Visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum

A light-filled gallery with marble columns and artwork

Address and Hours

SAAM and NPG building

Admission is Always Free

SAAM is located at the heart of a vibrant downtown cultural district and presents American art from the eighteenth century to the present.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and G Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Hours
Mon - Sun:
11:30 am‑7:00 pm

Getting Here

Two museums in one historic location. Sharing its space with the National Portrait Gallery,  SAAM is a twenty-five minute walk from the Renwick Gallery, which is near the White House. SAAM is a fifteen minute walk from the Smithsonian Castle on 9th Street NW, directly north of the National Mall.

Public Transit

Access ramps are located on both sides of the 8th and G Streets NW entrance. The museum is above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station, which is served by the Green, Yellow, and Red Metro lines.

Parking

There is limited on-street parking at meters; several paid parking garages are available in the neighborhood.

Common FAQs

Frequently asked and answered questions about visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

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

Yes! We have free audio guides available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, ASL, and Descriptive Audio. You can start using them by navigating to our Audio Guide page.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

SAAM is located at Eighth and G streets NW in the Penn Quarter neighborhood in Washington, DC. The museum is above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station, which is served by the Green, Yellow, and Red Metro lines

SAAM offers daily walk-in tours from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. every day of the week. and 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. All walk-in tours are subject to volunteer docent availability and last-minute cancellations may occur. Please check with the information desk upon arrival.

Beginning February 2023, 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 security policy for the most up-to-date information.

 

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.

Accessibility

The Smithsonian American Art museums welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its collections and galleries accessible to everyone. We offer a range of programs for both adults and children with disabilities.

Access ramps are located on both sides of the museum’s 8th and G Streets NW entrance. All visitors may enter SAAM's main building using either the entrance located at 8th and G Streets NW or the entrance located at 8th and F Streets NW.  If you are using MetroAccess Paratransit, please use 800 G Street NW as the address for our building. Barrier-free access and restrooms are available. View more information on accessibility at the museums.

Accessible restrooms are located on all floors of SAAM.

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. 

Audio Guides

Experience the Museum Your Way

Smartify's free personalized tours are tailored to your interests and the time you have available. Simply answer a couple of quick questions and we'll hand pick a collection of unmissable objects and captivating stories just for you.

Two cellphones showing various views of the Smartify app

Highlights

Three floors of the Luce Center are shown with crowds of people moving around
Luce Center

The innovative Luce Foundation Center for American Art allows visitors to browse thousands of artworks from SAAM's collection.  

A woman reads in the Kogod Courtyard sitting nearby other visitors
Kogod Courtyard

The glass-enclosed Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard is one of the most magnificent gathering spaces in Washington, DC.

A conservator restores a painting with a paintbrush
Lunder Conservation Center

The Lunder Conservation Center with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls allows visitors to see into the laboratories where conservators preserve artworks.

Current Exhibitions at SAAM

Media - 1967.59.1146 - SAAM-1967.59.1146_2 - 141130
Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice
March 8, 2024September 8, 2024
William H. Johnson's Fighters for Freedom series from the mid-1940s is a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers, and performers as well as international heads of state working to bring peace to the world.
Tour Dates
  • 1
    Smithsonian American Art Museum
    Washington, DC
    March 8, 2024September 8, 2024
  • 2
    Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum
    Miami, FL
    September 28, 2024January 5, 2025
A close up image of a white orchid in a multicolored container featuring an abstract design with purple, blue, yellow, pink and white colors. In the background are green plants held in matching multicolored containers featuring an abstract design in pink, white, purple and gold colors.
The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration
January 27, 2024April 28, 2024
This exhibition from Smithsonian Gardens features 200 varieties of orchids alongside works by contemporary multimedia artist Phaan Howng.
Five images suspended in a gallery space.
Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour — Frederick Douglass
December 8, 2023 — December 62026
A presentation of Isaac Julien’s tour de force moving image installation that interweaves period reenactments across five screens to create a vivid picture of nineteenth-century activist, writer, orator, and philosopher Frederick Douglass.

Upcoming Events at SAAM

Shopping and Dining

a cheese plate with almonds and olives
Courtyard Café

The light-filled Courtyard Café offers a selection of baked goods, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and beverages. 

A museum store filled with bookshelves and tables of souvenirs
SAAM Store

Visit the SAAM Museum Store for an inspiring array of art-inspired objects and books.  

Support SAAM

Donate

Ensure that American art is available to all with a gift to fund research, exhibitions, and programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery. 

Space Rentals

Host your next event at one of our two elegant and dazzling museum venues. Let us make your event unforgettable!