MUSEUM INFORMATION Welcome to the Smithsonians
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MUSEUM INFORMATION Welcome to the Smithsonians When you visit any of the Smithsonian museums, galleries, or the National Zoo, you are entering the world’s largest museum complex. The Smithsonian holds approximately 137 million artifacts and specimens in trust for the American People. The Smithsonian was established in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by James Smithson, an English Scientist, “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” Admission to the Smithsonians is free. Information: 202-633-1000 (voice/tape) [email protected] Hours: 10 am – 5:30 pm daily (unless noted below). Closed December 25. The Castle Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Location: 1000 Jefferson Drive SW National Air And Space Museum Annex www.si.edu Location: 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Home to the Smithsonian Information Center as well as Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, VA, Fairfax County, the Institution’s administrative headquarters. Displays hundreds of aviation and space artifacts that are Highlights: 3-D Planning Map, Trip Planner kiosks, Castle too large to exhibit in the museum on the National Mall Café, and free visitor Wi-Fi. in Washington, DC, along with thousands of small flight- Hours: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm daily related artifacts. Metro: Smithsonian Highlights: Space Shuttle Discovery, B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, Concorde, Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird, National Museum Of Natural History Boeing Stratoliner Location: 10th St. and Constitution Avenue, NW Metro: Wiehle-Reston East (Silver Line). Transfer to naturalhistory.si.edu Fairfax Connector bus Exhibitions on earliest human origins; development of world cultures; ancient and modern mammals, birds, National Museum Of The American Indian amphibians, reptiles, insects, and sea creatures. Location: 4th Street and Independence Avenue, SW Highlights: Ocean Hall; David H. Koch Hall of Human americanindian.si.edu Origins; Dinosaurs; history and culture of Africa; Janet Home to one of the largest and most diverse collections of Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals; Native art and historical and cultural objects; exhibitions Hope diamond; Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of are designed in collaboration with Native communities Mammals; Butterfly Pavilion; Q?rius, interactive learning from across the hemisphere. space Highlights: Who We Are, introductory film, in the Lelawi Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit) or Federal Triangle Theater; wall of gold objects; Geronimo’s rifle in Our Peoples gallery; Mitsitam Cafe featuring a Native-inspired National Museum Of American History menu. Location: 1400 Constitution Avenue, NW Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Maryland Avenue exit) americanhistory.si.edu Devoted to the scientific, cultural, social, technological, National Zoological Park and political development of the United States. Location: 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW Highlights: Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired nationalzoo.si.edu the national anthem; Washington’s uniform; Jefferson’s lap One of the world’s best zoos and home to approximately desk; Dorothy’s ruby slippers 2,000 animals representing nearly 400 species, of which Metro: Smithsonian (Mall exit) or Federal Triangle about a quarter are endangered; provides leadership in animal care, science, education, and sustainability. National Air And Space Museum Highlights: Giant pandas, Asian elephants, white- Location: 1000 Jefferson Drive SW naped cranes, western lowland gorillas, Sumatran tigers, airandspace.si.edu cheetahs, and North Island brown kiwis Twenty-three galleries exhibiting hundreds of aircraft, Hours: April – Oct 10 am – 6 pm daily spacecraft, missiles, rockets, and other flight-related (Grounds 6 am – 8 pm) artifacts. Nov – Mar 10 am – 4:30 pm daily Highlights: 1903 Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, (Grounds 6 am – 6 pm) SpaceShipOne, Apollo 11 command module, Hubble Open every day, weather permitting, except December 25 Space Telescope test vehicle Metro: Cleveland Park (going) and Woodley Park Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Maryland Avenue Exit) (returning) 9800 CHERRY HILL ROAD . COLLEGE PARK . MD . 20740 1 800 801 6449 / 301 937 7116 MUSEUM INFORMATION page two National Portrait Gallery Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden Location: 8th and F Streets, NW Location: Independence Avenue at 7th Street, SW npg.si.edu hirshhorn.si.edu Tells the stories of America through the individuals who Displays the art of our time in the celebrated Gordon have shaped our nation, from pre-colonial times to today, Bunshaft designed cylindrical building and adjoining including poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, plaza and sunken sculpture garden. actors and activists. Highlights: In-depth collection of modern masters and Highlights: America’s Presidents features the nation’s works by emerging artists; cutting-edge films; sculptures only complete collection of presidential portraits outside by Rodin, Matisse, and Moore the White House Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (Smithsonian Museums exit) Hours: 11:30 am – 7:00 pm daily Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown (9th Street exit) Smithsonian American Art Museum Location: 8th and F Streets, NW National Museum Of African American History americanart.si.edu And Culture - open September 24, 2016 Artwork, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, folk Location: 1400 Constitution Ave NW art, and decorative arts from the colonial period to today nmaahc.si.edu offer an unparalleled record of the American experience. The National Museum of African American History and Highlights: Photography, modern folk and self-taught Culture was established in 2003 by an Act of Congress, art, African American art, Latino art, New Deal art, making it the 19th Smithsonian Institution museum. It impressionist paintings, and the Luce Foundation Center is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the for American Art, an interactive public study center documentation of African American life, art, history, and Hours: 11:30 am – 7:00 pm daily culture. Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown (9th Street exit) Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Freer Gallery Of Art Location: Jefferson Drive and 12th Street, SW Location: 1050 Independence Avenue, SW asia.si.edu asia.si.edu The Smithsonian Institution has two museums of Asian The Smithsonian Institution has two museums of Asian art: the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler art: the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The Freer Gallery houses one of the premier Gallery. The Sackler Gallery features both permanent and collections of Asian art, with objects dating from Neolithic temporary exhibitions of Asian art from ancient times to times to the early 20th century, as well as the world’s the present. most important collection of works by James McNeill Highlights: South Asian sculpture, Chinese jades and Whistler. bronzes, modern Japanese ceramics Highlights: Chinese paintings, Indian sculpture, Islamic Metro: Smithsonian (Mall or Independence Avenue exit ) painting and metalware, Japanese lacquer, Korean National Postal Museum ceramics, Whistler’s Peacock Room Location: 2 Massachusetts Ave NE Metro: Smithsonian (Mall or Independence Avenue exit) postalmuseum.si.edu Devoted to the history of America’s mail service and the The Renwick Gallery Of The Smithsonian hobby of stamp collecting. American Art Museum Highlights: William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, the world’s Location: 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW largest stamp gallery; full-size, Freightliner semi-truck cab americanart.si.edu /renwick cutaway; three vintage mail planes; stagecoach; 1931 Dedicated to exhibiting American contemporary crafts Ford Model A postal truck; replica of a railway car; videos; and decorative arts from the 19th to the 21st centuries. computer interactives; and hands-on, family-friendly A major, two-year renovation of the Renwick Gallery activities was completed and the building reopened November 13, Metro: Union Station 2015. Highlights: Larry Fuente’s Game Fish, Wendell Castle’s Ghost Clock, Grand Salon, craft sales in the Museum Store Metro: Farragut W (17th Street exit) or Farragut N (K Street exit) 9800 CHERRY HILL ROAD . COLLEGE PARK . MD . 20740 1 800 801 6449 / 301 937 7116 Revised 10-2016.