The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum requires free timed passes only for the Permanent Exhibition.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
For Washington Holocaust Museum tickets, the rule is simple: reserve a timed pass for the Permanent Exhibition, but do not expect to pay museum admission. The museum most travelers mean is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the national memorial at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW in Washington, DC.
A ticket is not a general admission ticket for the whole building. The pass controls entry into The Holocaust, the museum’s Permanent Exhibition, while Daniel’s Story and other special exhibitions do not require that same timed-entry pass under the museum’s current ticket rules.
How Do Holocaust Museum Timed Passes Work In DC?
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum timed passes control entry to the Permanent Exhibition, not the whole museum building. You can enter the building and see some exhibitions without that timed pass, but the Permanent Exhibition needs a reserved entry time.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET, and the last entrance into the Permanent Exhibition is 4:30 p.m. ET. Same-day passes are limited and released online at 7 a.m. ET, so the safer plan is to reserve ahead when your Washington, DC, date is fixed.
For the ticket step, check timed-entry availability after you read the rules:
What Tickets Cost And What They Cover
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum tickets are free, with one small online transaction fee when reserved through Etix. The main decision is not price; the decision is whether your visit includes the Permanent Exhibition.
The current public ticket system has several paths depending on what you want to see and how many people are visiting.
| Ticket Or Entry Type | What It Covers | Current Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent Exhibition timed-entry pass | Entry to The Holocaust Permanent Exhibition at an assigned time | Free; $1 Etix transaction fee for online reservations |
| Same-day online pass | Limited day-of access released online at 7 a.m. ET | Free; $1 Etix transaction fee online |
| General museum building entry | Entry to the museum building without access to the Permanent Exhibition | Free; no timed pass listed |
| Daniel’s Story | Entry to the family-focused exhibition inside the museum | Free; no timed pass required |
| Other special exhibitions | Entry under the museum’s standard special-exhibition policy | Free unless the museum posts a separate rule |
| Small group reservation | General ticketing system for groups smaller than 55 people, up to 25 tickets per transaction | Free; $1 Etix transaction fee online |
| School or tour group reservation | Group system for school and tour groups of 55 or more people | No admission fee stated by the museum |
| Auschwitz exhibition reservation | A separate ticket path to be posted by the museum when ready | Not posted yet on the museum ticket page |
The museum’s official admission and tickets page says free timed-entry tickets are required only for the Permanent Exhibition, online reservations carry a $1 Etix transaction fee, and tickets for the current Permanent Exhibition will not be available to the public during construction that begins in January 2027 and runs to 2029.
Booking Window, Same-Day Passes, And Group Rules
Advance timed-entry passes are the better choice for fixed travel dates, school breaks, and busy National Mall days. Same-day passes can work for flexible travelers, but they are limited and go online early.
Use this order when planning:
- Reserve the Permanent Exhibition pass before your trip if your date is set.
- Use the 7 a.m. ET same-day release only as a backup.
- Choose a morning or early-afternoon slot if the Permanent Exhibition is your main museum stop.
- Book smaller groups through the general ticketing system, since the museum lists 25 advance tickets per transaction.
- Use the group reservation system only for school and tour groups of 55 or more people.
Timing tip: The ticket time is not the time to arrive at the National Mall. Build in time for transit, walking, and security screening before your Permanent Exhibition slot.
Planning Your Visit Around The Entry Time
A timed pass works best when the museum is the anchor of your day, not a stop squeezed between two distant plans. The Permanent Exhibition is serious, text-heavy, and emotionally demanding, so a rushed visit weakens the point of reserving the pass.
Many visitors pair the museum with nearby National Mall sites rather than a packed cross-city itinerary. The closest Metro planning usually points toward Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza, with a short walk to the museum entrance.
| Entry Timing | Good Fit | Plan Around It |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | Travelers making the museum the first stop | Arrive early enough to clear entry before the slot |
| Late morning | Visitors who want a full visit without a dawn start | Plan lunch after the Permanent Exhibition |
| Early afternoon | National Mall split days | See outdoor memorials before the museum |
| 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Shorter, focused visits | Do not arrive late; 4:30 p.m. is the last Permanent Exhibition entrance |
| Same-day 7 a.m. ET release | Solo travelers or pairs with flexible plans | Be online right at release time |
| Advance reservation | Families, school-break trips, and fixed itineraries | Reserve as soon as the travel date is firm |
Where To Stay Near The National Mall
Staying near the National Mall, L’Enfant Plaza, Penn Quarter, or the Wharf keeps the museum visit easy because the museum sits southwest of the Mall. A central Washington, DC, hotel also makes it easier to pair the museum with the Lincoln Memorial, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or the Smithsonian museums.
Use a Washington, DC, hotel map after your museum date and timed-entry slot are set:
Which Ticket Should You Choose?
Choose the free Permanent Exhibition timed-entry pass if you want the core United States Holocaust Memorial Museum visit. Skip the timed pass only if you plan to enter the building for Daniel’s Story, other no-pass exhibitions, the shop, cafe, or visitor services.
For most first-time visitors, the right plan is:
- Fixed trip date: reserve an advance Permanent Exhibition timed-entry pass.
- Flexible same-day visit: check the 7 a.m. ET online release.
- Small group: use the general ticketing system and stay within the 25-ticket transaction limit.
- School or tour group of 55 or more: use the museum’s group reservation system.
- Late-day visit: choose a slot before the 4:30 p.m. last-entry cutoff.
The cleanest ticket choice is the free timed-entry pass for the Permanent Exhibition, reserved before you arrive in Washington, DC. The $1 online transaction fee is small; missing your desired time slot costs more in wasted planning time.
References & Sources
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.“Admission and Tickets.”Supports the museum’s timed-entry rule, free admission, Etix transaction fee, same-day release time, group rules, hours, last-entry time, and Permanent Exhibition construction notice.