List of museums in Washington, D.C.

!| Name

!| Image

!| Sponsoring Institution

!| Type

!| Summary

| 100px

| National Mall and Memorial Parks

| African American history

| History of the African American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the United States Civil War

|100x100px

| American University

| Art

| Regional, national, and international contemporary art

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| African American history

| Local history and culture

| 100px

| Society of the Cincinnati

| Historic house

| Early 1900s palatial residence with period furnishings, Society artifacts, portraits, armaments, and personal artifacts of Revolutionary War soldiers

| 100px

| Organization of American States

| Art

| Museum for modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| History/Science

| A national space to explore ideas and questions about the future {{cite web|title=About us|url=https://aib.si.edu/about-us/|access-date=29 May 2022}}

| 100px

| Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives{{Cite web |title=Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives |url=https://www.facebook.com/people/Charles-Sumner-School-Museum-Archives/100063571413177/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Facebook}}

| History

| One of the first public school buildings erected for the education of Washington's black community

| 100px

| Independent

| American History

| History, culture, arts, accomplishments, and contributions of Chinese Americans.

|

| Independent

|History

|Restored building that served as Clara Barton's Civil War apartment and later the Missing Soldiers Office (run by Barton).

| 100px

|Daughters of the American Revolution

| Art

| Features 30 period rooms of decorative arts including furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, textiles, toys, quilts

| 100px

|White House Historical Association

| Historic house

| Early 19th-century house with exhibits about the White House. Currently closed for tours.

| 100px

|The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America

| Historic house

|Early 19th century period house and headquarters

| 100px

|Dumbarton Oaks

| Library

| Exhibits of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art and European masterpieces from its collections

| 100px

|Independent

| Library

| Exhibits from its collections about William Shakespeare

| 100px

|National Park Service

| History

| Site of assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, includes theater presentation, Lincoln museum, and Petersen House where he was taken

| 100px

|National Park Service

| Historic house

| Home and estate of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African Americans of the 19th century

| 100px

|General Federation of Women's Clubs

| Historic house

| Tours of the social clubhouse headquarters, changing exhibits of art, photographs and artifacts from its collections

|

|George Washington University

| Art

| Two galleries, includes painting, sculpture, and photographs, ranging from rare historic pieces to Washingtoniana and Americana to modern art

| 118x118px

| Georgetown University

| Art

| Located in the Walsh building and around the Georgetown campus{{cite web|title=Art Galleries|url=http://art.georgetown.edu/galleries|publisher=Georgetown University Department of Art and Art History|access-date=2 March 2015}}

| 100px

|German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA

| Ethnic German American

| German-American history and culture, housed in a Victorian townhouse

| 100px

|Independent

| Historic house

| Gilded Age mansion with early household innovations

| 100px

|Independent

| Decorative arts

| Estate and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, rooms decorated with her collections of 18th- and 19th-century French art, china and art treasures from Imperial Russia

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Art

| Contemporary and modern art

| 100px

|Independent

| History, Library

| Exhibits of the city's history from its collections

|

| Howard University

| Art

| Located in Childers Hall, home of the Fine Arts Division of the College of Arts and Sciences{{cite web|title=Gallery of Art|url=http://www.galleryofart.howard.edu/|publisher=Howard University|access-date=2 March 2015}}

| 100px

|United States Department of the Interior

| History

| Activities of the agencies of the United States Department of the Interior, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Geological Survey

|File:2019 International Spy Museum 02.jpg

|Independent

| History

| Espionage history, artifacts, famous figures

| 100px

|Independent

| Art

| 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculptures by internationally known artists, works by local Washington artists, traditional west and central African art

| 100px

|Laogai Research Foundation

| Human Rights

| This museum confronts the tragic legacy of China's Laogai system of forced labor prisons.

| 100px

|Church of Scientology

| Historic house

| Residence of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard from 1955 until 1959

|

|Library of Congress

| Library

| Exhibits from its collections in American history, culture and art

| 100px

|Independent

| Ethnic – Jewish history

| History of the local Jewish community; preserves the oldest synagogue building in the Washington, D.C., area; operated by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington

| 100px

| National Park Service

| History

| Includes displays about the building of the Memorial and some of Lincoln's phrases

| 100px

|National Park Service

| Historic house

| Home of educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune

| 100px

|Meridian International Center

| Art

| Exhibitions of paintings, photographs, sculptures, videos, and crafts that reflect various aspects of American culture to encourage foreign understanding

| 100px

|National Christian Foundation

| Religious

|Documents the narrative, history and impact of the Bible.

