What's Open, Reopening, Closed and Canceled in Washington, DC

Current Reopening Status
The city is currently in Phase Two of recovery, which allows many businesses to reopen. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced updates to the city's status that will go into effect on May 1. The Mayor strongly encourages residents and visitors to be cautious and to limit their exposure to other people so as to limit the spread of COVID-19. 
 

The coronavirus pandemic has affected events, attractions and other businesses throughout the Washington, DC area.  Make sure to check out our list of reopened businesses and read below for more details on restaurants, attractions and museums, including helpful safety information.

DC needs everyone in our community to pre-register for a vaccination appointment by going to vaccinate.dc.gov or calling 1-855-363-0333. Already vaccinated or pre-registered? Reach out to friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors and help them pre-register. Together, we can save lives and end this pandemic.
 

Current Travel Requirements
The District Government issued updated travel requirements, effective March 3, 2021, for anyone traveling into Washington, DC. The testing requirement is waived if an individual has been fully vaccinated and does not have COVID-19 symptoms. The requirement is also waived for those who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days and don't have symptoms. Private institutions and local government officials may ask for proof of a negative test. It is recommended to travel with your vaccination card with you in case documentation is required. Read more up-to-date information about traveling to the city to ensure the health and safety of visitors.

Please note that the National Park Service has implemented a mask requirement across all parks and federal buildings. Masks are also required on NPS-managed lands when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including narrow or busy trails, overlooks and historic homes. Additional public health measures are in place across the service, from capacity limits to one-way trails, or even temporary closures in response to local conditions. Visitors should check individual park websites and social media channels for details on operations before they visit. Park rangers are on duty to provide information, protect visitors and park resources, and uphold this requirement. Other tips to recreate responsibly are available on NPS.gov.

Looking for upcoming events? While many in-person gatherings have been impacted, local businesses, museums and festivals are hosting virtual events, which we're tracking on weekdays and weekends.
 

Updated April 6, 2021
 

What's Open/Reopening During Phase Two

Museums/Attractions

Many museums that have previously reopened have currently suspended operations, including eight Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art and the Holocaust Museum. The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden and Enid A. Haupt Garden remain open. Outdoor spaces for museums may allow greater access. Employees and patrons should socially distance and wear face coverings at all times. Food service cafes and retail are allowed to open in line with industry standards. Guided tours and large group tours are not allowed. Read more.
 

• The National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden is open with daily hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and limited capacity. A further phased reopening of the museum is to come.
• The Hirshhorn's Sculpture Garden is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while the plaza and building remain closed. For more information, visit the Hirshhorn's website.
• The National Museum of Women in the Arts reopened on March 3. Visit the museum's website for more information.
• Glenstone has reopened its outdoor grounds and dining. Its Gallery will reopen on April 8 followed by the Pavilions on May 6. Both spaces will have limited capacity. Hours are Thursday - Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit Glenstone's website for more information.
• George Washington's Mount Vernon is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., non-members should buy tickets online, guests and staff are required to wear face coverings and must social distance. 
• ARTECHOUSE is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Make sure to read its safety protocols before planning a trip.
• O Museum in The Mansion is open for lodging, outdoor dining and shopping; the garden is open for reservations as well.
• Lincoln's Cottage has reopened for self-guided tours from Wednesday through Monday. Advance tickets are required.
• International Spy Museum is now open on weekends and holidays. You must get advance tickets and abide by social distancing guidelines and mask requirements. Read more safety info.
• Museum of the Bible is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets, face masks and social distancing required. Use complimentary styluses on touchscreens. Read more "Thou Shalts".
• Big Bus Tours is offering tours from Thursdays through Sundays. For more information, visit its website.
• The Phillips Collection has reopened with its new centennial exhibition, 'Seeing Differently: The Phillips Collects for a New Century'.
• Dumbarton House has reopened. Hours are Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Dumbarton House's website.
• Planet Word has reopened. Hours are Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the museum's COVID-19 guidelines and to reserve passes, visit Planet Word's website.
• The National Building Museum plans to reopen on April 9. Hours will be Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the museum's website.
• Tudor Place plans to reopen on April 10. Hours will be Friday and Saturday, 12 to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the estate's website.

Restaurants

Service is open for indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, outdoor dining and carryout and delivery at restaurants. Read more about the requirements for restaurants and check the status on outdoor dining options including beer gardens, patios and rooftop restaurants, as well as popular takeout and delivery options.

Sports

On April 9, The Washington Post reported that D.C. government officials had approved a request from multiple DC sports teams.

• The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to host fans at 10 percent capacity in Capital One Arena — about 2,100 people.
• Washington Mystics can open up at 10 percent capacity in the Entertainment and Sports Arena — about 450 people. 
• Washington Nationals can increase their crowd from 5,000 to 10,000 fans at Nationals Park
• D.C. United can host roughly 5,000 fans at Audi Field.

