Washington DC Museums (Washington, DC, USA)
There is a magnificent selection of museums in Washington, with complexes including probably some of the best historic collections in the area. Exhibitions in Washington range from large to small, local to international and many are located in beautiful Washington buildings, right in the heart of Washington.
 Washington Museums: National Air and Science Museum - 6th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
Tel: +1 202 357 2700
Washington's impressive National Air and Science Museum is situated in the National Mall district of Washington DC and is one of Washington's most popular museums. Opened in 1976, the National Air and Science Museum receives over 10 million visitors each year and the museum houses missiles, aircraft, including the 1903 Wright Flyer - the first piloted craft to maintain controlled and sustained flight, space stations and moon rock stations, where visitors can actually touch a piece of lunar rock which was acquired on the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. Permanent exhibitions at Washington's National Air and Science Museum detail the history of jet aviation and satellite communications. There are numerous attractions for children at the museum and these include many hands-on, interactive exhibits, the Albert Einstein Planetarium, which shows regular 30-minute films about the stars and space, the IMAC Langley Theater, screening films about space travel and exploration, and also the original Star Trek model of the USS Enterprise. The National Air and Science Museum is situated close to the National Mall Metro station.
Museum open: daily - 10:00 to 17:30
Museum admission: free
Washington Museums: Chrysler Museum - 245 West Olney Road, Ghent, Washington, DC, USA
Tel: +1 757 664 6200
Close to the waterside, in the Ghent area of Washington DC, is the superb Chrysler Museum, which includes a fine collection of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and decorative arts. There are a number of paintings by famous international artists, such as Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Gainsborogh, Picasso and Renoir. Washington's Chrysler Museum is also home to one of the finest collections of glass in America, with over 8,000 pieces, displayed in the Institute of Glass, ranging from ancient Roman glasswork to stylish Tiffany pieces.
 Washington Museums: National Archives Museum - Constitution Avenue Northwest, (between 7th and 9th streets), Washington, DC, 20408, USA
Tel: +1 202 501 5200
Washington's National Archives Museum houses some of America's most important documents and this large building is both fireproof and bombproof. These include the legendary US Constitution and Declaration of Independence, copies of the Magna Carta and the Emancipation Proclamation, and also the actual gun that was used in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Of particular interest are the display cabinets themselves, which actually sink into the floor every night for safe keeping. Washington's National Archives Museum is easy to reach and is close to the National Mall Metro station. Museum open: daily - 10:00 to 17:30
Washington Museums: National Museum of American History - 14th Street and Constitution Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
Tel: +1 202 357 2700
Washington's National Museum of American History is home to many interesting items of memorabilia that reflect aspects of American culture over the years. This is one of Washington's most interesting museums and exhibits include Mohammed Ali's boxing gloves, ball gowns worn by many of America's First Ladies, Judy Garland's ruby slippers from the famous Wizard of Oz movie, military history, science and technology displays, and a large section on the American Presidency, which features the Star-Spangled Flag exhibitions. The National Museum of American History is situated close to Washington's Smithsonian and Federal Triangle Metro stations.
Museum open: daily - 10:00 to 17:30
Museum admission: free
Washington Museums: Hillwood House Museum - 4155 Linnean Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC, 20008, USA
Tel: +1 202 686 5807
A recent renovation has added an extra sparkle to this already stunning, 40-room Georgian mansion in the Cleveland Park area of Washington. Hillwood House Museum was purchased by cereal heir Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1955, to house her large collection of French and Russian decorative art. Exhibits include portraits of many Russian czars, palace furnishings, a porcelain service that was commissioned by Catherine the Great, numerous tapestries and many spectacular Faberge eggs, all displayed in Hillwood's gilt and wood-panelled rooms.
Museum open: Tuesday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00 (reservations required)
Museum admission: free, donations suggested
 Washington Museums: Other interesting museums in the Washington DC area include:
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Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture - 1901 Fort Place, SE, at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anacostia, Washington, DC, USA
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Arts and Industries Building - 900 Jefferson Drive, SW, between Seventh Street and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC, USA
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B'nai B'rith Klutnick National Jewish Museum - 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, at 17th Street, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, USA
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Department of the Interior Museum - 1849 C Street, NW, between 18th and 19th Streets, Washington, DC, USA
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Drug Enforcement Administration Museum - 700 Army Navy Drive, Pentagon City, Arlington, VA, USA
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Jewish Historical Society of Great Washington Museum - 701 Third Street, NW, at G Street, Judiciary Square Area, Washington, DC, USA
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National Museum of Natural History - Tenth Street and Constitution avenue, NW, The Mall, Washington, DC, USA
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National Museum of American Jewish Military History - 1811 R Street, NW, at 18th Street, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, USA
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National Postal Museum- 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, at First Street, Union Station, Washington, DC, USA
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Newseum (News Museum) - 1101 Wilson Boulevard, between Lynn and Nash Streets, Arlington, VA, USA
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The Octagon Museum - 1799 New York Avenue, NW, at 18th and E Streets, Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC, USA
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Textile Museum - 2320 S Street, NW, at 23rd Street, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, USA
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, at 14th Street, Washington, DC, USA
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