Free Things to Do in DC This Summer

Believe it or not, Washington, DC is home to a plethora of free places to visit and activities to partake in.

With so many to cover, we’ve divided them into a few different sections:

• Museums
• Memorials/Cemeteries 
• Theatre/Performances

We went ahead and left off anything that may be unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions.

With Summer upon us, there’s no time to waste; let’s dive in!

Museums

Washington, DC is home to some of the best museums in the country and in the world, many of which are free and open to the public, allowing anyone to take in the rich culture and history contained within! 

Smithsonian Museums 

We’re starting off with the famed Smithsonian Museums as there are many! 

While entrance to the museums are free and usually don’t require tickets, due to COVID-19 restrictions, you will need to sign up for a time slot ahead of time.

Here’s a list of all Smithsonians:

• Anacostia Community Museum
• Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
• Arts and Industries Building
• Freer Gallery of Art
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• National Air and Space Museum (Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center)
• National Museum of African American History & Culture
• National Museum of African Art
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Museum of the American Indian (George Gustav Heye Center)
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Postal Museum
• National Zoo
• Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Smithsonian Gardens
• Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)

US Holocaust Memorial Museum

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is not one to be missed. 

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum teaches millions of people each year about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide. Visiting this museum is a profound experience that you should highly consider.

While the museum is free, you’ll need to secure timed-entry tickets ahead of time.

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art is home to more than 150,000 sculptures, decorative arts, prints, drawings, photographs, and paintings in the National Gallery’s permanent collection. Artists featured include some of the most world-renowned such as Picasso, Monet, Degas, Dalí, and so many more.

The museum is open daily from 10a-5p; admission is always free and passes are not required.

The Phillips Collection

The Phillips Collection is home to tons of exhibitions and installations, both permanent and special, temporary collections. One current, special exhibition worth mentioning is Picasso’s Blue Period. Additionally, the Phillips Collection is celebrating its 100th year and has special exhibitions dedicated to celebrating 100 years of art.

The Phillips Collection requires you to reserve timed-entry tickets in advance. 

Memorials/Cemeteries

Because DC is our Nation’s Capital, it’s home to a number of different memorials and cemeteries that are surely worth visiting, most of which are free & open to the public. 

For more information on each specific memorial or cemetery, simply click on the link provided!

• Air Force Memorial
• American Veterans Disabled for Life
• Arlington National Cemetery
• Congressional Cemetery
• Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
• George Mason Memorial 
• Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial
• Japanese American Memorial
• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• Lincoln Memorial
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
• Mount Olivet Cemetery
• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
• Oak Hill Cemetery
• Rock Creek Cemetery
• The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
• United States Navy Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Washington Monument (ticket required for observation deck)
• Woodlawn Cemetery 
• WWI Memorial 
• WWII Memorial

Theatre/Performances

In addition to tons of free museums, memorials, and cemeteries, DC also has no shortage of free performances throughout the Summer. 

Pride Performances

Pride is something to be celebrated year-long, but June, specifically, is Pride Month! One of the best places to experience Pride is within the Nation’s Capital. 

Two main Pride events will take place this year, the Pride Parade and the Pride Festival.

Pride Parade: Fri, June 11th

This year, the Pride Parade will take a modified route to honor the history and evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, DC, while respecting the origins and importance of taking to the streets in the fight for equality.

Pride Festival: Sat, June 12th

Join the LGBTQ+ Community on Pennsylvania Avenue for a full day of entertainment on three stages, food, drink, and advocacy with over 300 exhibitors!

The Kennedy Center: Millennium Stage

The Kennedy Center offers both free screening and live performances throughout the summer. Below, we’ve provided a list of free events for June. Be sure to check out their website for what’s coming in July!

• Thu, Jun 16, 2022 (AT DUSK): Free screening of Amazing Grace
• Fri Jun 24, 2022 (6PM): Free Concert with Venezuelan music ensemble, C4 Trio
• Fri, Jun 24, 2022 (AT DUSK): Free screening of Encanto

Outdoor Concerts

There’s literally dozens of outdoor concerts taking place over the Summer in DC – way more than we can cover in one blog! As such, we’ve decided to simply provide a link to Eventbrite where you can find all the free, outdoor concerts taking place this Summer! That way you can best search based on dates you’ll be visiting and types of music you’d like to hear!

You can find more performances throughout the Summer (some free, some not) here!

Happy Summer!

Ok, so there’s clearly no way we could have covered absolutely everything taking place this Summer in a place like DC! However, if there’s anything you’d like us to look into or any advice we can provide, please don’t hesitate to ask!