Parks/Gardens/Recreation

Dog parks, golf courses, parks, tennis courts, tracks and fields opened in Phase One. In Phase Two, outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people. Visitors should socially distance and remain 6 feet from one another. Recreation centers, bowling alleys, climbing gyms, squash or racquetball clubs, skating rinks and skateboard parks may open with a 50-person capacity or at 50 percent capacity in Phase Two. Playgrounds remain closed. Read more about the city's requirements and note that outdoor attractions like the National Park Service Sites, Monuments and Memorials at the National Mall and around the city remain open. You can also learn more about DC's parks and gardens and read details of currently reopened sites below.

• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has canceled all performances. The outdoor campus at THE REACH is accessible, including pop-up wine garden and cafe Victura Park, which is taking a short break for winter.
• Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with limited number of visitors, required social distancing and face coverings suggested. Onsite buildings and bathroom are closed. Learn more.
• National Museum of the Marine Corps remains closed, but its museum grounds, including Semper Fidelis Memorial Park and the playground, are open with safety measures. Learn more.
• The Smithsonian's Enid A. Haupt Garden is open with safety protocols in place. Learn more.
• U.S. National Arboretum has reopened from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more. 
• George Washington's Mount Vernon is open from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., daily but from Feb. 1-5,  the Mansion will be closed, while the Museum and Grounds will remain open. Read about the estate's safety protocols.
• The Fields at RFK Campus are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. Access includes the playground, fitness area and tables, but note occupancy is limited, visitors are asked to sanitize hands upon entry of the playground and all organized activities require a permit. Learn more.

Theaters/Cinemas/Entertainment Centers

These venues can open if granted a waiver to ensure social distance measures, contact tracing and other safety protocols by Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) to hold an arts, entertainment or cultural event. Read more about these requirements. Note that many area theaters are offering virtual programming - make sure to check our things to do for the week and weekend to review options.

Retail

Nonessential retail businesses are limited to 25 percent capacity as specified on their Certificate of Occupancy or 250 people including staff, whichever is fewer. Phase Two allows for personal services to open including hair and nail salons, massage and spas by appointment only and with strong safeguards and physical distancing in place. Many Made in DC shops offer online shopping with the option for curbside pickup. Barbershops and hair salons opened in Phase One with select services, Phase Two allows the reopening of tanning, tattoo, waxing, threading, electrolysis, cryotherapy, facial and other skin services and nail salons, requiring one client per employee, face coverings at all times and social distancing. Read more about the city's requirements for retailers and check out ways that you can support some of these local businesses in the District.

Hotels

If you find yourself in Washington, DC during this time and in need of a hotel, many DC-area hotels are open and ready to welcome guests. 

Transportation

WMATA's enhanced cleaning measures include daily disinfecting of trains, buses and stations with mopping, wiping down high-touch surfaces or using electrostatic foggers. Metro has upped its deep cleaning of stations to four times that of the pre-Covid era. In addition, Metro launched new touch-free SmarTrip service for iPhone and Apple Watch devices, becoming the first rail system in the U.S. to offer a full service, touch-free payment option at every single stop.

Metro has restored most rail and bus service to pre-Covid levels across the region in the largest – and likely most complex – service change in the system's 44-year history. To support the effort, thousands of frontline Metro employees transitioned to new work schedules as the region continued its gradual recovery and attracted more customers. For more information, visit wmata.com. 

What's Closed

• 9:30 Club - Closed to the public until further notice.

• 9:30 Club Presents at U Street Music Hall - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Anderson House - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Arena Stage - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Atlas Performing Arts Center - Closed until further notice, but check its marquee for inspiring social justice messages. 

• Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Black Cat - Closed to the public until further notice.

• DAR Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• DC Armory - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Entertainment and Sports Arena - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Festival Grounds at RFK Campus - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Ford's Theatre Closed to the public until further notice. Virtual, live, interactive and on-demand distance-learning programs continue at Ford's Theatre's website.

• Gateway DC - Closed to the public until further notice.

• The Kreeger Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Library of Congress - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Lincoln Theatre - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Madame Tussauds - Closed to the public until further notice.

• National Children's Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• National Geographic Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• National Law Enforcement Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• National Museum of the Marine Corps - Closed to the public until further notice. The museum grounds, including Semper Fidelis Memorial Park and the playground, will remain open.

• National Portrait Gallery - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Old Post Office Tower - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Pentagon Tours - Closed to the public until further notice.

• R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Renwick Gallery - Temporarily closed as of Nov. 23 until further notice.

• Smithsonian American Art Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Smithsonian National Museum of American History - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Smithsonian's National Zoo - Closed to the public until further notice.

• The Anthem - Closed to the public until further notice.

• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - All performances are canceled. Access to the outdoor campus at The REACH and Victura Park pop-up.

• The National Gallery of Art - Closed to the public until further notice, but the Sculpture Garden will re-open on Feb. 14.

• The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center - Closed to the public until further notice.

• U.S. Capitol Building, House and Senate office buildings - Closed to the public until further notice.

• U.S. National Archives - Closed to the public until further notice.

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Walter E. Washington Convention Center - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Washington National Cathedral - Closed to the public until further notice.

• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company - Closed to the public until further notice.

Canceled/Postponed Events & Festivals

• Rock 'n' Roll Marathon - Postponed to Nov. 13, 2021

• Broccoli City Festival - Postponed to May 8, 2021

• Awesome Con - Postponed to Aug. 20-22, 2021