African-American Museum Introduces Huge Change To Tickets

WASHINGTON, DC -- If you've been hoping to get into the National Museum of African American History and Culture but haven't been able to snag tickets, you're in luck. The museum will be experimenting with not requiring tickets on weekdays.

The Washington Post reports that the museum will not require timed passes for visitors on weekdays in September, a test that will last about a month. If you're coming in on the weekend, you'll still need the free timed passes, although you might be able to get those as a walk-up.

Since opening in September 2016, the museum has seen 4.5 million visitors pass through its doors, making it one of the most popular museums in D.C. It was so popular that for many months it was virtually impossible to get in, with timed passes immediately snapped up as soon as they became available.

This test could be a big step toward getting away from the timed passes that have made it difficult to enjoy the museum. Walk-ups have been allowed since a few months after its opening, but only a small number were available.

In April and May, the museum tested all-day no-pass entry on Wednesdays, which went well. The museum wants to get to a point where it is like other Smithsonian museums on the mall that do not require passes to get in, according to the Post.

And don't take this to mean that the museum's popularity is declining. It accepted 2.4 million visitors in 2017, and that figure is expected to increase for 2018 with around 1.5 million already through its doors halfway through the year.

"The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture," according to the museum's website. "It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution."

Image via National Museum of African American History and Culture