Washington’s big sights are still free. What changed is the walking-in part. As of September 2026, at least nine of the city’s most popular attractions won’t let you in without a timed ticket, and each one releases them on its own clock: 30 days ahead at 10 a.m. here, the first of the month at noon there, same-day batches at 7, 8, 8:15, 8:30, 8:45 and 9 in the morning. This page is our running list of the timed entry passes Washington DC visitors need, with where to book, what it costs and what to do when your date is sold out. For the rest of the trip-planning basics, start with our Washington DC travel tips.
Quick answer: As of September 2026 you need a timed pass or ticket for the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial’s new undercroft exhibit, the African American history museum, Air and Space on the Mall, the National Zoo, the Library of Congress, the Holocaust Museum’s Permanent Exhibition, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Ford’s Theatre. Nearly all are free, with a $1 booking fee at some and $5 at Ford’s. Most release 30 days ahead, and most also offer same-day tickets.
Last updated September 30, 2026. Every release time, fee and same-day rule below was checked between September 23 and September 30, 2026 against the attractions’ and agencies’ own websites. Pass systems change often, sometimes with little notice, so confirm on the official site before you book.
- Free but required: the African American history museum, Air and Space (Mall), the National Zoo, the Library of Congress and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
- $1 fees: the Washington Monument ($1 per ticket), the Lincoln Memorial undercroft ($1 per reservation) and the Holocaust Museum ($1 per ticket online).
- Same-day options: most sites release a batch online or hand out tickets in person each morning.
- Tours by request: the White House (through Congress or an embassy) and the Pentagon (online, 14 to 90 days ahead).
- No pass at all: the other Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art, the memorials and the Udvar-Hazy Center.
On this page: Master table | Booking calendar | How each pass works | Rules that catch people out | Shutdowns | No pass needed | Paid timed tickets | FAQ
Timed entry passes Washington DC: the master table
Status as of September 30, 2026. “Same day” means a ticket you can still get on the morning of your visit.
| Attraction | Pass needed? | Book at | Cost | Advance release | Same day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Monument | Yes, everyone 2+ | Recreation.gov | $1 per ticket | 30 days ahead, 10 a.m. ET; extra batch 3 p.m. the day before | Free at the Lodge on 15th St from 8:45 a.m. |
| Lincoln Memorial undercroft | Yes, everyone 2+ | Recreation.gov or 877-444-6777 | $1 per reservation (up to 6) | 30 days ahead; new tickets 11 a.m. daily | Free at the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk from 8:45 a.m. |
| African American history museum | Yes, all ages | Museum website | Free | 30 days ahead, rolling | Limited batch online each morning, by 8:15 a.m. ET |
| Air and Space Museum (Mall) | Yes, all ages | Museum website | Free | 1st of each month at noon ET, two months ahead | Not described by the museum |
| National Zoo | Yes, including infants | Zoo website | Free (parking $30 ahead, $40 same day) | 30 days ahead, rolling | Check the zoo’s site |
| Library of Congress | Yes | Library website | Free | 30 days ahead | Online at 9 a.m. ET |
| Holocaust Museum (Permanent Exhibition) | Yes, all year | Museum website (Etix) | $1 per ticket online | On sale through December 2026 | Limited batch online at 7 a.m. ET |
| Bureau of Engraving and Printing | Yes, year-round | BEP website or 855-391-2990 | Free | Online ahead | Online from 8 a.m. |
| Ford’s Theatre (daytime visit) | Yes | Ford’s website | $5 per ticket online | Online ahead | Free at the box office from 8:30 a.m., up to 4 |
| National Archives | Optional | Etix | Free, or $1 timed | Online ahead | Walk in (waits can top an hour) |
| U.S. Capitol tour | Recommended | Capitol Visitor Center website | Free | Online ahead | Walk-ups join the next tour; arrive by 2:30 p.m. |
| White House tour | Request required | Member of Congress or embassy | Free | 21 days to 3 months ahead | None |
| Pentagon tour | Required | Pentagon tours website | Free | 14 to 90 days ahead | None |
A booking calendar for DC timed passes
The fastest way to get every pass you want is to stop thinking attraction by attraction and start thinking by date. Here’s the order that works, counting back from your first day in Washington.
