New Ways of Planning a Museum Visit

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will release advance timed-entry passes for March 2019 Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 9 a.m. ET.  The museum will open with extended hours, 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 29.

Starting in January 2019, the museum will launch a new set of visitation guidelines with the introduction of peak and off-peak seasons. From March through August, the museum will require timed-entry passes for the peak season when visitation is highest. During off-peak season, September­–February, when visitation is lowest, visitors can enter the museum without passes. Passes are required every weekend throughout the year.

Following are guidelines for visiting the museum: 

• During peak season (March–August), visitors will need a timed-entry pass to enter the museum before 1 p.m.  
• During off-peak season (September–February), walk-up entry is available every Monday through Friday 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.  
• Advance timed-entry passes are required every Saturday and Sunday, regardless of the season.
• Walk-up entry is available every Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. until close, regardless of the season.  
• Same-day online passes are available on weekdays during peak season (March­–August) and weekends year-round.
• The museum’s hours of operation are 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. 364 days a year. The museum is closed Dec. 25. The museum will have extended hours, 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26 through Saturday, Dec. 29.
• When planning a trip to the museum, visitors are encouraged to check nmaahc.si.edu/visit to determine whether they will need to obtain timed-entry passes.
• Groups of 10 or more people must reserve group passes every day of the year, during peak and off-peak seasons.  

About the National Museum of African American History and Culture  

Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has welcomed nearly 5 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, visit nmaahc.si.edu, follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat—or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.

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