Smithsonian National Museum of American History Tour

Group Size

Max 8

Tour Duration

2.5 Hours

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Free Cancellation up to 24 hrs

Gallery Highlights Details Itinerary Inclusions Reviews

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Highlights of the tour

Highlights generally include (as long as items are not on loan or being restored):

The Star-Spangled Banner— see the original flag that inspired the U.S. national anthem. This massive 15-star, 15-stripe banner flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and remains one of America's most treasured artifacts.
The Greensboro Lunch Counter— stand before the original Woolworth's lunch counter, where four African American college students staged a historic sit-in in 1960, sparking a nationwide movement for civil rights and desegregation.
George Washington's Uniform and Sword — get up close to George Washington's actual military uniform and battle sword, worn and carried during the American Revolution!
Abraham Lincoln's Top Hat — see the top hat worn by President Abraham Lincoln on the night of his assassination at Ford's Theatre in 1865. A haunting and powerful symbol of his presidency and legacy.
Dorothy's Ruby Slippers — step into Hollywood history with the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. One of the most recognizable artifacts in pop culture history.

Details

Join us for a private tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where the story of the United States' rise from a rebellious colony to a global power unfolds through its most treasured artifacts.

From the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement and wartime ingenuity during World War II, this museum brings America's history to life, On this 2.5-hour guided tour, our expert guide will lead you through this vast collection, ensuring you see all the museum's most important exhibits. Stand before the original Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the national anthem. Explore presidential legacies with George Washington's sword and Abraham Lincoln's top hat, worn on the night of his assassination. Visit the Greensboro Lunch Counter, where a peaceful sit-in ignited the Civil Rights Movement, and admire the inaugural gowns of First Ladies, each reflecting a pivotal moment in history. You'll even step into pop culture history with Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. By the end of this tour, you'll have explored the milestones of American history, from revolution and reform to innovation and culture. Whether you're a history enthusiast or a first-time visitor, this experience offers a deeper understanding of the nation's past and what it means to be American today.

Itinerary

A 2.5-hour tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History with one of our expert guides.
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560

Inclusion

• GUIDED MUSEUM TOUR

• PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE

• DURATION 2.5 HOURS

• ALL ENTRANCE FEES

Not Included

• TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE FOOD AND DRINKS

• TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE HOTEL PICKUP OR DROP-OFF (we recommend UBER or Taxi)

• TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE GRATUITIES (optional)

• TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE LUGGAGE OR COAT STORAGE

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Semi-Private Tour

Enjoy an intimate small-group experience

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Have your guide exclusively for your group

What Our Customers Say

Jonathan N 2 contributions

Great experience

We had a great time with Leigh Jameson. She is very good at her job. I definitely would go through this company again. ??

16 April 2025

Patrick H 1 contributions

Great time!

Very knowledgeable! They were also very tolerant of our super chatty and easily distracted child, very well done! We enjoyed it very much!

25 April 2025

Beth G 4 contributions

Great tour!

Annemarie gave us a lovely tour, very informative! Highly recommend seeing the museum with a guide so you aren’t overwhelmed!

17 May 2025

Theresa C 2 contributions

Everyone needs to go here at least once in their life

LEIGH was phenomenal. We learned so much about history so we knew we didn’t, but she was amazing explaining everything we saw.

25 May 2025

Kathy R 4 contributions

Wonderful

Excellent informative tour with great sidebar information. Donna really knows the history of the museum and exhibits

30 May 2025

sks187 2 contributions

So much information.

Rebecca was awesome. She had inside stories and incredible knowledge for each area. Answered each of our questions with no hesitation.

30 May 2025

Footprints365010 2 contributions

Excellent! We were fortunate enough to score AnneMarie as our guide! She was highly knowledgeable.

Our guide, Anne Marie, was excellent! Highly knowledgeable and informative. Such a good teacher!! We strongly recommend her!

12 June 2025

Karen H 2 contributions

Tour guide is just the best!

What a great experience! Rebecca was just the best! She told us so many interesting facts, kept it interesting as she was so knowledgeable.

16 June 2025

Jason G 1 contributions

Annemarie - American History Museum

My wife, myself and teenage daughters did a tour with Annemarie at the American History Museum today and easily gave 5 stars. She was very nice, engaging, thorough and well versed.Im a bit of a history nut so this doesn't come lightly. Highly recommend.

01 August 2025

zenmomma82 21 contributions

History comes alive

We loved our tour with Annemarie! We are a family of 4 with two preteens and she did an amazing job engaging everyone in the group. She had a wealth of knowledge and expertise and a gift for answering questions on the fly, especially out of the box ones from our 10 year old. She really made the museum come alive for us and it was truly a great experience to walk through it with her guidance. I would highly recommend this tour experience.

09 August 2025

LJ W 3 contributions

Rebecca was awesome!