| When | What to book |
|---|---|
| About two months out, on the 1st at noon ET | Air and Space passes, released on the first of each month, two months in advance. |
| Up to 3 months out | Ask your member of Congress (or embassy) for a White House tour; 21 days is the minimum. |
| 14 to 90 days out | Pentagon tour, online only. |
| 30 days out, 10 a.m. ET | Washington Monument tickets on Recreation.gov. |
| 30 days out, 11 a.m. ET | Lincoln Memorial undercroft tickets on Recreation.gov. |
| 30 days out | African American history museum, National Zoo and Library of Congress passes. |
| As soon as your dates are fixed | Holocaust Museum (2026 dates only), Ford’s Theatre, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Capitol tour, Archives reservation if you want one. |
| The day before, 3 p.m. ET | Second chance at Washington Monument tickets. |
| The morning of your visit | 7 a.m. Holocaust Museum; 8 a.m. BEP; by 8:15 a.m. African American history museum; 8:30 a.m. Ford’s box office; 8:45 a.m. Washington Monument Lodge or undercroft kiosk; 9 a.m. Library of Congress. |
One warning about the morning list: the Washington Monument Lodge and the Lincoln undercroft kiosk both start handing out same-day tickets at 8:45 a.m., and they’re roughly a mile apart. One person can’t be first in line at both. Split the group, or pick one and book the other ahead.
How each timed pass works
The details below come from each attraction’s own website, as of September 2026. Where a site doesn’t publish something, the entry says so.
Washington Monument
Timed ticket required for everyone 2 and older. Advance tickets go on sale on Recreation.gov 30 days ahead at 10 a.m. Eastern, with a $1 non-refundable fee per ticket and a limit of six per account. A second batch goes up at 3 p.m. the day before. If you miss both, free same-day tickets are handed out at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th Street from 8:45 a.m., up to six per person aged 16 or older. The monument is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.), and it closes on July 4, December 25 and one maintenance day a month, which falls on November 4 and December 8 for the rest of 2026.
Lincoln Memorial undercroft
New in 2026: a free timed ticket for the exhibit beneath the memorial. The undercroft, the 15,000-square-foot space of concrete columns under the Lincoln Memorial’s chamber, opened to the public as an exhibit in June 2026. Everyone 2 and older needs a ticket. Reserve on Recreation.gov or by phone at 877-444-6777 up to 30 days ahead; new tickets release at 11 a.m. daily, and a $1 service fee applies per reservation of up to six. Same-day tickets are free at the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk on Daniel Chester French Drive from 8:45 a.m. The memorial itself above it needs no ticket; see our guide to the Washington DC monuments for the rest of the Mall.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Free timed pass for all ages. Passes release 30 days ahead on a rolling basis, up to nine per booking, and a limited number of same-day passes go online each morning, which the museum says happens by 8:15 a.m. Eastern. The museum opens at 10 a.m.; you can enter any time from your pass time until 4 p.m., the last entry. Veterans, active-duty military and first responders can enter with ID. If you’re visiting on a spring or holiday weekend, book it the day your date opens.
National Air and Space Museum (on the Mall)
Free timed pass for all ages, released two months ahead. The museum releases passes on the first of each month at noon Eastern, two months in advance, in hourly slots from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., up to nine per person. You can enter any time after your slot, and the pass doesn’t limit how long you stay, but once you leave you can’t re-enter the same day without a new pass. Groups of 10 or more need group passes. The museum’s FAQ doesn’t describe a same-day release. The Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia needs no pass at all.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Free entry pass for every visitor, infants included. Passes release 30 days ahead on a rolling basis on the zoo’s website. The pass covers the giant pandas; there’s no separate panda ticket. Parking is a separate paid reservation, $30 if bought a day or more ahead and $40 on the day. Don’t count on a same-day release, so book ahead for spring weekends and holidays.
