Smithsonian Castle

Although the Smithsonian Castle is currently undergoing renovations, its exterior remains absolutely beautiful. It’s a real shame that I wasn’t able to explore the inside this time around, but even from the outside, the building exudes historical charm and architectural splendor. The renovations promise even more enhanced experiences in the future, and I look forward to revisiting once it’s complete.

Smithsonian Castle is a beautiful structure along the National Mall in Washington D.C. and an important part of the overall architectural whole of this area. Enjoy the amazing exterior and also the beautiful gardens of this institution.

I had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian Castle some time ago when it was accessible to the public. It features a lovely, well-kept garden and a brick castle that functions as an information center for visitors to the National Mall. On the ground floor, it houses a gift shop. I eagerly look forward to this magnificent castle's reopening to the public.

The Smithsonian Castle is a captivating blend of history and architectural beauty. This iconic structure, nestled in the heart of the National Mall, serves as the administrative hub for the Smithsonian Institution. Its striking red sandstone exterior and Gothic Revival architecture evoke a sense of grandeur and timelessness. Beyond its practical role, the Castle itself is a fascinating piece of history. It's the original Smithsonian building, completed in 1855, and has witnessed countless moments of American and world history. A visit to the Castle offers a glimpse into the Smithsonian's rich heritage and a chance to appreciate its architectural significance. It's temporarily closed and you won't be able to see it from inside.

Cool landmark with unique European-like architecture but unfortunately I didn’t get to come in but it still looks amazingly beautiful from the outside! If you’re walking around the Smithsonian, you should definitely stop to check out this place!

It is a beautiful historic building/castle with great story behind it! So remember if you go for a visit take a tour and learn about it as its story is amazing! Actually take a museum tour to learn more about all of the museum’s in national mall in less than 2 hours! Stories are just unbelievable.

Great Place to spend few hours for relaxing views in the heart of DC! Stunning architecture. Entry is free, street parking is likely impossible to get. We have parked 0.6 miles away from this place! But the walking is worth it as you can explore DC.

Smithsonian Castle with There is also a beautiful garden. . It is built of red sandstone and looks like a Medieval Revival style building. A small chapel like room and there is a historic carousel at the north entrance. Great Place to spend few hours for relaxing views in the heart of DC! Stunning architecture. Entry is free, street parking is likely impossible to get.

So much to see; so little time. The recent record-breaking heat wave and capitol mall constructions put a damper on things. We were not able to secure a ticket to see the air and space museum so we ended up spending some time at the Hirshhorn museum of art. There were several thought provoking exhibits but the place was a bit too crowded for my taste. They very helpfully had complimentary cardboard fans for people. We also went to the Natural History museum and visited all the dinosaurs. I really like that they presented them in such a way that it looks not just about their (our) past but the earth's future as well. Then came the American History Museum. This is probably my favorite museum in DC, it's unfortunate that we ran out of time. Have to come back and spend more time here next time. We ended up going to the air and space museum by the airport and we are glad we ended up doing that. The collection is just as vast as the one in DC. But on top of all the space exploration stuff, the space shuttle Discovery was here, along with a lot of other cool planes and other things that flew.

The original Smithsonian opened in 1855 and the Castle was the signature building. The Castle closed in February of 2023, for its first major renovation in more than 50 years. The castle & most of DC is getting ready for 250 year celebration on July 4, 2026. We did enjoy the pristine garden surrounding the castle.

Seriously, a must visit gem in the heart of D.C! The architecture is gorgeous, and it's a great starting point for exploring the Smithsonian museums. Inside, you will find a helpful visitor center, and the peaceful garden in the back is a nice bonus. Honestly, whether you are a history buff, or an architecture lover, or just looking for a picturesque spot, you should considering checking this spot out!

The Smithsonian Castle is a beautiful and historic gem! The architecture is stunning, and the gardens surrounding it are perfect for a peaceful stroll.

