Newseum
Speciality MuseumsHistory Museums
This location was reported permanently closed
About
Find out for yourself why everyone is calling the Newseum the best experience Washington, D.C. has to offer. Each of the seven levels in this magnificent building is packed with interactive exhibits that increase understanding of the importance of a free press and the First Amendment. Visitors experience the story of news, the role of a free press in major events in history, and how the core freedoms of the First Amendment — religion, speech, press, assembly and petition — apply to their lives. Whether you have just a few hours or want to spend all day, you'll find something for everyone in the family in the Newseum's 15 theaters and 15 galleries.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown
How to get there
  • Archives • 4 min walk
  • Judiciary Square • 6 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles8,737 reviews
Excellent
6,834
Very good
1,424
Average
328
Poor
108
Terrible
43

Shaina Leis Rightnour
Los Angeles, CA4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
My husband and I still talk about this museum! We spent a full day and a half here, fully immersed in all the exhibits. I can't believe it's closed :(
Written 5 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ColinLauw
Singapore, Singapore24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Family
Sad to hear this gem of a place closed down.
It was a place to bring my kids to understand what media n freedom of speech meant in USA. Unfortunately for USA, todays media is such poor imitations of the past, belittling each other, bullying n bickering, never listening. Their journalists seemed to learn all the worst things to from their childhood “playground”.
Written 8 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy C
222 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021 • Friends
A good collection of interesting items. The two best items IMO were the antenna from the top of the World Trade Center and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s desk. On this latest visit I couldn’t find the desk so it might have been moved to another museum. The antenna was recovered from the rubble at ground zero in NYC. It spans several floors and can be viewed in its entirety. Very nice addition.
Written 15 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

smiller324
Indianapolis, IN38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
I have been to the Newseum about 4 times and each time they continue to amaze me with their incredible artifacts, educational resources, and incredible work they put into their museum! They have a great gift shop, incredible exhibits, and it's a place for everyone! One of the times I went, they had Lady Gaga's meat dress and that made my entire trip, lol :)
Written 9 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kelseybundra
151 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019 • Friends
When I went to visit the Newseum, I was the news editor of my college newspaper. It was so important to learn about journalism, politics, and this country’s history. It was the best museum I have visited. It’s a shame it’s closing/closed.
Written 23 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CookseyMom
Prosper, TX250 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
My husband, kids (14, 12, 10) and I thought this was one of the best stops in DC. Their exhibit about the Berlin Wall was incredible, as well as the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings. So sorry that it has closed, and hope it will reopen in a new space soon so others can see the great exhibits!
Written 3 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SDTravelMom
San Diego, CA346 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
If you stop at every exhibit, you'll never finish in a day. Also, it might be wise to go later in the day. Place was packed with school kids, who were not being supervised. However, the content is amazing! I'm very, very glad I was able to make it here during this visit.
Written 27 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bill P
Atlanta, GA287 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Great architecture, but bad museum design. In radio, dead air is not good; in print, to much white space is not good; here there was too much space wasted. When I saw the previous version in Virginia, I was astounded. As a former journalist, war correspondent and crusading investigative reporter, this monument to the first amendment was an essential pilgrimage before they shuttered and relinquished the structure to Johns Hopkins. I was disappointed by the reliance on hi-tech and the limited space to display more items.
Written 16 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike J
20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
Ok the First Amendment is on the side of the building in stone.

Staff are very friendly. There's a viewing platform which gives you a good view of the Capitol Building down Pennsylvania Avenue. The museum covers issues relating to freedom of speech and their publications in America and their influence. The desk that Jon Stewart sat behind for the Daily Show was there and also the radio antennae thing from the top of one of the World Trade Center towers. Obviously looking a bit bent.

There was also an exhibition showing loads of Pullitzer Prize winning photos. These range from the what's that about and why did it win to very moving photos, some documenting man's inhumanity to man. I can't remember if there were any Nazi concentration camp pictures but one from central America and another from South Africa brought tears to the eyes - how could people do that? The South African picture related to a man who had had a tyre filled with petrol put around his neck and lit. The picture was taken a few minutes later when he'd tried, in flames, running away and someone put a machete through his skull. He was still kneeling, presumably alive at this point with the machete still in his skull. Yeah - right, okay. You get the idea. But well worth a look.
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jacob_613
Ottawa, Canada9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
I have been to many museums in the US and abroad but this is probably the best I have ever visited. It is also doing an important educational service around the first amendment and importance and evolution of a free press. Heard it was closing after my visit and could not believe this sad news!
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Newseum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor