indian fry bread, a seasonal variety of aqua fresca and desserts.
    11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
    (Limited menu after 3 p.m. off season)

    Visit the Mitsitam Café website

    Mitsitam Espresso Bar
    Pastries and casual fare from the cafe’s repertoire, plus Tribal Grounds Coffee—organic, fair-trade coffee grown by indigenous farmers and imported, roasted, and provided to the museum by the Eastern Band of Cherokee.
    10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Free visitor Wi-Fi
    Discounts are available for Smithsonian Members with a valid membership card.

    Group dining packages »

We encourage the use of public transportation.

Metro Station: L’Enfant Plaza (Smithsonian Museums exit); Blue, Green, Orange, Silver, or Yellow line

There is no public parking facility for Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. Limited 3-hour metered parking and commercial lots are available—see parking map. Reserved parking near the museums can be purchased in advance through ParkWhiz.

Note: ParkWhiz is a third-party vendor (ParkWhiz Privacy Policy).