Visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Hours and Location
Hours: 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
Now Open 7 Days a Week
8th and G Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20004
SAAM is located at 8th and G streets NW, above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station and is accessible from Green, Yellow, and Red metro lines. At SAAM, ramps are located on both sides of the 8th and G Streets NW entrance.
There is limited on-street parking at meters; several paid parking garages are available in the neighborhood.
Planning Your Visit
We are delighted to welcome visitors back into our galleries. Masks are not required while visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Visitors may choose to wear a mask during their visit or while participating in a program or event.
Social distancing continues to be encouraged and we ask people who do not feel well to stay home.
Updated information about Smithsonian COVID-19 guidelines and safety measures are online. Visitors who do not adhere to safety policies and guidelines may be asked to leave.The Smithsonian reserves the right to modify its hours of operation, capacity, and visitor guidelines as circumstances require.
All children (under the age of 18) must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. At least one (1) adult chaperone is required to accompany up to five (5) children.
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. Please note that we do not offer coat check or bag storage at this time. Strollers are permitted in the galleries.
Currently, we are not offering printed floor plans. To find your way around you may use the museum’s free Wi-Fi to access a digital Smithsonian American Art Museum Map [PDF].
The SAAM Museum Store is open for in-person shopping, and our stores are always open online!
The Courtyard Café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but is open Wednesday-Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Visitors are permitted to bring in food and beverages to be consumed in designated spaces in the Kogod Courtyard only; alcoholic beverages and food for groups is not permitted.
At a Glance: Guidelines for Visiting
Personal Belongings
Please limit the number of personal belongings and bags you bring to SAAM and the Renwick Gallery. Coat check and bag storage are not available.
If Sick, Stay Home
We’re asking all visitors who are sick or feel unwell to please stay home. If you are at increased risk of severe illness, you may also want to consider staying home.
Face Coverings
Masks are not required while visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Exhibitions at SAAM
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We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection
July 1, 2022 — March 26, 2023Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and G Streets, NW)We Are Made of Stories: Self-Taught Artists in the Robson Family Collection traces the rise of self-taught artists in the twentieth century and examines how, despite wide-ranging societal, racial, and gender-based obstacles, their creativity and bold self-definition became major forces in American art. The exhibition features recent gifts to the museum from two generations of collectors, Margaret Z. Robson and Douglas O. Robson.
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Artist to Artist
October 1, 2021 — September 3, 2023Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and G Streets, NW)Artist to Artist features paired artworks, each representing two figures whose trajectories intersected at a creatively crucial moment, whether as student and teacher, professional allies, or friends. -
Galleries for Folk and Self-Taught Art
OngoingSmithsonian American Art Museum (8th and G Streets, NW)SAAM’s collection of folk and self-taught art represents the powerful vision of America’s untrained and vernacular artists. Represented in the museum’s collection are pieces that draw on tradition—such as quilts—as well as artworks that reveal a more personal vision.
Visiting with Young Children
For activities for all ages, see Family Activities. There are elevators and ramps throughout the museum to accommodate strollers. Changing stations are available in all of the museum’s restrooms.
Accessibility
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.
Service Animals
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. Pets are not permitted.
Aira
SAAM is an Aira access site. Visitors who are blind or low-vision can download the Aira app free of charge onto a smart phone. The Aira app uses the phone’s camera to take in the user’s surroundings, and a live Aira agent will describe the environment, including reading of exhibition labels and instructions. This service is free of charge on the museum premises. Visit Aira Access.
Telephone Numbers
Museum Information (recorded): (202) 633-7970
General Smithsonian Visitor Information: (202) 633-1000
FAQ
No, tickets are not required to visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum or its Renwick Gallery.
Masks are not required for visitors to the Smithsonian American Art Museum or its Renwick Gallery. Visitors may choose to wear a mask during their visit.
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 is located at Eighth and G streets NW, above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station and is accessible from Green, Yellow, and Red Metro lines.
All on-site public tours are currently suspended. See our calendar of events for upcoming in-person programs.
We are not currently offering in-person school tours, but we are able to provide interactive, free videoconference options for K-12 students.
All of our teacher professional development programs are online for the current school year.
Yes. Contact us to inquire about hosting your special event, wedding, birthday, or corporate party at SAAM.
There is no coat check or bag storage at the museum 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, 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 may 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.
At SAAM, two accessible ramps are located on Eighth and G Streets NW.
Accessible restrooms are located on all floors of SAAM.
SAAM is not located on the National Mall. It is located at Eighth and G streets NW, above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station and is accessible from Green, Yellow, and Red metro lines.
SAAM is a fifteen minute walk on 9th Street NW, directly north of the National Mall.
Exhibitions rotate regularly at SAAM and the Renwick Gallery. To check what’s currently on view, see current exhibitions.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery share a building but are two separate museums with separate collections and staff; both are part of the Smithsonian.
The Luce Foundation Center for American Art is located on the third floor mezzanine of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. It is the first visible art storage and study center in Washington, DC, and allows visitors to browse thousands of artworks from the collection.
There are no designated areas for breastfeeding at the museum. All mothers are welcome to breastfeed in any space that is open to the public.
Sketching is permitted only in permanent collection galleries and the Luce Foundation Center, not in special exhibitions. Please be extremely careful with your drawing tools; show respect for the artwork and your fellow visitors. Check our website before you visit for a list of permitted media.
Visitors are permitted to bring in food and beverages to be consumed in designated spaces in the Kogod Courtyard only; alcoholic beverages and food for groups is not permitted. The Courtyard Café in SAAM's main building is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Yes, water bottles are allowed if closed. Water fountains are available as well.
Service animals are welcome. Please leave your pets at home.
Handheld photography and video for personal use is generally encouraged throughout the museum. Sometimes, photography of particular artworks may not be allowed in selected special exhibitions; please check the wall signage to confirm. No tripods, selfie sticks, or similar long tools are permitted in the galleries to protect the artworks.
Handheld photography and video for personal use is generally permitted throughout the museum. Sometimes, photography of particular artworks may not be allowed in selected special exhibitions; please check the wall signage to confirm. No tripods, selfie sticks, or similar long tools are permitted in the galleries to protect the artworks. Commercial or documentary filming requests must be submitted through the Smithsonian’s film request form.
Yes, you are welcome to bring your computer to the museum. Wi-Fi is available throughout the building, but seating and tables have been removed from the Kogod Courtyard and from the Luce Foundation Center to allow for safe social distancing.
Yes, strollers are permitted in the galleries. Occasionally, special exhibitions may limit stroller access during busy times.