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Welcome Back!

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We are delighted to welcome you back to the National Gallery of Art! The well-being of our visitors and staff is our top priority, and we have adjusted our visitor experience to meet new health and safety guidelines.

Current Hours and Locations

West Building, Ground Floor only
Hours: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily

Free, timed passes will be required for entry.

The entrance is at 6th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW.
Exits are at 6th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW and at 7th Street NW.
Get Directions


Sculpture Garden
Hours: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily

Located along Constitution Avenue NW between 7th and 9th Streets NW
The entrance is at 7th Street and Madison Drive NW.
Get Directions

The East Building is currently closed to the public.

Visitor Guidelines

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Free, Timed Passes Required for West Building Entry

Reserve your free, timed pass

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Face Coverings

All visitors ages 2 and up to Gallery premises, including the Sculpture Garden, must wear a face covering (e.g. mask, bandana-type covering) consistent per CDC guidance.

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Practice Social Distancing

Practice social distancing during your visit by staying at least 6 feet from anyone not in your household group. Groups should remain together. Children must stay with adults at all times.

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Credit Cards Only

Credit or debit cards are required to purchase food, beverages, or retail items. Cash will not be accepted.

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Enhanced Cleaning Measures In Place

The Gallery is conducting enhanced cleanings of high-touch areas. The Gallery’s food service operator is conducting enhanced cleanings of dining furniture. (Other communal outdoor seating is not included in the enhanced cleaning routine; please use at your discretion.) Hand sanitizer is available throughout the campus.

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Stay Home If You Are Sick or Have a Fever

Free, Timed Passes for West Building Entry

Reserve your Free, Timed Pass

To facilitate a safe experience for those returning to our campus, the Gallery will require free, timed passes for entry into the West Building.

Reserve Today
  • Only the Ground Floor galleries are currently open.
  • Passes will be released each Monday at 10:00 a.m. for the following week. For instance, passes for the week of July 20 will be released on Monday, July 13.
  • Passes will indicate 30-minute entry windows that fall between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. While we will do our best to honor the scheduled time on your pass, entry into the West Building will be subject to building capacity and safety.
  • Please arrive within the 30-minute window listed on your pass.
  • Please have your pass available (on your phone or printed) for entry.
  • We recommend allotting approximately 90 minutes for your visit.
  • A limited number of walk-in passes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the day.
  • Passes are not required for the Sculpture Garden.

Please contact [email protected] or call (202) 842-6997 between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with additional questions about the passes. For general Gallery inquiries, contact our visitor services team through our online form.

Plan Your Visit to the West Building

  • Check-in will take place inside the 6th Street entrance, though a queue may form outside due to social distancing guidelines. Please be prepared to stand outside and follow provided social distancing guides.
  • Once inside, visitors will have their mobile or printed passes scanned.
  • Visitors will then pass through a metal detector. Visitors, as well as their backpacks, coolers, purses, packages, and other containers may be subject to inspection.
  • Coat check will be available at the 6th Street entrance, but we recommend bringing as little as possible. Items larger than 17 × 26 inches (43 × 66 centimeters) are not permitted in the checkrooms or galleries.
  • A limited number of wheelchairs and strollers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To use them during your visit, please notify Gallery staff upon arrival.
  • A limited assortment of merchandise from the Gallery Shops is available on the Concourse Level. Credit or debit cards only; cash will not be permitted. A Shops associate is available for assistance in purchasing items seen elsewhere or not on view.
  • Most Ground Floor galleries will be open, including two temporary exhibitions: Degas at the Opéra and True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870. The Main Floor will remain temporarily closed.
  • Drinking fountains are turned off, but visitors may bring in water bottles but no other beverages. Glass containers are not permitted.

Plan Your Visit to the Sculpture Garden

  • Visitor capacity is limited to allow social distancing, and entrance is first come, first served. In the event of a queue, social distancing visual aids are provided.
  • The drinking fountains in the Sculpture Garden are turned off, but visitors may bring bottled water.
  • Alcoholic beverages brought from outside are prohibited and are subject to confiscation.
  • Picnics are permitted.
  • Unless otherwise indicated, please do not touch the art.
  • Do not use skates and skateboards or ride bicycles in the Sculpture Garden. (Walk beside your bicycle or secure it at one of the hitching posts located near the Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive entrances.)
  • Only service animals are allowed.

The National Gallery of Art has implemented enhanced health and safety measures, but we cannot guarantee that any visitor will not contract COVID-19 while on Gallery premises. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place. Visitors to the Gallery voluntarily assume all risks related to COVID-19 exposure.

Visitors agree to abide by the guidelines on the Gallery’s website and by all instructions posted at the Gallery or provided by staff during the visit. If a visitor or a member of their party fails to follow the Gallery’s guidelines and instructions, they may be denied entry or required to leave the premises.

Each of us plays a role in a successful and safe reopening. Thank you for your patience and commitment to honoring our new safety protocols.

Stay Connected

For the latest information about revised visitor policies and our phased reopening of the museum, please visit this site regularly, sign up for the Gallery’s newsletter, and follow us on social media.

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West Building
6th St and Constitution Ave NW
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily  

Sculpture Garden
7th St and Constitution Ave NW
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily

East Building
4th St and Constitution Ave NW
Closed

The West Building, Ground Floor galleries are now open. Free, timed passes are required and released each Monday at 10:00 a.m. for the following week.

map of Gallery's campus between 3rd Street and 9th Street on Constitution Ave, NW

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