Events | Washington DC

Unmissable Events to Celebrate America’s Milestone Year

Get ready for an exciting lineup of events, activations and exhibits across DC in honor of America's 250th birthday. From live concerts to museum exhibits and much more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Join the celebrations and be part of this unforgettable moment in history.

Select Your Dates

Explore Events:

Featured

Openings & Milestones

Exhibits & Theater

More Events

Featured

Reasons to Visit the National Archives During DC250

The National Archives is the place to be for the nation’s semiquincentennial birthday celebration. Located just off the National Mall and open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, visitors can learn about the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and much more.Reserve your tickets early and note that the museum will host extended hours from June 22 through July 5 (excluding June 23).

Catch These Limited-Time America 250 Events & Experiences in Washington, DC

The nation’s capital is the best place to celebrate the nation's monumental birthday throughout the year

Celebrations in Honor of America’s 250th Anniversary

There’s only one DC … and only one place to celebrate the biggest U.S. birthday yet.

Experience 250 Years of Espionage History Like Nowhere Else

Dive headfirst into the world of espionage with the Spy Museum. With engaging hands-on activities, specialized U.S. spy history tours, top secret family guides and artifacts as old as the founding of our country. Plus, a free one-mile walking tour through the heart of Washington, DC.

Local DC Recognizes America’s 250th Milestone with 'hometown DC'

A collaborative oral history and outdoor exhibition project, now on view

Where Art, Biography & the History of a Nation Come Together

Just a few blocks off the National Mall, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with a year of portraiture from historic treasures to new work by contemporary artists.

The Capital Pride Alliance Declares Visibility & Resistance

Honoring LGBTQ+ history during America’s 250th celebrations

Featured

Reasons to Visit the National Archives During DC250

The National Archives is the place to be for the nation’s semiquincentennial birthday celebration. Located just off the National Mall and open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, visitors can learn about the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and much more.Reserve your tickets early and note that the museum will host extended hours from June 22 through July 5 (excluding June 23).

Catch These Limited-Time America 250 Events & Experiences in Washington, DC

The nation’s capital is the best place to celebrate the nation's monumental birthday throughout the year

Celebrations in Honor of America’s 250th Anniversary

There’s only one DC … and only one place to celebrate the biggest U.S. birthday yet.

Experience 250 Years of Espionage History Like Nowhere Else

Dive headfirst into the world of espionage with the Spy Museum. With engaging hands-on activities, specialized U.S. spy history tours, top secret family guides and artifacts as old as the founding of our country. Plus, a free one-mile walking tour through the heart of Washington, DC.

Local DC Recognizes America’s 250th Milestone with 'hometown DC'

A collaborative oral history and outdoor exhibition project, now on view

Where Art, Biography & the History of a Nation Come Together

Just a few blocks off the National Mall, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with a year of portraiture from historic treasures to new work by contemporary artists.

The Capital Pride Alliance Declares Visibility & Resistance

Honoring LGBTQ+ history during America’s 250th celebrations

OPENINGS, RE-OPENINGS & MILESTONES

Visiting the New National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, DC

DC's newest museum brings the spirit of exploration to the heart of downtown DC

Anticipated Re-Opening: Galleries at the National Air and Space Museum

Following an extensive renovation, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum anticipates most of its galleries and public spaces will be open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary, with completion of the remainder soon thereafter.

The next round of galleries to open are “Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall” and “Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight.” These two galleries will open in spring 2025, along with the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and the museum’s entrance on Jefferson Drive along the National Mall. Additional galleries will open in phases. The museum expects that most of the remaining galleries and public spaces in the building will be open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary, and the United States’ 250th anniversary in July 2026, with completion of the remainder soon thereafter.

The Smithsonian Castle: Gateway to Museums & History

Discover the origins of the National Mall’s iconic red castle and of the Smithsonian Institution itself.

New Opening: Access the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft

Opening June 25: A new experience awaits underneath one of America's most famous monuments.

OPENINGS, RE-OPENINGS & MILESTONES

Visiting the New National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, DC

DC's newest museum brings the spirit of exploration to the heart of downtown DC

Anticipated Re-Opening: Galleries at the National Air and Space Museum

Following an extensive renovation, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum anticipates most of its galleries and public spaces will be open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary, with completion of the remainder soon thereafter.

