Museums in Washington, DC

Smithsonian Institution

• The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex and research organization and comprises 19 museums, research centers, and the National Zoo. According to its website, the Smithsonian welcomes more than 30 million visitors each year and has more than 137 million artefacts and exhibits. A trip to this awe-inspiring and free-of-charge complex needs careful planning, if you are to get the most out of the time you have available. The Institution's website and The Smithsonian Information Center, located in the castle at 1000 Jefferson Drive, are excellent places to gather information before setting out on a journey of discovery and exploration through its properties.

  Smithsonian Institution
  PO Box 37012
  SI Building, Room 153, MRC 010
  Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
  202-633-6090
  si.edu

International Spy Museum

• Nothing is quite what it seems at the International Spy Museum, where lipsticks are pistols, dead rats are microphones and femme fatales are men fatales and cloak and dagger espionage is the name of the game. Budding James Bonds and anyone with an interest in the history of spying will enjoy a trip to what, according to the website is the "only museum in the world to provide a global perspective on an all-but-invisible profession that has shaped history and continues to have a significant impact on world events."

  As at 2010, admission prices are $15 for kids aged 5 to 11; $18 for those aged 12 to 64 and $17 for seniors aged 65 and older. Military operatives and spies pay the reduced price of $17. But what spy will reveal his cover to save a dollar? Opening hours vary daily.

  International Spy Museum
  800 F Street
  NW Washington, D.C. 20004
  202-393-7798
  spymuseum.org

National Museum of Women in the Arts

• The permanent collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) comprises over 3,000 works which provide an extensive catalog of art by women from the 16th century to modern day. Paintings, photography, sculpture and jewelry are featured. Famed 20th century artists such as Georgia O'Keefe and Frida Kahlo feature along with a significant collection of lesser known, but equally impressive artists.

  The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. As of 2010, admission is $10 and $8 for students and visitors aged 65 and older.

  National Museum of Women in the Arts
  1250 New York Avenue, N.W.
  Washington, DC 20005-3970
  202-783-5000
  nmwa.org

Textile Museum

• Sumptuous fabrics and rugs of historic relevance feature in the permanent collection and frequently changing exhibits at the museum. The museum seeks to expand the knowledge and appreciation of "the artistic merits and cultural relevance of the world's textiles." The museum was started by George Hewitt Myers in 1925 with a collection of 275 rugs and 60 textiles and has become an international authority on the subject.

  The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. The museum has a suggested donation of $5 for admittance, but this is not mandatory.

  The Textile Museum
  2320 S Street, NW
  Washington, DC 20008-4088
  202-667-0441
  textilemuseum.org