Do you know what 11 years of planning/participating in a middle school trip to DC will provide? A TON of knowledge on the best free things to do in Washington DC. My school was on a strict budget so we only went to free museums/activities and then did the same museums every year. So you can trust that my recommendations below are the best DC can offer for all ages. DC can be an expensive city but it is filled to the brim with wonderful free experiences so take advantage! So keep scrolling for 20 free things to do in Washington DC for 2024.
At Pragmatic Travelers, we only recommend what we have actually experienced. Looking for more information on D.C.? Check out our D.C. travel guide!
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum-Powerful, emotional, educational and an important free thing to do in DC. This museum is incredibly well done. From the moment you get your passport of a survivor or victim then step into the elevator, you know this is a different kind of museum. You should not miss this.
- A few tips:
- Prepare your young people. No one should walk into this museum without some knowledge of the Holocaust. Also, set your behavior expectations. Nothing is more upsetting then seeing people act foolishly.
- Tickets are free at the door. I recommend going right when the museum opens either to go in or get your ticket for later in the day. They go extremely fast. OR you could buy tickets in advance for a very small fee.
- If you are lining up for tickets, read the following: You have to line up next to the main entrance. (The alley with benches lining it; to the right of the front door.) Wait until an employee comes out around 9:45ish am. The line moves quick once they start handing out tickets.
- The propaganda area bottlenecks so plan on getting separated from your group. There are great meeting points at the end of each exhibit.
Glenstone
Glenstone: Ok so not technically in D.C. but only a 45 minute drive away. It is a free 300 acre attraction filled with nature, art and architecture. There are paths, meadows, outdoor sculptures and more. Make sure to reserve your parking ahead of time. Completely free!
National Art Gallery
National Art Gallery– One of the best art museums. The rotunda alone is worth a visit. Great Impressionist exhibit and they have a Da Vinci painting. Really, quite an impressive array of art work from Matisse to Monet. One of the better museums in D.C. Worth a visit.
Need a quiet place to rest? There are two fountains with benches by the front door of the museum. Quiet and secluded. OH! Checkout the light installation in the walkway between the East and West buildings.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of African American History and Culture–Another powerful, raw, emotional and fantastic museum. An essential free thing to do in Washington DC. You begin by descending into darkness and work your way towards the light. They release tickets ahead of time so continually check their website.
Pro tip: Make sure you grab your timed entry pass ahead of time. They may not have the your desired time if you wait too long.
Air and Space Museum
Air and Space Museum– Kids love this museum. I do enjoy it and there is so much to see BUT it is always busy and a bit dated. It is not one of my favorites. I believe they have been adding new exhibits.
National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History– This is a great museum. The exhibits are interesting and include so many great artifacts! HOWEVER, depending on the time of year this place gets so so SO busy. (April/May with all the school trips.) To the point, where I won’t go. The security line alone could take 20 mins. Typically if the line is out the door, I won’t go in. It is worth going early in the morning.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Smithsonian’s National Zoo– I LOVE THIS ZOO. Beautiful zoo, clean, free and enjoyable. Opens very early. Morning means feeding which means active animals and even better, small crowds. Make sure to visit the reptile house! Take your time and explore every nook and cranny. This is a wonderful free thing to do in Washington DC.
Heads up: If you come from the main entrance, you walk down a hill in the beginning which means you have to walk back up it.
National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery-Often overlooked. Really some fantastic pieces of art, interesting exhibits and the Presidential portraits. I always enjoy seeing the Obamas’ portraits. A bit off the National Mall. Walk by Ford’s Theater on the way back to the mall.
9/11 Pentagon Memorial
9/11 Pentagon Memorial-Go at night when the benches (one for each person) is lit. Stunning and moving.
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery – Walking through the cemetery is humbling. Don’t miss the changing of the guard, JFK memorial and Thurgood Marshall’s grave. Iwo Jima Memorial is nearby with is another free attraction in Washington DC.
United States Botanic Garden
United States Botanic Garden–Absolutely one of my favorites! Multiple rooms to explore plants and flowers. The Tropics House has multiple floors so you won’t miss a thing. Love, love, love this place. Very close to the Capital building.
Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden-Modern art museum with interesting exhibits. Always worth visiting! Exhibits change pretty frequently. Excellent coffee shop in the museum.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History– Gorgeous museum. The gems and minerals exhibit is fantastic which includes the Hope Diamond. On Tuesdays, they give away free tickets to the live butterfly exhibit. Go right when the museum opens and head straight to the exhibit to grab the tickets you want. This exhibit is on the second floor.
National Sculpture Garden
National Sculpture Garden- Another one of my favorites. Lovely to walk around and check out the outdoor sculptures. Large water feature to sit and rest by. It does close at 4 in the afternoon.
National Archives
National Archives– Amazing to check out the actual Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The line can be long to get in. Amazing that you can visit these documents for free in Washington DC.
National Mall Monuments
The National Mall Monuments: Can be broken up into two sections. I like to break it up since it is a great deal of walking in the sun. Wonderful to visit first thing in the morning with your cup of coffee OR at dusk when they turn the lights on. Gorgeous! I am not unique with going at dusk. Everyone goes at dusk. It gets busy with school groups. If you are traveling with young kids, I recommend giving everyone a glow in the dark item so it is easy to find them. Can get these at a Dollar Tree.
First Section: Washington Monument, WW2, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Reflecting Pool, Vietnam’s Women Memorial and Lincoln Memorial.
Second Section: Close to the Tidal Basin- Jefferson Memorial, MLK Jr Memorial and FDR Memorial
Pro tip: Wait until later at night after the tour groups, school groups and families clear out and have the monuments to yourself.
Library of Congress
Library of Congress: This is the largest library in the world with over 16 million books. It was founded in 1800 and is the main research library for the U.S. Congress. The interior architecture and design is worth the visit alone. There is a underground hallway that connects it to the Capitol Building.
The Capitol Building
The Capitol Building-The rotunda is just beautiful. I can’t recommend visiting enough. The tour itself is informative and engaging. All of my 8th graders enjoyed this tour. It can be hard to get tickets. Reach out to your Senator/Representative for more information well ahead of your trip. Or use the link to help you plan your visit.
The White House
The White House-Visiting the White House is something else. I did it with over 100 students and staff and it was amazing. It is very difficult to get tickets into the White House. You need to go through your member of Congress. Then it is all down to timing. It is definitely worth doing this but you will need to plan ahead. You can’t just apply while you are visiting in DC. It won’t work. You can visit the White House visitor center which has some exhibits and information to look at it. Even if you can’t visit, make sure to go stand out front and take some great pictures.
Hang out in Georgetown
Very hip place to walk around with plenty of restaurants and shops. Wonderful Georgian homes and architecture.
Visiting DC is always a great idea. Make sure to use this guide of 20 free things in Washington DC for 2024 to make the most of your trip. Happy Travels!
