The Smithsonian Institution features 19 museums, serveral research centers, and the National Zoo. Washington DC is home to 17 museums, and 10 of those are on the National Mall. Admission is free to nearly all of the Smithsonian facilities, and most are open nearly every day of the year.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum of one of the more popular. Visiting it's 22 galleries will take at least a half day, and will provide the opportunity to view different IMAX movies as well as shows at the Albert Einstein Planetarium.