Museum · Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery: free entry days, tickets & hours
Two Smithsonian museums sharing the historic Old Patent Office Building in Penn Quarter: American art across three centuries and the presidential portraits.
Independent guide, not the official American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery website. Official links are under Sources.
American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery is free to enter.
- Open today 11:30–19:00.
Before you go
How to actually get in for free
- Open later than the Mall museums: until 7pm every day, from 11:30am.
- America's Presidents (the presidential portraits) is in the Portrait Gallery; the Kogod Courtyard links the two museums.
- Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro is right outside.
All free options
Who gets in free, and when
| Free option | Who | Conditions | Book? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always freeBoth museums free for everyone, no passes needed | everyone | — | No |
Tickets & tours
Best-rated tickets and tours: American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery
Ratings and prices from the booking partners; prices may change.
Practical
Opening hours & how to get there
| Mon | 11:30–19:00 |
|---|---|
| Tue | 11:30–19:00 |
| Wed | 11:30–19:00 |
| Thu | 11:30–19:00 |
| Fri | 11:30–19:00 |
| Sat | 11:30–19:00 |
| Sun | 11:30–19:00 |
Both museums: daily 11:30am-7pm; closed 25 December.
8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA
Also free nearby
Make a free afternoon of it
Worth paying for nearby
Paid highlights within walking distance
Visitor reviews
What visitors say about American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery
No reviews yet. Been here? Tell others how it went — especially on a free day.
Write a review
Sources
Where this comes from
- si.edu/museums/portrait-gallery · checked Tuesday, 27 October 2026
- si.edu/visit/hours
Every free rule is checked against the official source and re-checked on a schedule. Spotted a change? Tell us.