This free timed passes required thing in DC is basically new since covid and I don’t like it. I was shocked when you said Air and Space required passes. When I went to the zoo it required passes and it didn’t before covid. I hope this all goes away eventually but I suspect it won’t…
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Air and Space is the only Smithsonian requiring and I think that’s because it’s under construction. I have to say the crowds were way better there than Natural History which was jammed. Other non-Smithsonian’s May require too such as the Spy Museum. It really takes a lot of planning for DC!
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That makes sense. I was surprised at how bad Air and Space looked when I was across the street the other day. It’s been under construction for a very long time. We were also just at Natural History and it was very busy, but I expected it b/c of spring break. Spy Museum also didn’t used to require passes. I guess I should just always check now…
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That is a good idea to plan things for the afternoon. My heart can’t give up the idea of the WH tour.
We are museum geeks and we arrive Sunday mid-afternoon and leave Saturday evening. I don’t think we’ll get to see everything we’d like to see, so we’ll have to prioritize. The Portrait Museum is really high on both our lists.
The impression that I got about the tickets is that you can walk up and wait in line to get tickets the day of. But, if you got the tickets online you could skip that line.
We just got back from a little trip, and now DC is next. I have several D.C museum books to start reading. I always like to go into a museum with a Must See list. I like to read all the little info cards and I can take a long time and then end up not seeing the premier things.
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Make sure in the portrait museum to at least stroll through the cafe, which has some beautiful water features (on the floor) and an interesting ceiling. One of the biggest draws there is the presidential portraits. The more recent decades portraits are notably different than the older ones.
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I have really been enjoying his videos.
His voice is a little weird, though, it will be low and then will go super high like he is a teenage boy whose voice is cracking.
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For the National Zoo–are the entry passes still timed?
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It’s just for the day. No time attached. You need to reserve parking too.
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Great–thank you!!
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I just had a thought, I wonder which will get rid of the reservation system first, Disney or D.C ?
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Interesting thought.
I read an article today about some person trying to get the zoo to make changes to the reservation system (back in January). Just summarizing (badly), but it sounded like, while they would listen to reasoning for dropping the system, they were not inclined to change anything.
I imagine if it works without too much guest grumbling the systems will continue. The lack of grumbling is definitely not true for Disney, but I feel like those grumbles have subsided to a dull roar (and are now easily ignored).
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I don’t even think they checked for a ticket when I went to the zoo over Christmas break.
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I think Air and Space is temporary since it’s under construction but we shall see. The impossible Washington Monument won’t ever go away.
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You say that because the passes are impossible to get? I watched this morning and there was nothing just minutes after 10. I wish I had a BG1 for monument tickets!!
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I was just at the zoo during the busy spring break time and passes were required and checked. However, very easy to obtain–I decided to go there maybe a week in advance and both days I considered were available. Out of curiosity I checked again the morning of and the next day was still available. They were not timed. I didn’t need parking so I can’t speak to that. As I was leaving, mid afternoon, I noticed a sign saying they’d distributed all the passes for the day.
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Air and Space definitely did not used to have passes. I think construction is a good bet. Zoo didn’t have passes until covid. Most museums don’t have passes, at least in my recent history. I know that National Gallery of Art, Portrait Gallery, and Natural History don’t require them b/c I just went. Planet Word, a new museum about language, has timed passes, and I didn’t know that and almost missed getting them.
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Yes exactly. It sells out within seconds at 30 days out and of course I couldn’t even try for tickets since I was still waiting to hear from the WH.
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Spy Museum does too and they sells out quickly it seems.
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I got mine the day before during the warm spell of winter break so it was busy. Looks like you don’t need to book much in advance.
And the African American History Museum! (And technically the zoo is a Smithsonian 
)
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