# List of museums in Washington, D.C.

This list of museums in Washington, D.C. encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are university and non-profit art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included. The present list numbers 82 museums.

## Museums

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.
| Name | Sponsoring Institution | Type | Summary |
| African American Civil War Memorial Museum | 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 |
| American University Museum | American University | Art | Regional, national, and international contemporary art |
| Anacostia Community Museum | Smithsonian Institution | African American history | Local history and culture |
| Anderson House | Society of the Cincinnati | Historic house | Early 1900s palatial residence with period furnishings, Society artifacts, portraits, armaments, and personal artifacts of Revolutionary War soldiers |
| Art Museum of the Americas | Organization of American States | Art | Museum for modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art |
| Arts and Industries Building | Smithsonian Institution | History/Science | A national space to explore ideas and questions about the future |
| Charles Sumner School | Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives | History | One of the first public school buildings erected for the education of Washington's black community |
| Chinese American Museum DC | Independent | American History | History, culture, arts, accomplishments, and contributions of Chinese Americans. |
| Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum | Independent | History | Restored building that served as Clara Barton's Civil War apartment and later the Missing Soldiers Office (run by Barton). |
| DAR Museum | Daughters of the American Revolution | Art | Features 30 period rooms of decorative arts including furniture, silver, paintings, ceramics, textiles, toys, quilts |
| Decatur House | White House Historical Association | Historic house | Early 19th-century house with exhibits about the White House. Currently closed for tours. |
| Dumbarton House | The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America | Historic house | Early 19th century period house and headquarters |
| Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection | Dumbarton Oaks | Library | Exhibits of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art and European masterpieces from its collections |
| Folger Shakespeare Library | Independent | Library | Exhibits from its collections about William Shakespeare |
| Ford's Theatre National Historic Site | National Park Service | History | Site of assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, includes theater presentation, Lincoln museum, and Petersen House where he was taken |
| Frederick Douglass National Historic Site | National Park Service | Historic house | Home and estate of Frederick Douglass, one of the most prominent African Americans of the 19th century |
| General Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters | 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 Galleries | George Washington University | Art | Two galleries, includes painting, sculpture, and photographs, ranging from rare historic pieces to Washingtoniana and Americana to modern art |
| Georgetown University Art Galleries | Georgetown University | Art | Located in the Walsh building and around the Georgetown campus |
| German-American Heritage Museum of the USA | German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA | Ethnic German American | German-American history and culture, housed in a Victorian townhouse |
| Heurich House Museum | Independent | Historic house | Gilded Age mansion with early household innovations |
| Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens | 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 |
| Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | Smithsonian Institution | Art | Contemporary and modern art |
| Historical Society of Washington, D.C. | Independent | History, Library | Exhibits of the city's history from its collections |
| Howard University Gallery of Art | Howard University | Art | Located in Childers Hall, home of the Fine Arts Division of the College of Arts and Sciences |
| Interior Museum | 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 |
| International Spy Museum | Independent | History | Espionage history, artifacts, famous figures |
| Kreeger Museum | Independent | Art | 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculptures by internationally known artists, works by local Washington artists, traditional west and central African art |
| Laogai Museum | Laogai Research Foundation | Human Rights | This museum confronts the tragic legacy of China's Laogai system of forced labor prisons. |
| L. Ron Hubbard House | Church of Scientology | Historic house | Residence of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard from 1955 until 1959 |
| Library of Congress | Library of Congress | Library | Exhibits from its collections in American history, culture and art |
| Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum | 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 |
| Lincoln Memorial | National Park Service | History | Includes displays about the building of the Memorial and some of Lincoln's phrases |
| Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site | National Park Service | Historic house | Home of educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune |
| Meridian House | Meridian International Center | Art | Exhibitions of paintings, photographs, sculptures, videos, and crafts that reflect various aspects of American culture to encourage foreign understanding |
| Museum of the Bible | National Christian Foundation | Religious | Documents the narrative, history and impact of the Bible. |
| National Air and Space Museum | Smithsonian Institution | Aerospace | History and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics |
| National Archives | 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 |
| National Bonsai and Penjing Museum | National Bonsai Foundation | Natural history | Located on the campus of the United States National Arboretum, Bonsai and Penjing botanical specimens and displays |
| National Building Museum | Independent | Architecture | Exhibits about architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning |
| National Children's Museum | Independent | Children's | Serves children up to age 12 and their families through interactive exhibits exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math. |
| National Deaf Life Museum | Gallaudet University | Culture/history | Permanent and rotating exhibits chronicling deaf culture and history |
| National Environmental Museum and Education Center | United States Environmental Protection Agency | Environmental history | Highlights key moments in environmental history and major policy milestones |
| National Gallery of Art | 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 |
| National Geographic Museum | National Geographic Society | Natural history | Operated by the National Geographic Society, changing exhibits of photography, natural history, culture and history |
| National Guard Memorial Museum | National Guard (United States) | Military | History of the National Guard of the United States from the Revolutionary War era to post-9/11 era |
| National Law Enforcement Museum | 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. |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture | Smithsonian Institution | Ethnic – African American | National museum devoted to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Opened September 24, 2016. |
| National Museum of African Art | Smithsonian Institution | Art | African art and culture, includes paintings, musical instruments, sculpture, jewelry, regalia, textiles, pottery |
| National Museum of American History | Smithsonian Institution | History | American social, political, cultural, scientific and military history |
| National Museum of the American Indian | Smithsonian Institution | Ethnic – Native American | Life, languages, literature, history and arts of the Native Americans of the Western Hemisphere |
| National Museum of American Jewish Military History | Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America | Ethnic – Jewish – Military – History | Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces |
| National Museum of Asian Art | 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. |
| National Museum of Natural History | Smithsonian Institution | Natural history | Galleries include paleontology, geology, mammals, human origins, insects, ocean life, gems and minerals, Western, African and Korean cultures |
| National Museum of Women in the Arts | Independent | Art | Women's achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts |
| National Portrait Gallery | Smithsonian Institution | Art – History | Images and history of famous individual Americans |
| National Postal Museum | Smithsonian Institution | Philately | History of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world |
| The Octagon House | American Institute of Architects | Historic house | Early 19th-century townhouse |
| Old Korean Legation Museum | Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation | Historic house | Late 19th-century townhouse that served as the Korean legation from 1889 to 1905. |
| Old Stone House | National Park Service | Historic house | Mid 18th century period house, the oldest unchanged building in Washington, D.C. |
| O Street Museum Foundation | 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. |
| The Phillips Collection | Independent | Art | American and European impressionist and modern art |
| Planet Word | Independent | Language Arts | Language and words |
| President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home | Independent | Historic house | Cottage retreat of President Abraham Lincoln and other Presidents |
| Renwick Gallery | Smithsonian Institution | Decorative arts | American craft and decorative arts from the 19th century to the 21st century |
| Rubell Museum DC | Independent | Contemporary art | Washington, D.C. satellite of the Miami-based Rubell Museum |
| Saint John Paul II National Shrine | Knights of Columbus | Religion | Life and papacy of Pope John Paul II and the history of Catholic heritage in North America |
| Salve Regina Gallery | Catholic University of America | Art | Part of Catholic University of America |
| House of the Temple | Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry | Masonic | Masonic principles of personal, social and intellectual freedom, artifacts of American history, Masonic regalia and memorabilia |
| S. Dillon Ripley Center | Smithsonian Institution | Exhibition | Exhibits of art, photography |
| Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument | National Park Service | Historic house – History | U.S. women's suffrage and equal-rights movements |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum | Smithsonian Institution | Art | American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States |
| Textile Museum | George Washington University | Textiles | Textiles from around the world including rugs, clothing, located at George Washington University |
| Tudor Place | Independent | Historic house | Mansion with European and American decorative arts including American silver, porcelain, furniture, glassware, sculpture, portraits, prints, and textiles |
| United States Capitol Visitor Center | United States Capitol | History | History of the U.S. Capitol and Congress |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | Independent | History | History of the Holocaust in Europe |
| National Museum of the United States Navy | 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 |
| White House | White House Historical Association | Historic house | Official state residence of the president of the United States, tours by advance reservation |
| The Wilderness Society Gallery | The Wilderness Society (United States) | Photography | Exhibits from its collections, including photos by Ansel Adams |
| Woman's National Democratic Club Museum | Woman's National Democratic Club | Historic house | Political memorabilia, artwork, and photographs in the Whittemore House |
| Woodrow Wilson House | Independent | Historic house | Home of President Woodrow Wilson after he left office |
| United States Navy Memorial Visitor Center | US Navy Memorial | Maritime – Military | Honor, Recognize, and celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services |

## Defunct museums

* Army Medical Museum and Library, opened 1862, became the National Museum of Health and Medicine in 1989 and relocated to Silver Spring, Maryland in 2011
* Bead Museum, closed December 2008,
* Black Fashion Museum, founded 1979, moved to Washington in 1994, closed in 2007 and collection donated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture
* Corcoran Gallery of Art, open 1869–2014. Art holdings donated to the National Gallery of Art, building donated to George Washington University.
* Fondo del Sol
* Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., 2007–2021, featured wax sculptures of famous figures from politics, culture, sports, music and television, including the 45 U.S. presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump
* Marine Corps Museum, 1960–2005, collections now part of the National Museum of the Marine Corps
* National Gallery of Caricature and Cartoon Art, open 1994–1997, collections now at the Library of Congress.
* National Jewish Museum, collections now online, trying to establish to new museum
* National Museum of Crime & Punishment, closed in September 2015 and is now operated as Alcatraz East in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
* National Pinball Museum
* Newseum, founded 1997 in Rosslyn, Virginia, moved to Washington in 2008, closed December 2019 and is currently seeking new location.
* Washington Doll's House and Toy Museum, founded in 1975, closed 2004.
* Washington Gallery of Modern Art
* USS Barry (DD-933), opened as a museum ship in 1984, closed in 2015