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Aerospace

| History and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics

| 100px

|National Archives and Records Administration

| Archives / History

| Exhibits from its collections including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a copy of the 1297 Magna Carta confirmed by Edward I

| 100px

|National Bonsai Foundation

| Natural history

| Located on the campus of the United States National Arboretum, Bonsai and Penjing botanical specimens and displays

| 100px

|Independent

| Architecture

| Exhibits about architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning

|

| Independent

| Children's

|Serves children up to age 12 and their families through interactive exhibits exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

|

|Gallaudet University

| Culture/history

| Permanent and rotating exhibits chronicling deaf culture and history

|

|United States Environmental Protection Agency

| Environmental history

| Highlights key moments in environmental history and major policy milestones{{Cite news |last=Nazaryan |first=Alexander |date=2025-02-28 |title=As the E.P.A. Withers, Will Its Museum Follow? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/science/trump-climate-epa-museum.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Matthew |date=2025-03-31 |title=EPA chief Zeldin says he is closing the agency's one-room museum, saving taxpayers $600,000 a year |url=https://apnews.com/article/zeldin-epa-museum-climate-change-trump-2a0581fef0c0ff706923727f4973792d |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=AP News |language=en}}

| 100px

|Independent

| Art

| Paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts that trace the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the present

| 100px

|National Geographic Society

| Natural history

| Operated by the National Geographic Society, changing exhibits of photography, natural history, culture and history

| 100px

|National Guard (United States)

| Military

| History of the National Guard of the United States from the Revolutionary War era to post-9/11 era

|100x100px

|National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

|History/

Forensic Science

|Dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience. The interactive exhibits and insightful programs are intended to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the community.

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Ethnic – African American

| National museum devoted to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Opened September 24, 2016.{{cite news|title=Smithsonian Opening African-American History Museum Sept. 24|agency=Associated Press|date=February 1, 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/smithsonian-opening-african-american-history-museum-sept-24/2016/02/01/54017b0c-c93b-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203141932/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/smithsonian-opening-african-american-history-museum-sept-24/2016/02/01/54017b0c-c93b-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 3, 2016|access-date=February 2, 2016}}

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Art

| African art and culture, includes paintings, musical instruments, sculpture, jewelry, regalia, textiles, pottery

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| History

| American social, political, cultural, scientific and military history

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Ethnic – Native American

| Life, languages, literature, history and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere

| 100px

|Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America

| Ethnic – Jewish – Military – History

| Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Art

| Featuring 45,000 works of Asian art. Consists of two adjoining buildings, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Natural history

| Galleries include paleontology, geology, mammals, human origins, insects, ocean life, gems and minerals, Western, African and Korean cultures

| 100px

|Independent

| Art

| Women's achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Art – History

| Images and history of famous individual Americans

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Philately

| History of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world

| 100px

|American Institute of Architects

| Historic house

| Early 19th-century townhouse

| 100px

|Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation

| Historic house

| Late 19th-century townhouse that served as the Korean legation from 1889 to 1905.

| 100px

|National Park Service

| Historic house

| Mid 18th century period house, the oldest unchanged building in Washington, D.C.

|

|Independent

| Art

| The collection rotates and changes daily and includes art, music, architecture, memorabilia, manuscripts, sculpture and other items that promote exploration of the creative process.

| 100px

|Independent

| Art

| American and European impressionist and modern art

| 100px

|Independent

| Language Arts

| Language and words

| 100px

|Independent

| Historic house

| Cottage retreat of President Abraham Lincoln and other Presidents

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Decorative arts

| American craft and decorative arts from the 19th century to the 21st century

| 100px

| Independent

| Contemporary art

| Washington, D.C. satellite of the Miami-based Rubell Museum

| 100px

|Knights of Columbus

| Religion

| Life and papacy of Pope John Paul II and the history of Catholic heritage in North America

|

| Catholic University of America

| Art

| Part of Catholic University of America{{cite web |title=Salve Regina Gallery |url=https://art.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/facilities/salve-regina-gallery.html |url-status=live |access-date=13 February 2025 |publisher=The Catholic University of America}}

| 100px

|Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

| Masonic

| Masonic principles of personal, social and intellectual freedom, artifacts of American history, Masonic regalia and memorabilia

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Exhibition

| Exhibits of art, photography

| 100px

|National Park Service

| Historic house – History

| U.S. women's suffrage and equal-rights movements

| 100px

| Smithsonian Institution

| Art

| American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States

| 100px

|George Washington University

| Textiles

| Textiles from around the world including rugs, clothing, located at George Washington University

| 100px

|Independent

| Historic house

| Mansion with European and American decorative arts including American silver, porcelain, furniture, glassware, sculpture, portraits, prints, and textiles

| 100px

|United States Capitol

| History

| History of the U.S. Capitol and Congress

| 100px

|Independent

| History

| History of the Holocaust in Europe

| 100px

|United States Navy

| Maritime – Military

| History of the U.S. Navy from the American Revolution to the present, naval artifacts, models, documents and fine art

| 100px

| White House Historical Association

| Historic house

| Official state residence of the president of the United States, tours by advance reservation

|

| The Wilderness Society (United States)

| Photography

| Exhibits from its collections, including photos by Ansel Adams{{cite web|title=Visitor Information|url=http://wilderness.org/article/visitor-information|publisher=The Wilderness Society|access-date=2 March 2015}}

| 100px

| Woman's National Democratic Club

| Historic house

| Political memorabilia, artwork, and photographs in the Whittemore House

| 100px

|Independent

| Historic house

| Home of President Woodrow Wilson after he left office

|

|[https://www.navymemorial.org/ US Navy Memorial]

|Maritime – Military

|Honor, Recognize, and celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services