Arts and Industries Building
Washington, DC
Temporarily closed. Open for special events.
About
The Arts and Industries Building (AIB) is the Smithsonian’s second oldest building and a national hub for creative exchange between ideas and objects from our past and our future. AIB opened in 1881 as the country’s first U.S. National Museum, an architectural icon in the heart of the National Mall. Its soaring halls introduced millions of Americans to wonders about to change the world—Edison’s lightbulb, the first telephone, Apollo rockets.
Over the years, AIB was the origin and incubator for almost every other Smithsonian museum, debuting everything from dinosaurs to rocket ships.
Highlights
In 2021, AIB reopened temporarily with FUTURES, an exhibition that ran through July 6, 2022. Although the museum is closed, it is open during special events.
Getting Here
We encourage the use of Metrorail and Metrobus.
Metrorail
Metro Station: Smithsonian (Mall exit)
Nearest Accessible Metro Entrance:
Smithsonian
NW corner 12th St. & Independence Ave., SW
Check Metrorail's Elevator and Escalator Service Status page for service disruptions.
Parking
There is no public parking facility for Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. A limited number of city-operated metered parking spaces are available, including several accessible parking spaces.
View a map of accessible parking spaces.
Reserved parking near the museums can be purchased in advance through ParkWhiz.
Note: ParkWhiz is a third-party vendor (ParkWhiz Privacy Policy).
Dining and Shopping
Dining
While this location does not have dining, view dining options at our other locations.
Shopping
While this location has no museum store, you can always shop online.
Accessibility
See Getting Here for information on accessible parking and public transportation.
