List of museums in Washington, D.C.

Template:Short description This list of museums in Washington, D.C. encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are university and non-profit art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included. The present list numbers 82 museums.

Museums

Name	Image	Sponsoring Institution	Type	Summary
African American Civil War Memorial Museum	File:The African American Civil War History Museum (7c0871fd-11ad-46eb-8339-3935266eff47).jpg	National Mall and Memorial Parks	African American history	History of the African American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the United States Civil War
American University Museum	File:Statue in Ward Circle, Washington, DC.jpg	American University	Art	Regional, national, and international contemporary art
Anacostia Community Museum	File:Anacostia-Museum B&W.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	African American history	Local history and culture
Anderson House	File:Larz Anderson House - Society of the Cincinatti.jpg	Society of the Cincinnati	Historic house	Early 1900s palatial residence with period furnishings, Society artifacts, portraits, armaments, and personal artifacts of Revolutionary War soldiers
Art Museum of the Americas	File:Art Museum of the Americas.jpg	Organization of American States	Art	Museum for modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art
Arts and Industries Building	File:Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	History/Science	A national space to explore ideas and questions about the future
Charles Sumner School	File:Charles Sumner School - Washington, D.C..jpg	Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives	History	One of the first public school buildings erected for the education of Washington's black community
Chinese American Museum DC	File:Chinese American Museum DC Front Facade August 2020.jpg	Independent	American History	History, culture, arts, accomplishments, and contributions of Chinese Americans.
Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum		Independent	History	Restored building that served as Clara Barton's Civil War apartment and later the Missing Soldiers Office (run by Barton).
DAR Museum	File:DAR mus - IMG 8541.JPG	Daughters of the American Revolution	Art	Features 30 period rooms of decorative arts including furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, textiles, toys, quilts
Decatur House	File:Decatur House.jpg	White House Historical Association	Historic house	Early 19th-century house with exhibits about the White House. Currently closed for tours.
Dumbarton House	File:Dumbarton House - Washington, D.C.jpg	The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America	Historic house	Early 19th century period house and headquarters
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection	File:Dumbarton Oaks - house photo with snow.jpg	Dumbarton Oaks	Library	Exhibits of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art and European masterpieces from its collections
Folger Shakespeare Library	File:Folger Shakespeare Library.JPG	Independent	Library	Exhibits from its collections about William Shakespeare
Ford's Theatre National Historic Site	File:Fords Theatre thumbnail.jpg	National Park Service	History	Site of assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, includes theater presentation, Lincoln museum, and Petersen House where he was taken
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site	File:Frederick Douglass House.jpg	National Park Service	Historic house	Home and estate of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African Americans of the 19th century
General Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters	File:General Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters - Washington, D.C.jpg	General Federation of Women's Clubs	Historic house	Tours of the social clubhouse headquarters, changing exhibits of art, photographs and artifacts from its collections
George Washington University Art Galleries		George Washington University	Art	Two galleries, includes painting, sculpture, and photographs, ranging from rare historic pieces to Washingtoniana and Americana to modern art
Georgetown University Art Galleries	File:Maria & Alberto De La Cruz Art Gallery banner.jpg	Georgetown University	Art	Located in the Walsh building and around the Georgetown campus
German-American Heritage Museum of the USA	File:Hockemeyerhall2.jpg	German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA	Ethnic German American	German-American history and culture, housed in a Victorian townhouse
Heurich House Museum	File:Heurich House Museum.jpg	Independent	Historic house	Gilded Age mansion with early household innovations
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens	File:Hillwood Museum Exterior Front.jpg	Independent	Decorative arts	Estate and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, rooms decorated with her collections of 18th- and 19th-century French art, china and art treasures from Imperial Russia
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden	File:Hirshhorn Museum DC 2007.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Art	Contemporary and modern art
Historical Society of Washington, D.C.	File:Central Public Library & City Museum of Washington, D.C..JPG	Independent	History, Library	Exhibits of the city's history from its collections
Howard University Gallery of Art		Howard University	Art	Located in Childers Hall, home of the Fine Arts Division of the College of Arts and Sciences
Interior Museum	File:Department of the Interior.JPG	United States Department of the Interior	History	Activities of the agencies of the United States Department of the Interior, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Geological Survey
International Spy Museum	File:2019 International Spy Museum 02.jpg	Independent	History	Espionage history, artifacts, famous figures
Kreeger Museum	File:Kreeger Museum - Washington, D.C.jpg	Independent	Art	19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculptures by internationally known artists, works by local Washington artists, traditional west and central African art
Laogai Museum	File:2000 S Street NW.jpg	Laogai Research Foundation	Human Rights	This museum confronts the tragic legacy of China's Laogai system of forced labor prisons.
L. Ron Hubbard House	File:L. Ron Hubbard House - Dupont Circle.JPG	Church of Scientology	Historic house	Residence of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard from 1955 until 1959
Library of Congress		Library of Congress	Library	Exhibits from its collections in American history, culture and art
Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum	File:Adas Israel Synagogue.JPG	Independent	Ethnic – Jewish history	History of the local Jewish community; preserves the oldest synagogue building in the Washington, D.C., area; operated by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Lincoln Memorial	File:Aerial view of Lincoln Memorial - east side EDIT.jpeg	National Park Service	History	Includes displays about the building of the Memorial and some of Lincoln's phrases
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site	File:1318 Vermont Avenue, Northwest (House), (Washington, District of Columbia).jpg	National Park Service	Historic house	Home of educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune
Meridian House	File:Meridian House.jpg	Meridian International Center	Art	Exhibitions of paintings, photographs, sculptures, videos, and crafts that reflect various aspects of American culture to encourage foreign understanding
Museum of the Bible	File:Museumofthebible-2017-11-04-exterior-front-left-label.jpg	National Christian Foundation	Religious	Documents the narrative, history and impact of the Bible.
National Air and Space Museum	File:Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Aerospace	History and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics
National Archives	File:USNationalArchives.JPG	National Archives and Records Administration	Archives / History	Exhibits from its collections including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I
National Bonsai and Penjing Museum	File:Entrance to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.jpg	National Bonsai Foundation	Natural history	Located on the campus of the United States National Arboretum, Bonsai and Penjing botanical specimens and displays