I've skipped this before because I didn't find a need for a guide to the other museums, but this is actually a pretty interesting little stop on its own. The castle has its own unique Medieval/Gothic architectural style (most buildings in DC are neoclassical/Greek inspired). I actually had no idea who James Smithson was, but I got to learn a little about him and he's also entombed here. The exterior and interior spaces are beautiful, and there's a nice overview of each of the Smithsonian museums. I would say you might spend 30-60 minutes here, but it was an interesting and free part of the journey. If you're in town briefly I would skip it, but it's a bit of interesting background to the whole institution.

The Smithsonian Institution Building is also known as the Smithsonian Castle and it definitely looks the part. This is a smaller museum (in terms of content, not building size) than the ones surrounding it but it still gives a lot of history on the castle itself. Like the other museums in Washington D.C., this museum is free. When you're here you can learn about why the building was made to be a castle in the first place, the original plans and purposes of the castle, and how the Smithsonian went from one museum to the many that we know and visit today. The castle itself was beautiful and the architecture was stunning. The pretty crazy thing was that the remains of James Smithson, the founder of the Smithsonian Institution, were in a crypt in a building. A lot of the other floors were closed at the time so we didn't spend much time here. Compared to the other museums this was a quicker stop.

This is the "Castle" that you can't miss while walking along the National Mall. I have been to DC many times, but had never gone in here because I had heard there wasn't much to see. Honestly, it's not a bad place for a quick stop. They have a nice exhibit on the founding and history of the Smithsonian. The architecture is impressive as well; it's worth it alone to come in to see the ceilings and woodwork. There is also an exhibit with a fee items from each museum which serves as a decent orientation to the range of museums in the Smithsonian. There's a gift shop in here as well as a coffee shop too.

The simple fact that I can enter to this amazing museums in Washington, DC, for free it's so great to me. This one it's so beautiful with a nice entrance and gardens around that I love so much believe it or not I'm gonna talk about the restaurants, they were so nice and clean and I wanted to point this out to recognize the people and the staff to make sure they keep it clean for all of us. They information an old dumb exposed things here are great and you learn so much in museums like this one. If you want to go here I suggest you to always check out their website for the time schedule as well as the interactive mops and sometimes they even half doors.

The "castle" (original Smithsonian building) is very cool looking if you like old architecture...but there's not a lot else that's housed in here except a cafe, a gift shop and a small selection of artifacts. Oh and the cremains of Mr Smithson, who gave the seed money for these museums (& who apparently never visited America himself). If you collect smashed pennies, there's a machine here for them. If you are a fan of carousels, the one outside was a historic one that broke segregation: on the day Martin Luther King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, a black girl at an amusement park in Baltimore was the first to ride this carousel, and it was later moved here to the National Mall. Worth checking out if you are in this area of the Mall, but it won't take a lot of time.

Smithsonian Castle Information Center is a beautiful museum/castle/information center that provides an excellent background of how the Smithsonian set of museums came to exist. The building itself is fantastic and they have displays and sort of random exhibits from the multiple museums from the area. It is nice in that it is not as crowded as many of the other museums, is cool, and provides an oasis where you can relax from the chaos from the other museums. Friendly staff and clean restrooms which is great as they seem to be rare in DC.

Where it all starts for the Smithsonian. This is like the teaser museum, or like a taste test for other museums. Honestly, if you do not know which one of the many museums you want to discover, come here. They have little exhibits from each of the off shoot museums. That way you see what they have to offer and you can make a definite decision as to where you want to go from there. This building is a great starting point for anyone. It is also attached to the garden. It is quite the beautiful spot and I love that they call it the Castle Along with the mini exhibits inside you can explore the crypt of James Smithson. They do have some exhibits in house that I assume change out at some point as well as some permanent exhibits that are exclusive to the building itself. There is also a cafe and store in house if you are feeling peckish or want a souvenir.

If you're coming to DC you have to see a museum. Luckily most are free. The Smithsonian museums cost nothing to get into. A lot make this up by charging high prices for food and the gifts. Some, like this one, have architecture just as good as the exhibits themselves. It commonly gets called the Smithsonian Castle. Lots may not realize this was the first Smithsonian Museum. They collected so many artifacts they were forced to find new buildings to house all of them. A few artifacts still remain. Visiting here is like an introduction to the entire system. Even though this is an administrative building, it still has a museum feel. There's a wildlife exhibit in the west wing. In the middle hall is information about the history of the Smithsonian Institute. The east wing has a cafe and gift shop. Information is located up front, and the best part is the entrance, where you get to see the crypt of James Smithson. It seems a little creepy. This is still interesting to see though.

