In order to cut down on the amount of traffic in the area, most of the museums on the National Mall in D.C. will be closed on Inauguration Day.
This year, Inauguration Day, which is on Monday, Jan. 20, falls on an already designated federal holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The following museums will be closed for the day:
- The National Portrait Gallery
- Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery
- National Postal Museum
For MLK Day, the Anacostia Community Museum in Southeast D.C. will be open and will be celebrating the holiday with free events for visitors. The National Zoo will also stay open on Jan. 20.
The Smithsonian Institution said in recent years the museums have been open, “but fences around buildings and road closures made it very difficult for visitors and staff to get in and out. Reducing the number of people in the area may help with crowd control, security and safety.”
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