Library of Congress
Free timed ticket for the Thomas Jefferson Building. Tickets release 30 days ahead, with same-day tickets online at 9 a.m. Eastern, and a reservation covers up to 20 people; groups of 21 or more register up to 60 days ahead. Check the day before you plan: the building is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursdays to 8 p.m.), and closed on Sundays and Mondays, which catches out a lot of weekend visitors.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Free timed tickets, all year, for the Permanent Exhibition only, and only through 2026. Tickets are free with a $1 Etix fee per ticket online, up to 25 per transaction, and a limited number of same-day tickets go online at 7 a.m. Eastern. Daniel’s Story and the special exhibitions need no ticket. The big change: construction of a new Permanent Exhibition begins in January 2027, due for completion in 2029, and the current exhibition won’t be available to the public during it. As of late September 2026, tickets were on sale through December 2026. If the Permanent Exhibition is on your list, go this year. The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Yom Kippur and Christmas.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Free tickets required year-round for the money-printing tour. Book online or by phone at 855-391-2990, with same-day tickets online from 8 a.m. Tours run Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 14th and C Streets SW. The tour center is closed on federal holidays and from December 24, 2026 through January 2, 2027, so don’t plan it for the holiday week.
Ford’s Theatre
Free on the day, or $5 a ticket to book ahead. The daytime visit covers the museum, the theater where Lincoln was shot and the Petersen House across the street. Free same-day tickets are handed out at the box office from 8:30 a.m., up to four per person; advance tickets online carry a $5 fee each. From March through June, the free same-day tickets are often gone by 9 a.m. Not every time slot includes the theater itself, so read the slot description before you book.
National Archives
Optional, and worth it at peak times. You don’t need a ticket to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. At busy times, though, walk-in waits can top an hour. Reserve free general admission or a $1 timed entry through Etix to skip the worst of it. The Archives are open daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
U.S. Capitol tour
Free; reservations recommended, not required. Book on the Capitol Visitor Center’s tour site. Walk-ups are put on the next available tour, and the Visitor Center recommends arriving by 2:30 p.m. It’s open Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the last tour at 3:20 p.m. The guided tour covers the Crypt, the Rotunda and National Statuary Hall, not the House or Senate chambers. No food or drink is allowed, not even water, and there’s no storage.
White House tour
Request, don’t book. U.S. citizens request public tours through their member of Congress; foreign visitors go through their embassy. The Park Service says to apply at least 21 days and up to three months ahead. Tours are free, self-guided and first come, first served, and they can be canceled at the last minute. Since December 2, 2025, the route skips the East Room and the other East Wing rooms, following the East Wing’s demolition in October 2025.
Pentagon tour
Online only, 14 to 90 days ahead. Tours run Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday noon to 4 p.m., as posted on the Pentagon’s tour site. Visitors 18 and older need photo ID, and foreign nationals need a passport. The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial outside needs no reservation.
The rules that catch people out
- Babies count. The zoo, Air and Space and the African American history museum want a pass for every person, infants included. The Washington Monument and the undercroft start at age 2.
- The time is an entry time, not a limit. At Air and Space you can enter any time after your slot; at the African American history museum, any time from your slot until 4 p.m. Neither caps how long you stay.
- Leaving can end your visit. Air and Space doesn’t allow same-day re-entry without a new pass. Eat before or after.
- Fees are per ticket or per reservation. The Washington Monument and Holocaust Museum charge $1 per ticket; the undercroft charges $1 per reservation of up to six; Ford’s charges $5 per ticket.
- Walk-up tickets have age limits. At the Washington Monument Lodge and the undercroft kiosk, the person collecting must be 16 or older.
- Booking limits vary. Six at the Washington Monument and the undercroft, nine at Air and Space and the African American history museum, 20 at the Library of Congress, 25 at the Holocaust Museum.
