Visit

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The museum is closed Christmas Day, on December 25. The galleries for 18th to early 20th century art are temporarily closed to the public until Summer 2026.

The Renwick Gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The museum is closed Christmas Day, on December 25.

No, tickets are not required to visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum or its Renwick Gallery. 

Yes! We have free audio guides for selected artworks on view at SAAM’s main building available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, ASL, and Descriptive Audio. You can start using them by navigating to our Audio Guide page.

There is no coat check or bag storage at the museums and the small lockers in each lobby are not available at this time.     

We encourage you to limit the number of personal belongings and bags you bring into our facilities. Suitcases, large umbrellas, and backpacks are not allowed in the galleries. Security officers may ask you to hand-carry smaller backpacks, or wear them on your front, to protect the artworks. Strollers are permitted in the galleries.  

Yes, smaller backpacks are permitted although we have limitations to protect the artwork. Suitcases, large umbrellas, and large backpacks are not allowed in the galleries. Security officers will ask visitors to hand-carry smaller backpacks, or wear them on the front of their bodies. Please note that we do not offer coat or bag storage. 

Visitors are required to pass through screening at the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the effort to standardize security throughout the Smithsonian Institution. Check the Smithsonian's visitor guidelines for the most up-to-date information.

At SAAM’s main building, visitors are required to walk through a metal detector; those who cannot go through the metal detector will be hand-screened with an electronic wand by security personnel. Help speed your entry by limiting the number and size of personal belongings and bags brought on-site.

Security officers are located throughout the building to protect the Museum, its collections, and most importantly, our visitors. Please feel free to ask them for assistance. A Security Desk is located by the Museum entrance/exit at the G Street and F Street entrances.

At SAAM’s Renwick Gallery, visitors are required to have their bags hand-screened by security personnel. 

Barrier-free access to both SAAM’s main building and its Renwick Gallery are available.

At SAAM, ramps are located on both sides of the 8th and G Streets NW entrance. If you are using MetroAccess Paratransit, please use 800 G Street NW as the address for our building.

At the Renwick Gallery, a ramp at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW leads to an accessible entrance.

The bathrooms and high-touch areas, such as doors, will be cleaned more frequently throughout each day.

Service animals are welcome at Smithsonian museums. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.