Went on a great tour led by a docent, Linda. She was an excellent tour guide, explaining the history of the institution. I was unaware of the man who donated the money to make this all happen. Linda really brought life to the stories with old photos and her descriptions. I would highly recommend this tour, and this docent in particular!

I had not been here in years. The Smithsonian Institution Building is a great place to visit and learn about the history of Smithsonian.

Visitor center...Amazing architecture, looks totally diff in zones of same boring buildings This castle is basically a welcome visitor center. Almost all the museums are free in DC and when I tried to find out why I got to know, it was James Smithson who was a British scientist who left his estate to the United States to found "at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Few art pieces are kept here but this is more of the visitor center and information center guys are great. James gave me all kind of information I needed. There is one big DC map replica lighten with led and you can give your destination on computer screens and it ll show you how you can go there from the castle. it was cool. I also tried to mint Abraham Lincoln coin at one of the kiosks. There is one mosaic kiosk, where you can get you to photo in a mosaic way and email to your ID. Security will check all your bags at all entrances and guards are everywhere in each room. They are friendly and helpful. The building was superb, red stone, architecture was great. Behind this building, there is the Arts and Industries Building which is closed now. All museum comes under Smithsonian Institution and they are the one who maintains it.

Completed in 1855, the Castle (Smithsonian Visitor Center), is the oldest of the 19 Smithsonian museum houses. It should be your first stop, particularly if it is your first visit to the Mall. Knowledgeable volunteers and interactive tools will help you plan your Smithsonian visit. The Castle has tours which focus on the history of the building, as well as, it's architecture. They are led by docents of the museum daily. The visitor center is open from 8:30-5:30 except December 25th. There are exhibit areas which feature highlight artifacts from the 19 Smithsonian museums displaying the history, scope and scale of the Smithsonian. The visitor center and museum are free. As you walk in on your left is the crypt and memorial plaques for the founding father of the Smithsonian, James Smithson. The cafe features specialty sandwiches, soup, pastries, Peet's coffee and bottled beverages. The WiFi is free.

I came by the Smithsonian Castle (currently on yelp it's called the Smithsonian Institution but that wrong) because this was the original Smithsonian building, it's a castle cmon that's cool in itself and because it houses the visitor center. In the visitor center, it gives you an idea on what each of the different Smithsonian museums offer and where they are located (there are like 19 Smithsonian museums, gardens and a zoo FYI). The castle also offers a bit of a taste of what they all have with pieces of American history including Apollo astronaut memorabilia, exhibits of different stuffed wild animals, and even some of the history of Smithsonian institution itself. This includes the rob of James Smithson, the man who founded the Smithsonian. Definitely a place in DC to come by if you like castles, are interested in the history of the Smithsonian or just need guidance on what each of the museums contain.

Found this place during our Old Town Trolley Tour. The exterior of the Institution caught my eye and I knew I had to check out the inside. The gardens are beautiful. Inside of the Institution, they have a guided tour, but unfortunately for us, due to the time, we weren't able to attend. We walked around for awhile and saw a lot of neat stuff. Definitely coming back! FREE

One of my favorite places to visit. You should start at the main visitors center and go from there I love checking out the ever changing exhibits at the various museums and art galleries.

The Smithsonian Institution (or the "Smithsonian Castle" as many call it) is the oldest Smithsonian building on the National Mall. It's modeled after the castles found in western Europe and makes for beautiful photos. Inside the castle is a grand lobby with information about all the nearby Smithsonian museums. Also, inside the lobby is a cafe with plenty of seating to take a rest from touring. To the left are two large halls with a few items on display. The back room is beautiful and houses a few stuffed animals. Because of the limited items on view and the randomness of it all, it's not the best museum. However, it's still a good spot to wander in; just budget 20 minutes or so versus hours.