And the biggest one: book from the official site. Recreation.gov, the museums’ own websites and Etix (for the Holocaust Museum and the Archives) are the only places you need. Third-party sites that sell “tickets” to free attractions are charging you for something you can get for nothing or $1.
Sold out? What to do instead
A sold-out date on the booking page isn’t the end of the story at most of these sites. In rough order of how well each fallback works:
- Use the same-day release. The Holocaust Museum (7 a.m. online), the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (8 a.m. online), the African American history museum (by 8:15 a.m. online) and the Library of Congress (9 a.m. online) all hold back tickets for the day itself. Set an alarm, have the booking page open a few minutes early, and be ready to pick any time slot.
- Get in line in person. The Washington Monument Lodge and the undercroft kiosk both hand out free same-day tickets from 8:45 a.m., and Ford’s box office from 8:30 a.m. From March through June, Ford’s free tickets are often gone by 9 a.m., so earlier is better.
- Try the day before. The Washington Monument puts a second batch on Recreation.gov at 3 p.m. the day before.
- Swap Air and Space for Udvar-Hazy. The Virginia site needs no pass at all and holds the biggest aircraft, including Space Shuttle Discovery. It’s a half-day trip without a car.
- Join as a member. Air and Space members get a separate, members-only pool of passes, which can open up a sold-out date.
- Check your eligibility. The African American history museum lets veterans, active-duty military and first responders in with ID.
What doesn’t work: buying “tickets” from a reseller. For free passes, the only legitimate sources are the attraction’s own website, Recreation.gov and Etix, where the museum uses it. If a site is asking for more than the fees on this page, you’re on the wrong site.
A worked example: a spring weekend for a family of four
Say you’re arriving on a Friday in April with two children, one of them 18 months old, and you want the Washington Monument, Air and Space and the zoo. Two months out, on the first of the month at noon, book Air and Space for Saturday at 10 a.m. (four passes, since the toddler needs one there). Thirty days out, at 10 a.m. sharp, book the Washington Monument for Saturday afternoon: three tickets, since children under 2 don’t need one, for $3 in fees. The same week, book the zoo for Sunday at 8 a.m. (four passes, infant included) and buy parking a day ahead if you’re driving, which saves $10. That’s every pass for the weekend, for $3.
What happens to passes in a government shutdown
A federal shutdown closes the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, passes or not. In the 43-day shutdown of fall 2025, they closed from October 12 and reopened between November 14 and November 17. As of September 2026, a stopgap law funds the government through December 11, 2026. If you’re visiting in mid-December or later, check each attraction’s homepage the day before; a reservation doesn’t help if the building is shut.
What doesn’t need a pass
Most of Washington still works the old way. As of September 2026, these need no reservation:
- The other Smithsonian museums. Only three Smithsonian sites require passes: the African American history museum, Air and Space on the Mall and the zoo. Natural History, American History, the art museums and the rest are walk-in; our Smithsonian museums guide covers each one.
- The Udvar-Hazy Center, Air and Space’s giant Virginia site: no pass, though parking costs $15.
- The National Gallery of Art, free and open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
- The memorials on the Mall and the Tidal Basin, open 24 hours, except the Washington Monument’s elevator and the Lincoln undercroft.
- The Supreme Court, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. without reservations. Seats for oral arguments are first come, first served from a line on the East Capitol Street sidewalk, and the Court is piloting an online seat lottery.
For every other museum in the city, free and paid, including which ones need a booking, see our guide to museums in Washington DC.
Paid sights and day trips with timed tickets
A few other sights, most of them paid and two of them in Virginia, sell dated or timed tickets too. The same rule applies: book on the official site.
- George Washington’s Mount Vernon: admission from $30 online for ages 12 and up in 2026, with a timed Mansion entry chosen at checkout.
- International Spy Museum: prices change with demand, and booking ahead is cheaper; children 6 and under are free.
- National Army Museum at Fort Belvoir: free, with timed-entry tickets; reservations are encouraged, but walk-up tickets are available.
