Washington, DC is open for business

The nation’s capital is ready to welcome you even during a government shutdown (check out our guide to DC during a shutdown). While some federally funded attractions and sites may offer limited access, daily life in DC remains active, full of museums, restaurants and can’t-miss things to do, from Theatre Week (through Oct. 5) to fall-flavored events throughout October.

Learn more about the shutdown and find things to do this week, weekend and month.
 

Updated as of Oct. 2, 2025. 
 

What’s OpenMuseums, Attractions & Tours
 

Visitors sit and interact with a dynamic word display at Planet Word, a language-focused museum in Washington, DC.

Planet Word

The shutdown’s impact extends primarily to attractions that receive federal funds. However, there are many DC museums that are privately funded, and some Smithsonian museums stay open during a shutdown with access to previous fiscal year funds.
 

Museums & AttractionsNational Gallery of Art – Open to the public through at least Oct. 4, 2025National Air and Space Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of African American History and Culture – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of African Art – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of American History – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of Asian Art – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of Natural History – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Museum of the American Indian – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Portrait Gallery – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025National Postal Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025Smithsonian American Art Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025Smithsonian’s National Zoo – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum – Open to the public through at least Oct. 6, 2025African American Civil War MemorialArt Museum of the AmericasAnderson House – The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the CincinnatiArlington National CemeteryBasilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptionDAR MuseumDC History CenterDecatur House on Lafayette SquareFolger Shakespeare LibraryFranciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in AmericaGeorge Washington’s Mount VernonGerman-American Heritage MuseumHill Center at the Old Naval HospitalHillwood Estate, Museum & GardensInternational Spy MuseumLEGO Discovery Center Washington, D.C.Military Women’s MemorialMilken Center for Advancing the American DreamMuseum of Illusions DCMuseum of the BibleNational AquariumNational Building MuseumNational Children’s MuseumNational Inventors Hall of Fame MuseumNational Law Enforcement Museum & Officers MemorialNational Museum of the Marine CorpsNational Museum of the United States ArmyNational Museum of Women in the ArtsNational World War II MemorialOld Korean Legation Museum in Washington D.C.Old Stone HousePentagon MemorialPlanet Word MuseumPresident Lincoln’s CottageSaint John Paul II National ShrineSupreme Court of the United StatesThe Capital WheelThe Mansion on O & O Street MuseumThe National WWI MemorialThe OctagonThe People’s HouseThe Phillips CollectionVan Gogh: The Immersive ExperienceWashington National CathedralWoodrow Wilson HouseCathedral of St. Matthew the ApostleMartin Luther King, Jr. Memorial LibraryMedieval TimesNational Guard Memorial MuseumSip & DevelopDistrict Architecture CenterFrederick Douglass National Historic SiteSix Flags AmericaCathedral of St. Matthew the ApostleRonald Reagan Building and International Trade CenterCapital Jewish MuseumChinese American MuseumMexican Cultural Institute
 ToursTheater, Performances, Sports & Games
 

The exterior of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC with it doors open.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

The show must go on: Washington, DC’s theater scene is alive and well during a shutdown. Most venues do not receive federal funds, and even though the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts does receive federal funds, the living memorial to the 35th president will continue all of its scheduled productions.
 

Theaters & PlayhousesMusic & Concert VenuesSports & GamesParks, Gardens & Recreation
 

Rock Creek Park in Fall

Rock Creek Park

Due to the shutdown, federally operated National Park Service (NPS) sites may be affected. Open-air national parks like the National Mall and Rock Creek Park will remain accessible during the shutdown. Some of the monuments and memorial sites may offer limited access, and services like ranger-led tours and memorial shops are closed. Learn more about DC’s parks and gardens and find a list below of what is currently open.
 

Restaurants
 

VUE Rooftop Couple Dining

VUE Rooftop

Places to eat and drink remain open to the public and unaffected due to the shutdown. Due to the popularity of DC’s dining scene, it’s always recommended to reserve your table in advance online. For diners who prefer to eat outdoors, check out these fall-friendly, al fresco options: beer gardens, patios and rooftop restaurants.

Shopping
 

Shop Made in DC interior

Shop Made in DC

Shopping and retail attractions affected by the shutdown are limited to museum gift shops that are closed. Shop around the District at Black-owned businesses, made-in-DC shops and LGBTQ-owned enterprises and others. 

Hotels
 

Royal Sonesta Washington, DC Capitol Hill

DC-area hotels are open and ready to welcome guests. You can also take advantage of special deals and peruse properties that are ideal for sports fans, history buffs, families with kids and guests looking for cool places to stay.

Transportation
 

A long-exposure shot captures the motion of a train at Metro Center station in Washington, DC.

Metrorail and Metrobus will operate as usual during a federal government shutdown. Travel Metro easily with touch-free SmarTrip service for iPhone and Apple Watch devices, becoming the first rail system in the U.S. to offer a full service, touch-free payment option at every single stop.
 

What’s Closed