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Here's what you need to know about bringing groups to these prime DC attractions
For information regarding booking tours and acquiring tickets, as well as helpful tips for both groups and individuals visiting the Washington Monument, check out our article on the subject. Note that advance reservation tickets are released on a daily rolling basis 30 days in advance of the desired tour date and there is a $1 reservation fee.
U.S. Capitol
While advance reservations are recommended for this iconic DC attraction, same-day passes are available at Information Desks on the lower level of the Capitol Visitor Center, although availability can become limited during spring, summer and the holiday season. Tour reservations for individuals, families and small groups (15 or fewer people) and groups featuring more than 15 participants can be booked on the Capitol’s official website or, for U.S. Citizens, by contacting the office of your elected representative. Individuals and small groups can reserve 90 days in advance, while large group reservations can be booked 120 days in advance at 8 a.m. EST. You must create an account to reserve a tour.
National Museum of African American History & Culture
We highly recommend reserving advance-timed passes to this extremely popular Smithsonian museum on the National Mall. You may obtain up to six (6) advance passes. Timed passes are always required on weekends, while during peak season (March – August), passes are required for entry before 1 p.m. every day of the week. Same-day online passes are released at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday from September – February and every day of the week from March – August. Additional passes are available at 9:30 a.m. and every half hour after that until supply is exhausted. Up to four (4) same-day passes can be acquired per order. Walk-up entry is allowed from Monday through Friday throughout the year. Entry begins at 10 a.m. from September – February and at 1 p.m. from March – August. For groups of 10 or more, passes are always required, regardless of the time of year. An online system allows for access to real-time availability of dates and times in three month intervals. Groups will receive a single pass for the entire group to enter the museum instead of separate passes. Visit the museum’s website for more information.
At Ford’s Theatre, every visitor needs a ticket and timed entry is offered every half hour. Access to the museum and theatre are not included in every ticket, so read the inclusions of your chosen entry time carefully. Individuals and groups of up to 55 people can reserve tickets online. Groups of more than 55 people can request a visit. Note that group ticket release dates are announced on the Ford’s Theatre website and through the museum’s group newsletter.
Visiting the National Air & Space Museum is made easy with their free, timed-entry passes. While the calendar of release dates is available online, batches of tickets are typically released approximately one month before the desired visit day. Same-day tickets become available at 8:30 a.m. each morning, with visit times ranging from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you cannot secure passes for your desired date, check back again to see if more have been released. For groups of 10 or more, passes can be reserved separately.
More information is available on the FAQ page. The museum is open every day except December 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
While passes are necessary to enter the Permanent Exhibition, visitors can enter the building without passes to visit the museum’s public memorials, programs and the Interactive Wexner Center. On its website, the Holocaust Memorial Museum provides detailed information on acquiring advance tickets and same-day tickets for the Permanent Exhibition as well as how to make group reservations. From January 2027 – 2029, the Permanent Exhibition while a new exhibition is developed and installed. However, the museum's other exhibitions will continue throughout the renovation, offering visitors new experiences during the closure.
The Lincoln Memorial Undercroft requires timed tickets, which are reserved through recreation.gov. Tickets may be reserved 30 days in advance. Though there is no admission fee for the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft, there is a $1.00 service charge per ticket to cover reservation service; these fees are non-refundable.
The Smithsonian National Zoo requires entry passes for all visitors, including children and infants. Paid parking passes are also available – it is recommended to purchase early to guarantee a spot and save.
To learn more about group travel in Washington, DC, visit our Groups page.
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