Most visited Smithsonian museums and institutions in the U.S. 2023

Among the Smithsonian museums and institutions in the United States, the National Museum of Natural History was the most visited establishment in 2023, with roughly 4.4 million visits. The National Museum of American History followed in the ranking, with around 2.1 million visits that year.

What is the Smithsonian?

The Smithsonian museums are part of the Smithsonian Institution, which belongs to the United States government and was created after the death of Englishman James Smithson in 1829. Despite having never stepped foot in the U.S., he left his entire estate to the United States government for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge”. The Smithsonian Institution was finally established in 1846 and is today the world’s biggest museum and research complex, as well as the largest not-for-profit cultural institution in the United States.

Have Smithsonian museums recovered from the impact of COVID-19?

After dropping to under 3.5 million with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the total number of visits to Smithsonian museums and institutions in the U.S. rose to nearly 18 million in 2023 but remained below pre-pandemic levels. That said, attendance at some institutions recovered from the impact of the health crisis, with the number of visits to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History being nearly five percent higher in 2023 compared to 2019.