National Building Museum	File:NationalBuildingMuseum.JPG	Independent	Architecture	Exhibits about architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning
National Children's Museum		Independent	Children's	Serves children up to age 12 and their families through interactive exhibits exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
National Deaf Life Museum		Gallaudet University	Culture/history	Permanent and rotating exhibits chronicling deaf culture and history
National Environmental Museum and Education Center		United States Environmental Protection Agency	Environmental history	Highlights key moments in environmental history and major policy milestones
National Gallery of Art	File:National Gallery of Art DC 2007 047.jpg	Independent	Art	Paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts that trace the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the present
National Geographic Museum	File:National Geographic Museum Building.jpg	National Geographic Society	Natural history	Operated by the National Geographic Society, changing exhibits of photography, natural history, culture and history
National Guard Memorial Museum	File:National Guard Memorial Building.JPG	National Guard (United States)	Military	History of the National Guard of the United States from the Revolutionary War era to post-9/11 era
National Law Enforcement Museum	File:Inside the National Law Enforcement Museum.jpg	National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund	History/ Forensic Science	Dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience. The interactive exhibits and insightful programs are intended to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the community.
National Museum of African American History and Culture	File:Smithsonian-nmaahc-outside-20160720.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Ethnic – African American	National museum devoted to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Opened September 24, 2016.
National Museum of African Art	File:National Museum of African Art DC 2007 003.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Art	African art and culture, includes paintings, musical instruments, sculpture, jewelry, regalia, textiles, pottery
National Museum of American History	File:National Museum of American History 1.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	History	American social, political, cultural, scientific and military history
National Museum of the American Indian	File:National Museum of the American Indian.JPG	Smithsonian Institution	Ethnic – Native American	Life, languages, literature, history and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere
National Museum of American Jewish Military History	File:National Museum of American Jewish Military History.JPG	Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America	Ethnic – Jewish – Military – History	Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces
National Museum of Asian Art	File:Freer Gallery.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Art	Featuring 45,000 works of Asian art. Consists of two adjoining buildings, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
National Museum of Natural History	File:National museum of natural history entrance.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Natural history	Galleries include paleontology, geology, mammals, human origins, insects, ocean life, gems and minerals, Western, African and Korean cultures
National Museum of Women in the Arts	File:National Museum of Women in the Arts.jpg	Independent	Art	Women's achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts
National Portrait Gallery	File:2008-0601-DC-NatlPortGall.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Art – History	Images and history of famous individual Americans
National Postal Museum	File:National postal museum.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Philately	History of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world
The Octagon House	File:Octagon house.jpg	American Institute of Architects	Historic house	Early 19th-century townhouse
Old Korean Legation Museum	File:15 Logan Circle.jpg	Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation	Historic house	Late 19th-century townhouse that served as the Korean legation from 1889 to 1905.
Old Stone House	File:The Old Stone House.jpg	National Park Service	Historic house	Mid 18th century period house, the oldest unchanged building in Washington, D.C.
O Street Museum Foundation		Independent	Art	The collection rotates and changes daily and includes art, music, architecture, memorabilia, manuscripts, sculpture and other items that promote exploration of the creative process.
The Phillips Collection	File:The Phillips Collection.JPG	Independent	Art	American and European impressionist and modern art
Planet Word	File:Franklin School 2023.jpg	Independent	Language Arts	Language and words
President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home	File:Lincoln Cottage 2007.jpg	Independent	Historic house	Cottage retreat of President Abraham Lincoln and other Presidents
Renwick Gallery	File:RenwickGallery.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Decorative arts	American craft and decorative arts from the 19th century to the 21st century
Rubell Museum DC	File:Rubell Museum DC October 2022.jpg	Independent	Contemporary art	Washington, D.C. satellite of the Miami-based Rubell Museum
Saint John Paul II National Shrine	File:Pope John Paul II Cultural Center.jpg	Knights of Columbus	Religion	Life and papacy of Pope John Paul II and the history of Catholic heritage in North America
Salve Regina Gallery		Catholic University of America	Art	Part of Catholic University of America
House of the Temple	File:House of the Temple.JPG	Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry	Masonic	Masonic principles of personal, social and intellectual freedom, artifacts of American history, Masonic regalia and memorabilia
S. Dillon Ripley Center	File:S. Dillon Ripley Center - entrance kiosk.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Exhibition	Exhibits of art, photography
Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument	File:BEPA-Sept2021.jpg	National Park Service	Historic house – History	U.S. women's suffrage and equal-rights movements
Smithsonian American Art Museum	File:Reynolds Ctr.jpg	Smithsonian Institution	Art	American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States
Textile Museum	File:Textile Museum.JPG	George Washington University	Textiles	Textiles from around the world including rugs, clothing, located at George Washington University
Tudor Place	File:Cyark Tudor Place 2.jpg	Independent	Historic house	Mansion with European and American decorative arts including American silver, porcelain, furniture, glassware, sculpture, portraits, prints, and textiles
United States Capitol Visitor Center	File:Cvc-aerial.jpg	United States Capitol	History	History of the U.S. Capitol and Congress
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum	File:United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.jpeg	Independent	History	History of the Holocaust in Europe
National Museum of the United States Navy	File:Navy-Museum.jpg	United States Navy	Maritime – Military	History of the U.S. Navy from the American Revolution to the present, naval artifacts, models, documents and fine art
White House	File:WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG	White House Historical Association	Historic house	Official state residence of the president of the United States, tours by advance reservation
The Wilderness Society Gallery		The Wilderness Society (United States)	Photography	Exhibits from its collections, including photos by Ansel Adams
Woman's National Democratic Club Museum	File:Woman's National Democratic Club.JPG	Woman's National Democratic Club	Historic house	Political memorabilia, artwork, and photographs in the Whittemore House
Woodrow Wilson House	File:Woodrow Wilson House - Washington, D.C.jpg	Independent	Historic house	Home of President Woodrow Wilson after he left office
United States Navy Memorial Visitor Center		US Navy Memorial	Maritime – Military	Honor, Recognize, and celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services