The next round of galleries to open are “Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall” and “Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight.” These two galleries will open in spring 2025, along with the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and the museum’s entrance on Jefferson Drive along the National Mall. Additional galleries will open in phases. The museum expects that most of the remaining galleries and public spaces in the building will be open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary, and the United States’ 250th anniversary in July 2026, with completion of the remainder soon thereafter.

The Smithsonian Castle: Gateway to Museums & History

Discover the origins of the National Mall’s iconic red castle and of the Smithsonian Institution itself.

New Opening: Access the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft

Opening June 25: A new experience awaits underneath one of America's most famous monuments.

Exhibits & Theater

Oct

30

2026

Downtown

America's Presidents

The nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House, this exhibition lies at the heart of the Portrait Gallery’s mission to tell the American story through the individuals who have shaped it.

“America’s Presidents” is newly refurbished with improved lighting and paint, new labels, and wall texts. The new, entirely bilingual (English and Spanish) and accessible presentation includes extraordinary works of art, notably Gilbert Stuart’s “Lansdowne” portrait of President George Washington.

The permanent gallery featuring the only complete collection of presidential portraits on view outside of the White House will include a newly installed portrait of President Joe Biden by 2026.

Jan 23, 2025 - Dec 31, 2027

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

Downtown

Revolution in Their Words

The DAR Museum exhibit commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by elevating the voices of the people who lived it.

Mar 27, 2026 - Mar 26, 2027

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

Mount Vernon Square

Coming Together

Enjoy programs, activations and an exhibition all about the past, present and future of American cities. See how places all over the U.S. have reimagined and reshaped their downtown districts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oct 02, 2025 - Jan 01, 2027

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

National Mall

American Icon: The US Flag in Art

Old Glory, reimagined: artists transform our flag over the centuries.

Across generations, the Stars and Stripes has inspired pride, protest, and profound artistic expression. From battlefields to modern cultural movements, our flag's journey through art reveals a nation constantly redefining itself.

This installation features some 30 artworks from the late 1800s to present day, tracing how the meaning of the US flag has evolved over time. It explores what the flag represents and how people connect with it. You’ll find paintings, prints, and photographs by renowned artists like Gordon Parks, Childe Hassam, Dorothea Lange, Jasper Johns, and Faith Ringgold.

Image credit: Neil Armstrong, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Buzz Aldrin Poses with Flag, July 20, 1969, chromogenic print, National Gallery of Art, Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon, 2018.177.26

Jun 06, 2026 - Dec 06, 2026

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

Penn Quarter/Chinatown

Photographic Memory: Fifty Years of Photography

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the founding of its photographs collection, the National Portrait Gallery presents more than 100 seminal works. Among the gems: the earliest known photograph of a U.S. First Lady and Alexander Gardner’s original “cracked-plate” portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

Sep 01, 2026 - Feb 28, 2027

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

Penn Quarter/Chinatown

Past and Future Cities

A new exhibition traces the nation's history through the development of its built urban environments. A new exhibition offers a fascinating exploration of the nation's history by tracing the intricate development of its built urban environments. Through a carefully curated selection of artifacts, photographs, and interactive displays, the exhibition highlights how cities and towns have evolved over the years, reflecting the socio-economic, cultural, and political shifts that have shaped them. From the architectural styles of bygone eras to modern urban planning initiatives, visitors can gain insight into how the physical landscapes of these urban areas tell the story of the people who inhabit them. This journey through time allows attendees to appreciate not only the artistic and historical significance of these structures but also the stories behind them, illuminating the complex relationship between society and the built environment throughout the nation’s history.

Oct 01, 2026 - Dec 31, 2027

READ MORE

Oct

30

2026

Southwest & The Wharf

The Fruits of Our Labor

In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, Step Afrika! premieres The Fruits of Our Labor—a powerful new production exploring rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience.

Blending stepping, percussion, and striking visual imagery, this visceral new piece examines what it means to believe in a nation still in the making. Created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly II, and Vusi Mdoyi, the explosive movement and a bold palette of red, white, and blue, ask the nation: What have we inherited and what are we still fighting to become?

Sep 10, 2026 - Nov 01, 2026

READ MORE

19th Amendment & Emancipation Proclamation

New encasements will be added to the Rotunda of the National Archives Building to permanently house the 19th Amendment (which removed restrictions on women's voting) and the Emancipation Proclamation alongside the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

19th Amendment & Emancipation Proclamation

New encasements will be added to the Rotunda of the National Archives Building to permanently house the 19th Amendment (which removed restrictions on women's voting) and the Emancipation Proclamation alongside the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.