I was initially drawn to the gorgeous architecture and the red exterior. The "castle" serves as the visitor center for the Smithsonians. They have a small museum room. There are restrooms and an overpriced cafe where we had some soup. The right exterior side of the castle was undergoing repair during our visit. Free entry. Bags will be inspected prior to entering.

This building is beautiful and there is so many history inside! Did you know the original Smithsonian donator was actually from England? He decided to give his fortune to establishing museums in the United States. There is a good collection in the main hall of examples from each museum in the area so that the audience can have a Smithsonian overview.

This is a lovely building with a terrific history. You'll learn more about James Smithson, the man responsible for leaving money to the United States upon his death to one day create something like the Smithsonian museums. It's a quick visit so take a few minutes to look around. I visited right when they opened to avoid possible crowds!

You must visit, visiting this museum will help you determine what other Smithsonian Museums you want to visit, they got maps to take with you, previews of all close Smithsonian locations, restrooms, ATM, gift shop and cafe. The cafe is super expensive so don't shop there. Other than that the location rocks.

This is a nice "museum" attraction to visit when touring the nearby museums. This "castle" is located at the center of the Smithsonian Museums and is directly across from the Carousels. The structure does standout with it similarity to a real castle. There is a nice information area when you can learn about other museums in the vicinity. There is also an interactive area with giant touch screens to view media and also to select media to play on the giant screen on the wall.

The Smithsonian Institution is comprised of several buildings displaying many beautiful works of art. My buddy and I walked through this place on our last great tour of DC. The entrance is beautiful, as it resembles a castle of medieval times. The gardens are manicured, and the buildings are kept clean and orderly. There are droves of people coming in an out, as this is a very popular tourist spot. Admission is free. This place is worth a visit. Come check it out.

The Smithsonian Castle is HQ for all the other museums. I don't find it essential to visit, but it is a pretty fascinating building and it's right in the center of everything. If you're a tourist visiting for the first time and don't have an itinerary, this would be a good place to figure it out. There are some exhibitions here; not the sort of can't miss stuff like Old Glory and the wooly mammoth, but it's definitely a good idea to stop in if you're walking by.

This amazing castle was created right after the Civil War. It has a collection of pieces from the other Smithsonian galleries and museums. Great way to get a taste of the collections without visiting all of the sites. It grew to include 19 Smithsonian institutions including the nearly Air and Space Museum. They have guided tour twice a day. Amazing history and beautiful architecture. What a treat!

The Smithsonian Institute serves as a central hub and visitor's center for the Smithsonian museums. It's a great way to start your day since they have volunteers on staff who are able to supply you with a map and a route for specific exhibits that you might find interesting. In previous years, staff would walk around and greet visitors. Nowadays the set up is a little different. Staff is stationed behind a desk. They have computers set up along the walls which let you select choices from a list of interests. The computer suggests route guidance for your day and a timeline with estimates for how long it will take to view each exhibit. At the conclusion, the info is emailed to the address that you input. I found this very helpful in terms of maximizing our time at each museum.

Beautiful. Just quite crowded. Probably return again in the winter to avoid drastic delays. Awesome collection.

Aka the Smithsonian Castle, here is not a lot to see inside. If you have the time take a walk inside to cool off on a hot day. Most of the attraction is on the outside and in the garden surrounding this unique building. The is an entrance on the mall and an entrance facing Independence Ave. SW for access to Sackler Gallery, Haupt Garden and Museum of African Art.

