Washington DC museums offer visitors the opportunity to visit some of the world's most famous museums. Most of these museums are located along A majority of the Smithsonian Museums are located on the National Mall and are free of charge to visit. Among these museums along the Mall are the Smithsonian Institution Visitor Center, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Arts & Industries Building, Freer Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, National Air & Space Museum, The National Gallery of Art , National Museum of African Art, National Museum of African American History, National Museum of American History, National Museum of American Art, National Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of the American Indian. The National Portrait Gallery, National Postal Museum , the National Zoological Park (National Zoo) and Anacostia Museum are Smithsonian Museums located away from the mall in other areas of the District. The Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum is located near Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.
Also in Washington D.C. are other major public museums not associated with Smithsonian. They include the National Building Museum, Ford's Theatre & Lincoln Museum, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Additionally downtown there are several privately owned museums which charge admission for entry. These include; the International Spy Museum, The Newseum, and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
Several museums are located in suburban Virginia. Alexandria is home to the Alexandria Archeology Museum and Fort Ward Museum and Park. The National Marine Corps Museum is located in Quantico about 30 minutes south of the city and the Fairfax Museum & Visitors Center and the National Firearms Museum are located in Fairfax as well as the previously noted Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum.