We are excited to welcome visitors back to the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Since you were last here, we've made some changes at the museum due to COVID-19. The number of visitors in the museum will be limited each day, and we've implemented several new safety protocols to ensure that your visit will be a safe one. Below, you will find additional information to help you plan your visit to the museum. Enjoy your visit!

The entrance to the museum is at Third Street and Independence Avenue, SW, facing the U.S. Capitol Building.

All visitors to the National Museum of the American Indian, regardless of age, must have a free, timed-entry pass to enter the museum.

Some areas of the museum now have one-way traffic to support social distancing. Some exhibitions and other areas of the museum may be closed for safety reasons. Please follow the posted signs.

The museum is cleaning high-traffic and high-touch surfaces more frequently. In some instances, interactives or other areas of the museum may be closed for safety reasons.

Please wash and sanitize hands frequently during your visit and practice good hygiene. The museum's restrooms will be open for hand washing, and hand-sanitizing stations will be located throughout the museum.

Please maintain a social distance of six feet or more from other visitors or groups at all times. There will be social-distancing signage and directions throughout the museum. Certain areas of the museum where social distancing isn't possible may be closed for safety reasons.

All visitors to the museum ages six and older are required to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth during their visit. Face coverings are strongly recommended for visitors ages two to six. Face coverings must also be worn when visiting the museum's outdoor spaces. Please note: Exhalation-valve masks are not permitted.

For your safety, we're limiting the number of visitors to 100 people per hour; timed-entry passes are required.

The museum is asking all visitors who are sick or feeling unwell to please stay home. We’ll be ready to welcome you back for a visit when you're feeling better! Keeping you safe while you visit is the museum's top priority. Here are some of the ways we're doing that:

As a safety precaution, some areas of the National Museum of the American Indian are currently closed. We also are not currently offering any onsite programming or tours. We encourage visitors to check this website before visiting for the most up-to-date information about what exhibitions and amenities are open. We'll do our best to make sure information is accurate and appreciate your understanding if we need to make day-of changes that might not be reflected here.

FAQs

What are the museum's hours? The museum is open from 11 AM to 4 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, except Dec. 25. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Are you limiting the number of visitors in the museum each day? For your safety, the museum is limiting the number of visitors to 100 people per hour, and timed-entry passes are required.

Do I need a ticket to visit? Are tickets free? All visitors, regardless of age, must have a free timed-entry pass to enter the museum, and you can reserve passes online. Visitors may secure up to six passes for personal use only—passes may not be sold or transferred. Entry times are every 30 minutes, and passes are valid only for the issued date and time. You may print your timed-entry passes at home or show them on a phone or other mobile device. All passes will be scanned at the entrance to the museum and are void if altered.

Do babies and small children need tickets to visit the museum? Yes. All visitors, regardless of age, must have a free timed-entry pass to enter the museum.

I would like to bring my organized group to the museum. How can I reserve more than six tickets? The museum is currently not accommodating organized groups of 10 or more people. For assistance bringing your group to the museum for a visit, please call the group reservations office at 202-633-6644 or 888-618-0572; TTY (non-voice) 202-633-6751. You may also email nmai-groupreservations@si.edu.

May I leave the museum and come back with the same entry pass, or will I need a new one? Visitors may leave the museum and be readmitted with their original timed-entry passes. You must have your pass rescanned in order to reenter the museum. You may reenter the museum only once with your pass.

What if I'm late getting to the museum? Please try to arrive as close as possible to the time on your pass. If you are early, you will have to wait to enter the museum. If you arrive late, you may enter the museum until the last entry time at 3 PM.

How long may I stay in the museum once I have entered? You may stay in the museum until it closes at 4 PM.

Does the museum have parking? The museum does not have parking. Metered public parking is available on surrounding streets and there are several commercial parking facilities convenient to the museum. See the Smithsonian's parking map for details. The nearest Metro station is L'Enfant Plaza (Blue/Orange/Silver/Green/Yellow lines). Exit toward Maryland Avenue/Smithsonian Museums. Walk two blocks east (toward the U.S. Capitol Building) on Maryland Avenue. Bus lines are 30, 32, 34–36—Friendship Heights/Southern Avenue. Visit www.wmata.com or call 202-637-7000 for more information.

Is it safe to visit the museum? The National Museum of the American Indian is taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Please follow all social distancing protocols and other posted guidelines throughout the museum, wear face coverings, and wash and sanitize your hands often. If you aren't feeling well, please stay home.

Do I need to wear a face covering to come into the museum? All visitors to the museum ages six and older are required to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth during their visit. Face coverings are strongly recommended for visitors ages two to six. Face covering must also be worn when visiting the museum's outdoor spaces. Please note: Exhalation-valve masks are not permitted.

Will you take my temperature? The museum is not taking visitors' temperatures. If you are not feeling well, please stay home.

Is the entire museum open? As a safety precaution, some areas of the National Museum of the American Indian are temporarily closed. Our museum map shows what exhibitions and other spaces are currently open and which are closed. We encourage visitors to check this website before arriving for the most up-to-date information about what is open and closed in the museum. We appreciate your understanding if we need to make day-of changes that might not be reflected here.

Are you offering any onsite programming or museum tours? The museum is not currently offering any onsite programming or tours. For more programming from the museum, view the museum calendar. The museum’s national educational initiative, Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°), provides educators and students with new perspectives on Native American history and cultures. NK360° provides educational materials and teacher training that incorporate Native narratives, more comprehensive histories, and accurate information to enlighten and inform teaching and learning about Native America.

Is the cafe open? What about the museum stores? The museum's cafe, coffee bar, and stores are all currently closed.