Rebecca was super knowledgeable and friendly. She knew the museum backwards and forwards and gave us a really great overview of the American History museum. He would definitely have her as a tour guide again!

04 January 2025

Alexander W 1 contributions

Great experience

Annmarie was such a great guide, showing us all details from the civil war, and the history of presidency. She was very good at explaining and brought the stories to life! Would come again 100%!

16 February 2025

Cale 1 contributions

Great Tour – Highly Recommend

We had a great experience touring the Smithsonian with Maribeth. The museum is huge, so having a guide like her made all the difference. She was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also flexible, allowing us to focus on the exhibits we were most interested in while still giving us a well-rounded experience.She brought the exhibits to life with interesting stories and details that I wouldn't have noticed on my own. She made the tour both educational and entertaining, keeping everyone engaged with her enthusiasm and deep knowledge. It’s clear she loves what she does, and that energy made the tour...

31 March 2025

Maria W 10 contributions

Customized and interesting

Anne-Marie was a great guide. She asked about our preferences and interests and customized the tour with exhibits that would be of most interest to our children. We also hit the highlights with some memorable stories that helped the exhibits come to life.

21 April 2025

GGH1 29 contributions

Smithsonian American History Museum with Maribeth

Maribeth was an excellent and very well informed guide. I'm a history buff but Maribeth brought so much knowledge to the tour that I was unaware of. She brought fun to the learning experience.

22 April 2025

Samahoe 4 contributions

Great tour!

Maribeth was very pleasant and full of knowledge. I learned a lot from her, especially little details. I’d definitely recommend her.

04 May 2025

Catharine L 2 contributions

Annemarie is the best!

Annemarie was such a great tour guide! She was very pleasant and knowledgeable. My mom loves history and she catered the tour to what we were interested in. She answered any question we had. Had a lot of fun and would definitely recommend her!

14 May 2025

Abby P 4 contributions

Maureen was amazing!!!

My family of 5 THOROUGHLY enjoyed our tour of the American History Musuem! Maureen was our guide, and not only was she knowledgeable and fun, she also catered the experience to my tired troop of young adults. This was our 4th tour in 2 days, and it was by far the best. We couldn't be more pleased!

26 June 2025

Ben M 1 contributions

Ryan did great!

Ryan was great! Very informative. He had a great gen z history of how cherry blossom trees got to usa. Also did great in getting the kids excited at the different exhibits.

09 July 2025

Scott S 2 contributions

Our tour guide Brenda was outstanding

Our tour guide Brenda was super! She knew how to navigate the museum and about everything in it. She tailored the tour to our four young children while educating the four adults with her vast knowledge of the displays. Everyone had a wonderful morning.

25 July 2025

FAQ's

Yes - admission to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is included, though the museum is free to the public. The value of the booking lies in the guided expertise and a curated route through one of the largest American history collections in the country.

Headline artifacts include the original Star-Spangled Banner (the 15-star flag from Fort McHenry that inspired the national anthem), the Greensboro Lunch Counter from the 1960 civil rights sit-in, George Washington's military uniform and sword, Lincoln's top hat from the night of his assassination, and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

Yes - major exhibits on innovation, technology, entertainment, and pop culture are part of the route. The mix is intentional: the museum holds everything from industrial machinery to Hollywood memorabilia, and the tour treats both as legitimate windows into American identity.

Guides treat the artifacts as storytelling anchors, covering the events, people, and decisions behind each piece. Lincoln's top hat isn't just a hat - guides walk through what he was doing that night, the political climate, and the assassination's aftermath. Expect that depth of context throughout.

Yes - presidential artifacts and related galleries are on the route, including George Washington's military gear, Lincoln's top hat, and First Ladies' inaugural gowns. The presidential exhibits span the full sweep from Washington through recent administrations.

The tour typically covers 30 to 40 major galleries and artifacts in 2.5 hours. Pace adjusts to the group's interests - guests fascinated by the Civil Rights exhibits get more time there, while presidential-history enthusiasts might linger longer in those galleries.

Yes - important American technological achievements are part of the route, from early industrial innovations through inventions that shaped modern life. The mix demonstrates how American identity has been tied to invention from the founding era through the present.

Photography is allowed throughout most of the museum, with one notable exception - the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit has strict no-photography rules to protect the fragile flag, which is displayed in a dimly-lit climate-controlled chamber. Your guide will flag the boundary as you enter.

First-time visitors get a focused 2.5-hour overview of American history through some of the country's most recognizable artifacts. The museum can feel overwhelming on a self-guided visit - the guided format curates the headline pieces and provides context that gallery labels can't.

Families with children do well on this tour, especially since the most-photographed artifacts - Dorothy's ruby slippers, Lincoln's top hat, Washington's sword - are reliably engaging for kids. Guides adjust the storytelling for younger visitors when the group includes them.