For the first time since October of last year, the general public can roam the balance of the Capitol grounds freely. Most of the fences were removed this weekend. The upper platform closest to the west front steps are still closed, but 95% of the grounds that were open before the 2020 election are open as of today.
A Bronzed Frame
View of the National Mall from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Museum Landscape: What's Open? (Hint: Quite a Few)
The Kogod Courtyard connects the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery
Every industry is moving toward reopening at various and disparate paths. Recently, the DC municipal government laid out a path for a near restriction-free reopening of many types of venues in regards to capacity. Museums are included in the new loosening of capacity restrictions, as they are included in the same category with libraries and galleries. As of June 11, museums will no longer be required to impose capacity restrictions. That doesn't mean they aren't able to do so on their own, but the requirement to do so will be shed. Each museum will also open with their own safety procedures in an effort to keep staff and visitors safe. Mask-wearing and distancing guidelines are likely still going to be implemented regardless of the venue type.
A number of Smithsonian museums and a collection of others are opening this Friday (May 14) or next Monday. By June there will be enough museums open to make a full day or two of exploration possible again.
Please check with each individual institution for ticketing options (many will not have walk-up entry), capacity restrictions, open hours & open days, and whether the exhibition you really wanted to see is actually going to be accessible.
Here's the list of DC's major museums and galleries along with their opening status as of today!
Smithsonian Museums
Open now:
Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Center (Virginia location)
Opening very soon:
National Museum of African American History and Culture (May 14)
American Art Museum AND National Portrait Gallery (May 14)
Renwick Gallery (May 14)
National Museum of American History (May 21)
National Museum of the American Indian (May 21)
National Zoo (May 21)
Still closed for now:
National Museum of African Art, National Air and Space Museum (DC location), Anacostia Community Museum, Arts and Industries Building, Hirshhorn Museum, Freer Gallery of Art, National Museum of Natural History, National Postal Museum, Ripley Center, Sackler Gallery, and the Smithsonian Castle.
Non-Smithsonian Museums
Open now:
National Museum of Women in the Arts
National Building Museum
Planet Word
Phillips Collection
International Spy Museum
Opening very soon:
National Gallery or Art; West Building only (May 14)
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (May 17)
Still closed for now:
National Archives Museum
National Geographic Museum
National World War I Memorial: First Look
One hundred four years after the United States Congress declared war on Germany and entered World War I, the first national World War I Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC. Known as The Great War or The War to End All Wars, what began as a Europe-centric conflict quickly spread to include sovereign and colonized nations worldwide in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.
After resisting entering the war during his first term as President, Woodrow Wilson eventually asked Congress to declare war against Germany in April 1917, which they did. The war, which began July 1914, ended 19 months later, on November 11, 1918.
4,734,991 U.S. Americans served during World War I. With 116,516 total deaths, it remains one of the deadliest conflicts in United Stated history, leaving only World War II and the Civil War with more total deaths during a single conflict. The new memorial has been years in the making and is unique among war memorials in DC.
See the full 24 photo set on our Attucks Adams Patreon page. That’s also where you will find additional posts featuring interpretation, historical context, and my final observations about this newest addition to the memorial landscape of Washington, DC. A huge thanks to all Patrons for making this work possible!
