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Plan Your Visit

Learn about hours and admission, guided tours, and more.

Hours and Tickets Closure Information Photography Policy Getting Here

Located in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, Dumbarton Oaks is the legacy of Robert and Mildred Bliss, philanthropists and collectors of art. The Gardens, designed by renowned landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand, is an oasis within the city. Explore sixteen acres of terraced gardens and vistas, orchards and kitchen gardens, and a vast wilderness of meadows and wooded pathways. The Museum is home to a world-class collection of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, housed in magnificent galleries. From the tapestries and paintings in the Renaissance inspired Music Room to the graceful lines and natural sunlight of the Pre-Columbian Gallery, visitors can admire art dating back to antiquity, as well as innovative special exhibitions.

Hours and Tickets

Gardens

Winter Season (November 1–March 14)

Open 2:00–5:00 p.m. (entry will be allowed until 4:30 p.m.), Tuesday–Sunday, except for federal holidays. The Gardens may close in hazardous conditions. 

Admission to the gardens in the Winter Season is free and no tickets are required.

Regular Season (March 15–October 31)

Open 2:00–6:00 p.m. (entry will be allowed until 5:30 p.m.), Tuesday–Sunday, except for federal holidays. Tickets or season passes are required for all visitors to the Gardens March 15 through October 31. Daily garden ticket purchases are nonrefundable, except when the Gardens are closed at Dumbarton Oaks' discretion. Admission is free for children 2 years and under.

Garden tickets are limited to 10 per household per day and are only available online via Eventbrite. There is no point of sale on site. Tickets cannot be transferred to another date under any circumstances, including purchasing errors, or family or medical emergencies.

Purchase Daily Tickets Purchase a Season Pass

Museum

Open 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday, except for federal holidays.

Admission to the Museum is free.

Museum Shop

Open 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday, except for federal holidays.

Closure Information

In 2024, the Museum and Gardens are closed on the following days:

  • Wednesday, June 19, 2024 (Juneteenth)
  • Thursday, July 4 (Independence Day)
  • Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving)
  • Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day)

The Gardens will be closed on the following dates for Dumbarton Oaks internal events:

  • April 18-20, 2024
  • May 9-11
  • July 9-12
  • September 19-21
  • October 3-5

On these days, daily tickets will not be available for purchase and season passes will not be honored.

Photography Policy

Commercial, promotional, and professional photography (including for engagements, weddings, staged photo shoots, and other special events) are not permitted, but photography for personal use (such as photography of the landscape or objects) is welcome. Flash photography and video cameras are not allowed in the museum but may be used in the garden. 

Tripods, lights, reflectors, and other bulky photography equipment are not permitted on the property.

For digital or print publication, including scholarly and educational use, please refer to Rights and Reproductions.

Museum Shop

An extensive and eclectic selection of gift items, textiles, jewelry, and books inspired by the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens and Museum collections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about visiting Dumbarton Oaks, the gardens, and museum

Accessibility

Dumbarton Oaks welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities.

Getting Here

Parking

Dumbarton Oaks does not have parking facilities for visitors. Two-hour street parking is available. There is no time limit on Sunday, but the District of Columbia is efficient about ticketing over the two-hour limit in this zone on weekdays and Saturdays. Additional parking information can be found on the Georgetown tourism website.

Bus

D.C. Metrobus routes 31, 33, 30N, and 30S, and the Georgetown Circulator, have a stop at Wisconsin Avenue and R Street. Metrobus routes D1, D2, and D3 stop at Q and 31st Streets, and the G2 route stops at P and 31st Streets.

Metro

The Dupont Circle metro station (red line) and the Foggy Bottom-GWU metro station (blue/orange/silver lines) are closest to Dumbarton Oaks. Visitors may either walk from the stations, or transfer to a Metrobus: D1, D2, D3, D6, and G2 (Dupont Circle), and 31, 33, 30N, 30S, and Georgetown Circulator (Foggy Bottom-GWU).

Bicycle

Dumbarton Oaks offers secure bicycle racks at the entrances to both the museum and gardens. The nearest Capital Bikeshare station is located two blocks from the museum entrance, at Wisconsin Avenue and 34th Street.

Airports

Three airports serve the DC metropolitan area. In order of distance from Dumbarton Oaks, these are: Reagan National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore–Washington International Airport (BWI). To arrive at Dumbarton Oaks, you can take a taxi, Super Shuttle (from Dulles and BWI), or public transportation.

  • From Reagan National, take the blue line to the Foggy Bottom-GWU metro station.
  • From Dulles, take the Dulles International Silver Line Express bus to the Wiehle-Reston East metro station (silver line); take the silver line to the Foggy Bottom-GWU metro station.
  • From Baltimore–Washington, there are two options: (1) Take the B30 bus to the Greenbelt metro station (green line), and then change to the orange/blue/silver lines at the Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter metro station in order to arrive at Foggy Bottom-GWU. (2) Alternatively, take a Marc or Amtrak train from BWI to Union Station, and take the red line to the Dupont Circle metro station.