Defunct museums

• Army Medical Museum and Library, opened 1862, became the National Museum of Health and Medicine in 1989 and relocated to Silver Spring, Maryland in 2011
• Bead Museum, closed December 2008,
• Black Fashion Museum, founded 1979, moved to Washington in 1994, closed in 2007 and collection donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Corcoran Gallery of Art, open 1869–2014. Art holdings donated to the National Gallery of Art, building donated to George Washington University.
• Fondo del Sol
• Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., 2007–2021, featured wax sculptures of famous figures from politics, culture, sports, music and television, including the 45 U.S. presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump
• Marine Corps Museum, 1960–2005, collections now part of the National Museum of the Marine Corps
• National Gallery of Caricature and Cartoon Art, open 1994–1997, collections now at the Library of Congress.
• National Jewish Museum, collections now online, trying to establish to new museum
• National Museum of Crime & Punishment, closed in September 2015 and is now operated as Alcatraz East in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
• National Pinball Museum
• Newseum, founded 1997 in Rosslyn, Virginia, moved to Washington in 2008, closed December 2019 and is currently seeking new location.
• Washington Doll's House and Toy Museum, founded in 1975, closed 2004.
• Washington Gallery of Modern Art
• USS Barry (DD-933), opened as a museum ship in 1984, closed in 2015

See also

• Arboreta in Washington, D.C. (category)
• Aquaria in Washington, D.C. (category)
• Botanical gardens in Washington, D.C. (category)
• Houses in Washington, D.C. (category)
• Museums list
• Nature centers in Washington, D.C.
• Observatories in Washington, D.C. (category)
• Smithsonian museums
• Architecture of Washington, D.C.

External links

• Cultural Tourism DC