Smithsonian Ends Mask Mandate for Visitors, Begins Transition to More Open Days

Beginning Friday, March 11, the Smithsonian will no longer require visitors to wear a mask to visit its museums and the National Zoo. Visitors may choose to wear a mask during their visit. This change reflects recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local and national guidelines around masking indoors.

The Smithsonian will also begin a gradual transition to museums being open more days per week. Starting Monday, March 14, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo will be open to the public seven days a week. Both locations have been operating on modified schedules due to COVID-19. For now, most Smithsonian museums will continue to operate with modified schedules.

The full schedule of museum days and hours of operation, and the latest COVID-19 safety protocols, are available at si.edu/visit.

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SI-96-2022