What Activities Require Tickets in Washington, DC?

A trip to Washington, DC is easy to do on the fly. There are many free activities that do not require reservations. It’s very easy to walk about the National Mall, enjoy the monuments, and pop into the museums. However, if you are on a tight schedule and have a few “must-see” stops on your itinerary, it’s always a good idea to get tickets in advance when needed. Some requirements for free museums change, so double-check the websites before you go. This blog is meant to be a general guide for activities that usually require a little advanced planning.

The Smithsonian Museums

All of the Smithsonian museums are free to visit and open every day except December 25. For the most part, you can walk up to the museums anytime during their opening hours without tickets. However, if you are visiting during a busy time (summer or cherry blossom season), I’d recommend trying to visit before 1 pm.

Most tickets for these museums are pretty strict on timing, so make sure you select the time that works for you. Read the terms and conditions – most museums will let you in within the hour after your selected time, but not before. At the time of this writing, the following museums require free, timed tickets to enter:

The Museum of African American History and Culture

This museum is very large and you can easily spend all day here. Get tickets for the earliest time slot possible to get in before the biggest crowds. You’ll enter through the main lobby and head downstairs for three floors of pre-Civil War history through Reconstruction. This section of the museum isn’t easy to go in and out of, which makes for an excellent immersive experience, so make sure you have at least 2 hours to take it all in.

The Air and Space Museum

The Air and Space Museum is smaller due to some major construction, but it is worth a visit in my opinion. This museum on the National Mall tells the story of space flight from the Wright Brothers through the moon landing and future space exploration. You’ll see many planes, but the big ones are out in Virginia at the Udvar-Hazy Center. I love the storytelling at the Air and Museums, which includes the history of the Wright Brothers through space travel. But you’ll likely only need an hour to 90 minutes to see it all.

The National Zoo

The National Zoo is very popular right now due to the arrival of the pandas. Get tickets as early in the day as possible because the animals will be more active before the afternoon heat. The National Zoo grounds open at 8 am – earlier than the other Smithsonian museums. It is free to visit, but you will want to budget for zoo snacks and merchandise. There are also great restaurants outside the zoo, like Dukes, Open City, and the Cracked Eggery.

Some people might tell you that the zoo doesn’t require tickets, or you don’t need them for everyone in your party. Reserve tickets anyway. Sometimes, the zoo does not check tickets during slow days, but it’s always good to have tickets just in case.

The Hirshhorn

The Hirshhorn is a modern art museum that only requires tickets when an exhibit is particularly popular. Right now, tickets are required for OSGEMEOS: Endless Story, which will be on display until August 3, 2025. Osgemeos, which means the twins in Portuguese, celebrates the art of Gustavo and Otacio Pandolfo from Sao Paulo. The exhibit takes up the entire third floor and feels like stepping into another world filled with sculptures, paintings, lights, and sounds that bring the body of work to life. The rest of the museum is open to enjoy without tickets.

Other Points of Interest on the National Mall

The US Botanic Garden, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Archives are also big points of interest on the National Mall that are not part of the Smithsonian. You will not find details for these spots on the Smithsonian website. They are open every day except December 25 and do not require tickets.

You can get tickets for the National Archives, but they are not required. Most of the time, the line is pretty short or non-existent. Consider getting tickets if you are visiting during a very busy time, like the Cherry Blossom Festival, the summer, or the week of the 4th of July. You can also get tickets any time just to be safe – they will not hold you to your ticket time if the lines are short.

The US Capitol Tour

You can go through your state representatives (your senators or your representative) for a US Capitol tour ticket, but I’d recommend simply reserving them online. Some people will ask their representatives for US Capitol tickets if they are also requesting White House Tours. However, wait times to hear back seem to vary wildly, so grab your tickets online to make sure you get a spot.

The Library of Congress

The Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress is open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday. See the beautiful architecture, check out the exhibits, and see the reading rooms. The Jefferson Building is connected to the Capitol via a tunnel, so this is a fun activity to add after your Capitol tour. Free, timed tickets are required to enter.

The White House

This is the hardest activity to reserve because you must go through your state representatives to get tickets. You can email all three to increase your chances: both of your senators and your representative. Non-US citizens can request tours through their embassy. Requests can be made 7 to 90 days in advance, but the earlier the better. Response times can be slow no matter who is in office, and sometimes people don’t hear back until the last minute. This can make it hard to plan the rest of your trip.

If you miss out on White House tickets and simply don’t want to deal with trying to get them, plan to grab a photo in front of the White House and check out the nearby People’s House museum. The People’s House is an interactive museum focused on White House history. Tickets (free) are highly recommended, but some same-day walk-in tickets are available.

The Washington Monument

Going up the Washington Monument is a very popular activity. Tickets are required and must be reserved 30 days in advance. They go fast, so mark your calendar! Tickets are free, but a $1 service charge is added per ticket. If you miss the chance for online tickets, you can try to get walk-up tickets on the day of. The office opens at 8:45 am, but people often line up as early as 7 am.

If you miss the chance to go up the Washington Monument but still want to see DC views, try the Old Post Office Tower. Tickets and reservations are not required.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

See how money is made at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing! Tours are free and open to the public year-round from Monday to Friday, but tickets are required. Tours are about 45 minutes and run from 9 am to 2 pm and until 4 pm between March and August.

Ford’s Theatre

Ford’s Theatre – the location where Lincoln was assassinated – is still a popular theatre in the city, offering a variety of performances throughout the year. However, you don’t need tickets to a show to enjoy the theatre. Instead, get tickets to visit the site or take a 90-minute guided tour for $20. Tours sometimes sell out, so get tickets in advance – especially if you are visiting during the summer.

Paid Museums

It’s always a good idea to grab paid museum tickets ahead of time, especially in the summer and during cherry blossom season. Popular paid museums include the Spy Museum, the Holocaust Museum, Planet Word, and Artechouse.

Sports

Games generally do not sell out in the city unless the team is doing very well, but check the schedules before you go. Most people will head to Navy Yard or the Capital One Arena for sports. In Navy Yard, you’ll find soccer at Audi Field and baseball at National Park. Basketball and hockey games are held at the Capital One Arena.