Bottom Line: Mr. Smithson's knowledge diffusion institution is world-class and the initial building, commonly known as the Smithsonian Castle, serves as a welcome center and "museum sampler." Admittedly, the name of this Yelp page and its intended purpose is a bit confusing to me. The title of this page is "The Smithsonian Institution" which is a collection of 19 museums although most people here seem to be using this page to describe The Smithsonian Castle, which is the original Smithsonian Building. To make sure all of my basis are covered, here is some information on the Smithsonian Institution as a whole as well as the Smithsonian Castle: The Smithsonian Institution -The largest museum complex in the world -Includes 19 museums and galleries, 11 of which are on the National Mall -Includes the National Zoo in DC too -Includes 9 research centers -In most cases, admission is free (or as I like to say as a tax-payer, "prepaid") The Castle - The very first Smithsonian building, the Castle served as home to the Smithsonian Secretary, a research center, an exhibit hall, a lecture hall and other things to fulfill the Smithsonian's mission. - Today the Castle is the welcome center/visitor's center for the Smithsonian Institution. It's a great place to plan your visit to the museums if you need some help. - Contains a sampling of exhibits that you can expect to find at the various museums, for example stamps from the National Postal Museum, ginormous bird-eating tarantulas from the Natural History Museum and Bryan Boitano's ice skates from the American history museum. - A great chance to check out some rare-for-DC gothic inspired architecture. - Also offers some nice conveniences like a little cafe, restrooms, WiFi and a gift shop

This is impressive. Come here to the original building and find out how it all started and what it encompasses today. Added bonus, the crypt of the man that started it all is here! Who knew.

It is a lovely place to start as a tourist because it is free. I went in just, so I could say that I've been there. It is now mainly used as an office space, but they do have a small museum section inside the castle. This is also where James Smithson's Crypt is located. I was going to take a photograph, but I was creep-ed out about taking a picture of it. I sometimes capture ghostly images with my camera. See my review of the Hill of Tara here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/hill-of-tara-navan#hrid:510np1PGcpM3g-NNb_ADgQ Strange huh?

Wonderful place to learn and enjoy highly recommended and much appreciate and admirable.

You should know by now that all things Smithnonian will get 5 stars from me. I mean, how cool is it that we have this fantastic museum collection right here where we live . . . . and you can see it all for FREE! The castle is the headquarters and original museum for the Smithsonian, which includes 17 museums and a zoo in the DC area and a couple of others elsewhere. The collection originated with a bequest be English scientist James Smithson who left his personal collection to the United States government even though he had never even visited here. (Thank you Mr. Smithson!) The castle is a great place to start your exploration of this fantastic collection (which has been expanded greatly throughout the years)especially since it opens much earlier (8:30 AM) than the other museums. The exhibits here tell the story of the Smithsonian and display a representative sampling of the collections. On your way out be sure to pay respects to Mr. Smithson, whose remains are located in a crypt near the entrance. A little wierd, but appropriate as well I think. (On a strange side note; it was Alexander Graham Bell and his wife who personally brought his remains from Europe to the United States.)

I'm pleased that I'm able to mark my 1,000 review with this one. There is so much that can be said. My words can't express my appreciation for this opportunity. A priceless gift for all the world. Go and experience it. My favorite time is in the spring when the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. The garden experience is truly unique.

Nice. 1) This museum is worth a visit. 2) It is about the story of Smithsonian itself. 3) They have some exhibits worth a see.

My STEP program also visited the Smithsonian Institution Building and we got to see some of the pieces they've kept for over a long period of time such as chairs, french candleholders, taxi-dermis animals, and background as to what the institution is. The other side we looked at was just for passing-by since the east (i believe) wing has been closed down to the public since 2004. This fine research building has no become a tourist attraction to the public to come and see where research discoveries were once made. My most favorite part of it was the castle structure itself. Although most of it is closed off just looking at the outside of both the front and the back garden is astounding. Smithson, unlike other founders who are buried in cemeteries has his tomb right in the visitor center of the Smithsonian at the entrance of the castle.

I love DC and it is free museum entrance policy!! Such high quality museums for free... I spent all day visiting 5 of the Smithsonian museums. Air and Space, Modern Art, the castle and gardens, American history and Natural museum (not sure about the name of this last one). I saw pretty amazing things, even touched a piece of a rock from the moon!! :) Saw the first USA flag, learnt where the anthem comes from, etc... I recommend it to everybody that comes to DC, makes sure you make time for all the museums! Cheers!

