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Most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the U.S. 2018
Most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the U.S. 2018
Most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the United States in 2018 (in millions)
by S. Lock,
last edited
Jun 18, 2019
This statistic shows the most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the United States in 2018. The National Air and Space Museum was the most visited Smithsonian museum in 2018, with approximately 6.2 million visits.
Smithsonian museums –additional information
The Smithsonian museums are part of the Smithsonian Institution which belongs to the United States government. The Smithsonian Institution was created after the death of Englishman James Smithson in 1829. Despite having never stepped foot in the U.S., he left his entire estate to the United States government for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge”. The Smithsonian Institution was finally established in 1846, and is today the world’s largest museum and research complex.
In 2018, the most visited Smithsonian museums were the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. Both these museums have had fluctuating visitor numbers over the last 15 years, with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History hitting peaks of 8.4 million visitors and lows of 4.4 million in the given period.
This pattern in attendance is also seen in the total number of visitors to all Smithsonian museums. However, the trend may be a more recent one as attendance increased without interruption between 1970 and 1990.
Most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the United States in 2018 (in millions)
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| Number of visits in millions | |
|---|---|
| National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | 6.2 |
| National Air and Space Museum | 6.2 |
| National Museum of Natural History | 4.8 |
| National Museum of American History | 4.1 |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum (With the Renwick Gallery) | 3.15 |
| National Portrait Gallery | 2.3 |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture | 1.9 |
| National Zoo | 1.8 |
| National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C.) | 1.1 |
| Smithsonian Institution Building, "The Castle" | 1 |
| Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | 0.88 |
| Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum | 0.71 |
| National Postal Museum | 0.5 |
| National Museum of the American Indian Heye Center (New York City) | 0.41 |
| Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum | 0.32 |
| Freer Gallery of Art | 0.24 |
| National Museum of African Art | 0.14 |
| S. Dillon Ripley Center | 0.13 |
| Arthur M. Sackler Gallery | 0.13 |
| Number of visits in millions | |
|---|---|
| National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | 6.2 |
| National Air and Space Museum | 6.2 |
| National Museum of Natural History | 4.8 |
| National Museum of American History | 4.1 |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum (With the Renwick Gallery) | 3.15 |
| National Portrait Gallery | 2.3 |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture | 1.9 |
| National Zoo | 1.8 |
| National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C.) | 1.1 |
| Smithsonian Institution Building, "The Castle" | 1 |
| Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden | 0.88 |
| Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum | 0.71 |
| National Postal Museum | 0.5 |
| National Museum of the American Indian Heye Center (New York City) | 0.41 |
| Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum | 0.32 |
| Freer Gallery of Art | 0.24 |
| National Museum of African Art | 0.14 |
| S. Dillon Ripley Center | 0.13 |
| Arthur M. Sackler Gallery | 0.13 |
© Statista 2019
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by S. Lock,
last edited
Jun 18, 2019
This statistic shows the most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the United States in 2018. The National Air and Space Museum was the most visited Smithsonian museum in 2018, with approximately 6.2 million visits.
Smithsonian museums –additional information
The Smithsonian museums are part of the Smithsonian Institution which belongs to the United States government. The Smithsonian Institution was created after the death of Englishman James Smithson in 1829. Despite having never stepped foot in the U.S., he left his entire estate to the United States government for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge”. The Smithsonian Institution was finally established in 1846, and is today the world’s largest museum and research complex.
In 2018, the most visited Smithsonian museums were the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. Both these museums have had fluctuating visitor numbers over the last 15 years, with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History hitting peaks of 8.4 million visitors and lows of 4.4 million in the given period.
This pattern in attendance is also seen in the total number of visitors to all Smithsonian museums. However, the trend may be a more recent one as attendance increased without interruption between 1970 and 1990.
- Source
- Smithsonian
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- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- May 2019
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Because the Smithsonian museums are free, they cannot base our visit tallies on a number of tickets sold. Smithsonian security officers use hand clickers to count everyone entering the museums (in some buildings they count people leaving) through public entrances during the hours the museums are open. The counts sometimes include staff, as well as visitors who leave the museum and return. A person visiting three Smithsonian museums on any given day will be counted three times. The newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), has an automated counting system that counts visitors (and staff) as they enter the museum.
The source does not provide a date of publication. The date given is the date accessed.
Source
- Source
- Smithsonian
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- May 2019
More information
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
Because the Smithsonian museums are free, they cannot base our visit tallies on a number of tickets sold. Smithsonian security officers use hand clickers to count everyone entering the museums (in some buildings they count people leaving) through public entrances during the hours the museums are open. The counts sometimes include staff, as well as visitors who leave the museum and return. A person visiting three Smithsonian museums on any given day will be counted three times. The newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), has an automated counting system that counts visitors (and staff) as they enter the museum.
The source does not provide a date of publication. The date given is the date accessed.
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