Smithsonian Welcomes the Start of Summer With “Solstice Saturday”

The Smithsonian will mark the official start of summer with its signature celebration—“Solstice Saturday”—on the first Saturday of the season, June 22. Free celebrations will take place throughout the day and night, with museums on the National Mall offering extended hours.

This is the sixth annual Solstice Saturday, and it will highlight the Smithsonian’s Cosmic Journey campaign, celebrating space exploration and the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Solstice Saturday is held in association with Hofstra University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Hofstra’s Astronomy Festival on the National Mall also takes place Saturday, June 22, 6–11 p.m., in front of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

A full schedule of programming is available online. The Arts and Industries Building will serve as the Welcome Center and will host a Cosmic Arcade Party featuring sounds and images from space captured by Chandra X-ray Observatory in an immersive journey. The following museums and gardens will be open with extended hours:

Open until 8 p.m.

National Museum of the American Indian

As the museum prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary during the Folklife Festival— “Indigenous Voices of the Americas”—June 26–July 1, it will serve as a spot of rest and reenergizing for Solstice visitors during their Cosmic Journey around the Mall. Visitors looking for an evening pick-me-up can stop by the museum’s Espresso Bar until 7 p.m.

Open until 10 p.m.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Visitors can embark on a Cosmic Journey through an Afrofuturist lens as the museum stays open until 10 p.m. with no passes required after 4 p.m. Special daytime and evening offerings will mark the grand finale of the groundbreaking exhibition, “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures,” which closes in August.

During the day, visitors can join panels that highlight the visionary elements of Afrofuturism and pay tribute to the vibrant legacies of Black music and Queer artists, aligning with the spirited narratives of Black Music Month and Pride Month. Visitors can dance in the Heritage Hall at the Afrofuturism DJs party. If they need a post-dance snack, the Sweet Home Cafe will offer a themed menu throughout the day.

National Museum of American History

Visitors can learn about the rise of Latin music in the U.S. at Fenómeno Latino: Latin Music’s Global Rise. The daytime family festival 11 a.m.–3 p.m. will offer a Storytime with DC Public Libraries, salsa dance lessons and a drum circle. The evening festival, 5–9 p.m., will feature Raggaetón dance lessons, a panel discussion and live DJ performances. All festival events will be held indoors. Food and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase in Unity Square on 2 West (second floor).

National Museum of Natural History

Visitors can explore the galleries of the National Museum of Natural History after hours, as the museum stays open until 10 p.m. and the Ocean Terrace Cafe remains open until 8 p.m. Visitors can walk through “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky” to learn about light pollution, the importance of dark nights and ways to reconnect with the night sky before venturing to other Solstice events.

Open until 11 p.m.

Arts and Industries Building

Visitors can enter the glow-in-the-dark arcade party for a cosmic twist on visual art performances, sound mixing and games. Creative collaborators MasPaz and Guache and artist collective Black Techno Matters will join forces to transform galactic sounds and images captured by Chandra X-ray Observatory into an immersive journey.

The event will also feature iconic arcade and table games, including skee ball, Galaga, air hockey, life-sized Lite-Brite and Connect 4, mini golf, double shot basketball and more. At the start of each hour a limited number of glow bracelets will be handed out. All visitors are encouraged to reserve a free ticket.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Visitors can experience State of the Arts Night x Sound Scene, an evening of performance, conversation and interactive projects inspired by sound and the solstice. Presented by the European Union and DC Listening Lounge in collaboration with the Hirshhorn, this one-night-only event will bring together artists from across the European Union with Sound Scene Audio Arts Festival artists to explore the allure of the cosmos. Exhibitions inside the museum, including “Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960,” which marks the museum’s 50th anniversary, will be open until 10 p.m. Cash bars will be available throughout the evening. A full schedule is coming soon; registration is free and highly recommended.

Sound Scene 2024: Solstice will also include daytime programming, such as interactive audio art installations, small group workshops and live performances. It is free and open to the public.

From 10 a.m.–1 p.m., younger visitors can join Art Cart: Light Up Your Life!, where artist Olafur Eliasson will share some of his work and guide the creation of young visitors’ own works with light and color.

National Air and Space Museum

As part of Solstice Saturday, visitors can celebrate Sally’s Night, an annual night in June when the museum marks the anniversary of Sally Ride becoming the first American woman in space, with activities that explore the wonder of the universe and shine a light on women and underrepresented genders in STEM. Visitors can explore the museum after hours, participate in trivia challenges and hands-on science activities and enjoy free planetarium shows (available until 10 p.m., alternating live shows and standard screenings). Free tickets are required to enter the museum.

Open until Midnight

National Museum of African Art

The museum’s Live Arts Series The Earth Still Shakes! continues with live musical performances that explore how artists talk through their bodies to express connections to objects, the natural world and the cosmos. The evening will begin with a panel discussion featuring series curator Jay Pather and performing musicians Inka Kendzia, Chmba, Soñxseed and Nkosenathi Koela. Music begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Haupt Garden. Galleries will be open until midnight, including the newly opened exhibition “Bruce Onobrakpeya: The Mask and the Cross.” Beverages and food trucks will be available between the museum and the National Museum of Asian Art.

National Museum of Asian Art

Visitors can rest, gather and enjoy the sweet flavors of fruit from the early afternoon through the golden hour of the 2024 summer solstice at the National Museum of Asian Art. Artist Adele Kenworthy will present a site-specific performance, CUT FRUIT, in which she invites visitors to reflect on gestures and rituals of care while sharing fresh cut fruit from her stand. Live storytelling, poetry and future telling will accompany CUT FRUIT from 4–8 p.m.

A curator-led tour of The Peacock Room will be offered at 6 p.m., and all the galleries will be open until midnight for self-exploration. Food trucks on the plaza will be open 6–9 p.m. and outdoor bar service will be available at two locations: the plaza, 8–11 p.m. and the Haupt Garden, 6–11 p.m. View the full day's schedule and register in advance. Registration in advance is recommended for planning purposes but not required. Some activities have a limited capacity, and entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Hofstra University’s Astronomy Festival on the National Mall

Solstice Saturday is held in association with Hofstra University’s Astronomy Festival on the National Mall. The festival features solar, optical and radio telescope observations; hands-on activities; speakers from scientific and educational organizations; and a chance to mingle with astronomers. The festival takes place Saturday, June 22, from 6 to 11 p.m. in front of the Hirshhorn Museum.

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SI-213A-2024