Skip to main content
AMZBooking
Site links
Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Rainy day · Washington, D.C. · United States

8 things to do in Washington, D.C. when it rains

Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Brian Hamfeldt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

Start with United States Capitol, National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 17–24 hours across 2 areas; 8 are free. March is usually the wettest month, with about 11 rainy days.

Key facts

Places in this guide
8
Free entry
8
Time to see them all
17–24 hours
Areas
Capitol Hill and National Mall

Washington, D.C. on a rainy day

United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 3.0

Architecture · Capitol Hill

1.United States Capitol

After the tour, use the tunnel from the Visitor Center to the Library of Congress's Jefferson Building instead of going back through security outside.

Time needed
1.5–2 hours
Cost
Free
  • Iconic
  • Free
  • History
  • Architecture
  • Rainy day
National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0

Museum · National Mall

2.National Air and Space Museum

Pair it with the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport if you want to see the very large aircraft, including Space Shuttle Discovery.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • Kids
  • Free
  • Rainy day
  • Iconic
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0

Museum · National Mall

3.National Museum of Natural History

Go to the Hope Diamond on the second floor first thing; the gem hall gets very crowded by midday.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • Kids
  • Free
  • Rainy day
  • Iconic

Museum · National Mall

4.National Museum of African American History and Culture

Allow at least four hours and do the underground history galleries first while you are fresh; the Sweet Home Café upstairs serves regional African American dishes.

Time needed
4–5 hours
Cost
Free
  • History
  • Free
  • Rainy day
  • Iconic
Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), Washington, D.C.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, CC BY-SA 3.0

Architecture · Capitol Hill

5.Library of Congress (Jefferson Building)

Head up to the Main Reading Room overlook first, then come back down to the Great Hall for photographs.

Time needed
1–1.5 hours
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Architecture
  • History
  • Rainy day
  • Off the beaten path
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0

Gallery · National Mall

6.National Gallery of Art

Use the underground concourse with its light-filled cascade wall to move between the two buildings.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • Art
  • Free
  • Rainy day
  • Architecture
  • Couples
National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain

Museum · National Mall

7.National Museum of American History

The Star-Spangled Banner is in a dimly lit chamber at the centre of the second floor; start there, then pick one wing.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • History
  • Free
  • Kids
  • Rainy day

Museum · National Mall

8.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Leave time afterwards in the quiet Hall of Remembrance before heading back out onto the Mall.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • History
  • Free
  • Rainy day

Grouped by area

Washington, D.C. on a rainy day by area
AreaPlacesTime needed
Capitol HillUnited States Capitol and Library of Congress (Jefferson Building)1.5–2 hours + 1–1.5 hours
National MallNational Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of American History and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum2–3 hours + 2–3 hours + 4–5 hours + 2–3 hours + 2–3 hours + 2–3 hours

Booking and timing

Of these 8, 8 free. Book ahead for United States Capitol, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of African American History and Culture and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The longest visit is National Museum of African American History and Culture; group the rest by area to save travel time.

  • United States Capitol: Reserve a free tour slot online in advance; same-day availability is limited in spring and summer.
  • National Air and Space Museum: Free timed-entry passes have been required since the museum's phased reopening; check the Smithsonian site before you go.
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture: Free timed-entry passes are often needed, especially at weekends and in spring; book online in advance.
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Free timed passes are needed for the permanent exhibition in the busier spring and summer months; reserve online.

How to fit them into 7 half-days

Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.

  • Half-day 1 (Capitol Hill): United States Capitol → Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), at least 3 hours.
  • Half-day 2 (National Mall): National Air and Space Museum, at least 2 hours.
  • Half-day 3 (National Mall): National Museum of Natural History, at least 2 hours.
  • Half-day 4 (National Mall): National Museum of African American History and Culture, at least 4 hours.
  • Half-day 5 (National Mall): National Gallery of Art, at least 2 hours.
  • Half-day 6 (National Mall): National Museum of American History, at least 2 hours.
  • Half-day 7 (National Mall): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, at least 2 hours.

The wettest months

  • March: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Changeable weather that warms through the month; crowds and prices surge as the cherry blossoms approach.
  • April: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 11 rainy days, very busy crowds. Mild, green and the busiest month, with blossoms, school groups and Easter visitors; book hotels and timed museum passes early.
  • May: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and pleasant before the humidity arrives; graduation weekends fill hotels.

The neighbourhoods they are in

  • Capitol Hill — Painted rowhouses, Eastern Market and the Library of Congress

More of Washington, D.C.

All things to do in Washington, D.C. · Where to stay · When to go.

Questions travellers ask

+Where should I start in Washington, D.C.?

United States Capitol. The domed seat of Congress can be toured from the underground Capitol Visitor Center.

+Which of these are free in Washington, D.C.?

United States Capitol, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), National Gallery of Art, National Museum of American History and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.