National Building Museum

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A SOUTH FORTY: Contemporary Architecture and Design in the American South

Architecture and design made across the American South since 1990, surveying practices that answer to climate, local materials and community need in both cities and rural landscapes.

Now showingFrom 15 Feb 2025$10

The Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph x Fry & Welch

Models, full-scale masonry replicas, a commissioned robotic sculpture and archival photographs unpack the design and student-led construction of Tuskegee University's landmark chapel.

Now showingFrom 28 Feb$10

A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America

Andrew Feiler's photographs, drawings, models and a recreated classroom trace the Rosenwald schools built across the segregated South, and the roughly 500 that still stand.

Now showingFrom 28 Feb$10

Coming Together: Reimagining America's Downtowns

Case studies, data visualisations and video installations on how US cities are remaking their downtowns after the pandemic. First of the museum's three-part Future Cities initiative.

Now showingOngoing$10

Permanent Collections

Mini Memories

Around 400 souvenir buildings from some seventy countries, drawn from a 3,000-piece collection given to the museum in 2019, from world wonders to factories and department stores.

Permanent collection$10

Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage

Open storage putting more than 2,500 previously unseen artefacts on view: models and tools from I.M. Pei, Cesar Pelli and Frank Gehry, Pension Building material and architectural toys.

Permanent collection$10

The Great Hall

The museum's 316-by-116-foot atrium, divided by eight Corinthian columns 75 feet tall built of brick and painted to imitate Siena marble. Free to enter, and host to inaugural balls.

Permanent collectionFree

Building Stories

A 4,000 sq ft family gallery curated by Leonard Marcus on architecture and construction in children's books, with hands-on activities and environments by David Macaulay and Oliver Jeffers.

Permanent collection$10

House and Home

Photographs, films, objects and models, including Fallingwater, tour American houses across two centuries, with please-touch walls of real residential construction materials.

Permanent collection$10

Brick City

Warren Elsmore rebuilds landmarks from all seven continents in LEGO bricks, centred on a 12-foot St Pancras Station made from over 180,000 bricks, with hands-on building areas.

Permanent collection$10

Nearby

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National Portrait Gallery

ArtFree5 min walk

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Smithsonian American Art Museum

ArtFree5 min walk

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National Archives Museum

ArchitectureFree8 min walk

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National Gallery of Art

ArtFree8 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does National Building Museum cost?

Standard adult admission to National Building Museum is $10. Youth and seniors $7; members free. The Great Hall and Museum Shop can be visited free of charge. Free admission via Museums for All (SNAP/EBT) and Blue Star Museums for active-duty military families.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.

What are the opening hours of National Building Museum?

National Building Museum is open Thursday to Monday 10:00-17:00; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Also closed on Thanksgiving (26 November 2026) and Christmas Day (25 December 2026). The Great Hall and Museum Shop are free to enter.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.

Where is National Building Museum?

National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, United States, in the Judiciary Square area of Washington, DC. The nearest stations are Judiciary Square (Metro Red Line, directly across the street) and Gallery Place–Chinatown (Metro Red/Yellow/Green lines, two blocks west).

What can I see at National Building Museum?

Montgomery Meigs's 1887 Pension Building, where a colossal brick Great Hall frames exhibitions on architecture, design and how cities get built. Current highlights include Mini Memories, The Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph x Fry & Welch and Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage.

Do I need to book National Building Museum in advance?

Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.

When is the best time to visit National Building Museum?

Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.