The Smithsonian Institution is a breathtaking collection of museums in the nation's capitol. The striking castle is the HQ of the Smithsonian, serving as a visitor's center/gift shop, and providing guidance. Museums are the main destination of Washington DC.... to be there for the history. The Smithsonian covers all kinds of history, art, science. The "castle" is quite a sight. One could say the founder, Smithson, was about a monarchy not by bloodline, but thru the arts&sciences. Rather than being laid to rest in one of the Capital City's notable cemeteries, Mr. Smithson's crypt is in the visitor's center. It's a great jumping-off point, with a 3D map showing you all the museums along the way.

Love that every part of the Smithsonian museum is free! That was the best part of my whole trip to find that out! The layout is super convenient and its very easy to use the metro system to get around. I did a lot of walking down the national mall and just popped in to each of the museums as I had time. This trip was a bit crazy and I didn't have much time but I was able to visit nearly every single museum of the Smithsonian at least for an hour each, but they all deserved much much more than that. I would say a good trip to DC you should give each museum a half a day or so, depending on your interest in that particular subject. Overall, fantastic exhibits, easy to understand layouts, and convenient location and transport...not to mention free!! Totally worth it

I wandered in here only because it looked impressive from an architectural standpoint. This is not really a museum as I had expected. It was actually the very first building of the Smithsonian Institution, but nowadays basically serves as offices and a visitor center, with information about the other museums along the Mall. However, because it was modeled after an old Medieval castle, it was fine to walk around for a quick visit. There is also a really nice garden next to it.

This castle is a great place to start if you're new to the area and have never visited any of the museums before. This place houses different exhibits that span their collection and even the remains of James Smithson, founder of the Smithsonian Institute. There is a lot of information they can give you here before you start your trek to see all the sites. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and have fun!

Great institution to visit. I learned a lot. Great for the entire family. Children would really love this. So much innovative things to learn about. Some of the things are interactive. Especially the price is right game. Brings back lots of child hood memories. This one of best free museums I really enjoyed.

Also known as the "Castle," this center serves ass the Information hub for all the Smithsonian buildings that surround it. Located just past the Washington Monument/before the U.S. Capital building, you'll be able to spot this huge "Castle" looking building as you make your way down Pennsylvania and it's almost like a prop building out of the Medieval Times or even more mid-fetched, one of the castles from a Harry Potter movie. Looking absolutely formidable and grand in the daylight, you wander in through either the front or back entrance before reaching the lobby. The lobby has a 3-D interactive map that provides information to its other Smithsonian Museums; it has a shop for gift purchases, a resting are with tables and chairs, as well as a Information table. A nice to start if you aren't sure where to go and what museum features what. Located on the corner of Jefferson Dr. and 14th Street, near the Carousel, Freer / Sackler Galleries (currently under construction until Summer 2016), Hishhorn Museum and Ripley Center. The entrance to all Smithsonian museums are free and majority of them close at 5:30pm during normal days. Additionally, there are some museums that offer free Wi-Fi with some having stronger reception than others. Some history: Completed in 1855, designed by architect James Renwick Jr. (original Smithsonian Institution Building) Now home to the Smithsonian Visitor Center Smithsonian headquarters features exhibitions presenting the scope and scale of its collection and research.

FREE to enter & tour, so come on in! Look for a castle-like structure at the National Mall area. Yes, this is also known as The Smithsonian Castle, which also serves as the Visitor's Center for the Smithsonian museums. Out of all of my visits to the Washington DC, this was my first visit to this gorgeous building. If you'd like to take a tour of the castle, that is available, just inquire within. It also houses the tomb of James Smithson - founding donor of the Smithsonian Institute. So, there is definitely tons of history through the beautiful doors of this magnificent castle building. Outside is a lovely garden, perfect for photos and for some time of relaxation. When entering any Smithsonian buildings or any of the museum buildings in DC, be prepared to have your bags checked and don't fuss about it!

Myself and children absolutely enjoyed this museum! Unlike a lot of museums, this one is great for children! A lot for them to see and always activities going on! As any other museums food and gift shop can be Pricey! I will return with children or alone!

Very underwhelming...there was only 2 rooms open (not sure if that is normal). The gift shop was the most interesting thing there.