- The Kennedy Center: the main building closed after a board vote on September 15, 2026, and its future is in court. Don’t buy tickets for shows there without checking.
For the rest of the planning (bags and security, budgets, how many days to spend), head back to our DC travel planning guide.
Timed entry passes Washington DC: FAQ
Which Washington DC attractions need timed entry passes?
As of September 2026: the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial undercroft, the African American history museum, Air and Space on the Mall, the National Zoo, the Library of Congress, the Holocaust Museum’s Permanent Exhibition, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Ford’s Theatre. White House and Pentagon tours need advance requests.
Are DC timed entry passes free?
Mostly. The Smithsonian, zoo, Library of Congress and Bureau of Engraving passes are free. The Washington Monument charges $1 per ticket booked ahead, the Lincoln undercroft $1 per reservation, the Holocaust Museum $1 per ticket online and Ford’s Theatre $5 per advance ticket. Same-day tickets at the Monument, undercroft and Ford’s are free.
How far in advance can you book DC timed passes?
Most release 30 days ahead: the Washington Monument at 10 a.m. Eastern, the undercroft at 11 a.m., plus the African American history museum, the zoo and the Library of Congress. Air and Space releases on the first of each month at noon, two months ahead. White House requests go in 21 days to three months ahead.
Can you get same-day timed passes in DC?
Often, yes. The Holocaust Museum releases some online at 7 a.m., the Bureau of Engraving at 8 a.m., the African American history museum by 8:15 a.m. and the Library of Congress at 9 a.m. Ford’s Theatre, the Washington Monument and the undercroft hand out free tickets in person from 8:30 and 8:45 a.m.
Do babies need timed entry passes in DC?
At some sites, yes. The National Zoo, Air and Space and the African American history museum require a pass for every visitor, infants included. The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial undercroft require tickets from age 2. Count every person in your group when you book.
Do Smithsonian museums need tickets?
Only three Smithsonian sites need passes as of September 2026: the African American history museum, Air and Space on the Mall and the National Zoo. All three passes are free. Every other Smithsonian museum, including Natural History and American History, is free and walk-in, and the Udvar-Hazy Center needs no pass either.
Can you visit the Washington Monument without a ticket?
You can walk around the base any time, but going up requires a timed ticket for everyone 2 and older. Book on Recreation.gov 30 days ahead at 10 a.m. Eastern ($1 fee), try the 3 p.m. release the day before, or collect free same-day tickets at the Washington Monument Lodge from 8:45 a.m.
Related Washington DC Guides
- Washington DC Travel Tips: bags and security, budgets, shutdowns and the rest of the planning basics.
- Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC: every free Smithsonian museum, with hours and which need passes.
- Washington DC Monuments and Memorials: the memorials on the Mall and the Tidal Basin, with a walking route.
- Museums in Washington DC: the city’s other museums, free and paid.
Sources and How We Checked
Every release time, fee and rule on this page was checked between September 23 and September 30, 2026 against the official sites below; the page was compiled from those sources, and we don’t claim first-hand visits.
- Recreation.gov: Washington Monument tickets
- National Park Service: Lincoln Memorial undercroft
- National Air and Space Museum: visitor FAQ
- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: admission and tickets
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing: admission and tickets
- U.S. Capitol Visitor Center: plan a visit
- National Park Service: the White House tour
We also used the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s and the National Zoo’s visitor pages, the Library of Congress visit page, the National Archives’ ticket page, Ford’s Theatre’s historic site page, the Pentagon tour site, the Supreme Court’s visiting page and the National Army Museum’s visit page, plus NPR’s reporting on the 2025 shutdown.
Washington DC Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Destination DC, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution or any attraction listed here, and no one paid to be included.
Photo Credits
- The African American history museum and Washington Monument at night: photo by Mdy66, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- The Washington Monument Lodge: photo by Frypie, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- The Great Hall, Library of Congress: photo by Carol M. Highsmith, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
- The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: photo by ajay_suresh, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- The Air and Space Museum from Independence Avenue: photo by Marc Merlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)