Tickets

Reserving tickets ahead of your visit offers several benefits, including:

• Immersive experience with the new National Archives permanent exhibit, The American Story. The unique barcode on your ticket will activate an interactive experience in the new exhibit.
• Reduced wait times: Reserving tickets ahead of time can reduce your wait times at the entrance to the museum and outside of the Rotunda. This is especially true during the museum’s busy months of March-April and June-August.
• Improved crowd management: Spreading visitors throughout the day prevents overcrowding in popular galleries, which improves safety and comfort.
• Enhanced visitor experience: A less crowded environment allows for more time to engage with exhibits in the National Archives Museum.

Reserving a ticket to the National Archives Museum is not required— all visitors are welcome! However, we encourage visitors to reserve either a free general admission ticket or $1 timed-entry ticket online in advance.

You can book your free general admission ticket or $1 timed-entry ticket online in advance. The system will show you real-time availability for dates and entry time slots. You will receive an e-ticket via email or text.

Yes, you can still arrive at the museum without a ticket. However, we encourage all visitors to book a free general admission ticket or a $1 timed-entry ticket online to guarantee entry for their preferred date and time and take advantage of the museum’s new personalization system.

Wait times to enter the building and visit the National Archives Rotunda vary based on the time of year. It can take up to an hour or more to enter the building without a timed-entry ticket during heavy visitor traffic periods. These typically include public holidays, including the Fourth of July; the months of March, April, and May; Thanksgiving weekend; and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Visitors with general admission tickets can arrive between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the day listed on your ticket and may remain in the museum until the building closes at 5:30 p.m.

Please note, there may be wait times to enter the building and visit the Rotunda during heavy visitor traffic periods. It is recommended that visitors arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the building closing to ensure enough time to experience the exhibit.

Donors of the National Archives Foundation receive access to a special reserved pool of timed-entry tickets via a link sent to each donor's email address on file. Donors may also visit the information desk in the museum to reserve timed-entry tickets.

We cannot guarantee immediate entry if you arrive after your scheduled entry time. You may be asked to wait for the next available time slot, which is subject to capacity. To get through security, individuals and groups of six or fewer should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their entry time and groups of seven or arrive at least 30 minutes prior to their entry time.

• The initial release of tickets in November 2025 will be through February 2026. 
• March - May 2026 tickets will be released on February 2, 2026 at 11 a.m. ET
• June - September 2026 tickets will be released on May 4, 2026 at 11 a.m. ET

Every 15 minutes between 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Education and school groups can visit the Museum Education website for the latest information regarding museum tours and classroom programs at the National Archives Museum. Learn more about Field Trips at the National Archives.

• If you book individual tickets for each person, you can choose a separate category of interest for each person. 
• If you book the group in one reservation, each person will receive a ticket, but the categories of interest will be the same for everyone.