Disha Wagh

in Current Semester, Spring 2016, Student's Blog
May 6th, 2016

Guide to Museums in DC

Disha Wagh
Spring 2016

One of the best things about living in the nation’s capital is the vast number of museums which can cater to every person’s interests. The best part about this is that there is a huge array of museums which are completely free of cost – perfect for every broke college student. So here are my recommendations.

Newseum: 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001

The Newseum is a definite favorite of mine. Although you have to pay around $23 to enter, it is well worth the price. The ticket is valid for 2 days and the Newseum is so huge that it would take both days to cover the whole place. The Newseum is all about photojournalism which makes it relevant and interesting to basically anybody. In my opinion the best part is the Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery, which features Pulitzer-Prize winning photographs dating back to 1942.

National Museum of Natural History: 1000 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004

If you are a fan of the Night at the Museum movies you will definitely enjoy a trip to the Museum of Natural History. The museum is completely free of cost and has a bunch of exhibits and galleries to explore. They range from exhibits and sculptures of fossils and mummies to a live butterfly and insect gallery.

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, S.W., Washington, D.C., 20024

I know visiting the Holocaust Museum can be a bit of a downer as it is such a sad and terrible part of history, but it is a very educational and heart-rending experience. The museum is free of cost but do note that during peak season (March through August) you need to pre-order your tickets online for the permanent exhibit, but there is only a $1 transaction fee. The permanent exhibit is the main one, which spans 3 floors and contains many artifacts from that period. The museum was also designed by James Ingo Freed, who is a Holocaust survivor – making it even more meaningful.

National Museum of American History: 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001 

This is another museum which is free of cost. It was really interesting to me, being an international student, to learn more about the history of America. The top floor also has an exhibition which features all the Presidents and First Ladies and even has some of their inauguration dresses on display.

Smithsonian National Zoo: 3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20008

Although this isn’t technically a museum, I had to add it to the list especially considering how close the Deb is to the zoo. The national zoo is free and a great place if you want to go for a run or need a place to take your parents when they come visit. The zoo is enormous and has almost every animal imaginable (even a petting zoo). If you’re lucky you may even be able to see Bei Bei, the baby panda!

Disha is a junior studying Business and interning at the World Wildlife Fund