05 Smithsonian Institution Free Access
The Smithsonian Institution remains the crown jewel of American museums, and it fundamentally operates on a policy of free admission.
If you plan a retirement trip to Washington, D.C., you can enter any of the 21 Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, completely free of charge.
However, you do not necessarily need to travel to the nation’s capital to benefit. The Smithsonian operates two free museums in New York City (the National Museum of the American Indian George Gustav Heye Center and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum).
Additionally, the Smithsonian maintains an extensive “Affiliate” network spanning 46 states. While affiliates typically charge their own admission fees, they frequently host Smithsonian-sponsored free community days, traveling exhibits, and local lecture series that cost nothing to attend.