The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum complex, and almost all of it is free. Admission costs nothing at its 17 Washington, DC-area museums and the National Zoo, plus the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia - covering art, American history, natural history, air and space, and much more.
Most Smithsonian museums need no ticket at all: just walk in. A few popular spots, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Zoo, use free timed-entry passes that you reserve online in advance.
The one exception is the Cooper Hewitt design museum in New York City, which charges admission. Everything in the DC area is free, every day.
