Plan a Visit


Entryway to the Interior Museum flanked by banners and flags

Location

Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20240

All visitors must enter through the building's C Street lobby, located on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W. The Interior Museum is located just beyond the visitor processing area.

Hours

The Interior Museum is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Time (closed Federal holidays). For any weather-related or governmental closures, the Interior Museum follows the Federal Government Operating Status for the DC area.

Admission

The Interior Museum and its public events and tours are free of charge. Reservations are not required to visit the museum. Advance reservations are required for the building tours offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.

Security Procedures

All visitors must enter the Udall Building through the C Street lobby, which is located on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W. 

  • All individuals over 18 years of age are required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID to enter the building.
  • All visitors are subject to security screenings, including bag and parcel checks.  Please note that there are no locker facilities for visitors to store belongings.
  • No food or liquid is permitted in the Interior Museum.

The entry process typically takes less than 10 minutes. The Interior Museum is located just beyond the Visitor Processing Center.

Transportation and Parking

  • By Metro
    Farragut West (Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines) and Farragut North (Red Line) are the closest Metro stops. The public entrance to the Udall Building is approximately six blocks south on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W.
  • By Bus
    Several bus routes (including the 80 and S1) traverse 18th or 19th Streets, N.W., or Virginia Avenue, N.W. The closest stops to the Udall Building are at the intersections of Virginia Avenue, C Street, or E Street. 
  • By Car
    • ​Driving Directions from the North
      • Take either 95 or 295 south to the Capitol Beltway, Route 495.
      • Take 495 west towards Northern Virginia.
      • Take Exit 30 (Georgia Avenue/29 South).
      • Proceed approximately 2 miles to 16th Street south. 16th Street veers to the right at this large intersection.
      • Go approximately 10 miles to I (Eye) Street, and turn right.
      • At the fourth light, turn left onto 19th Street, N.W. The entrance to the Udall Building is 6 blocks south on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W.
    • Driving Directions from the South
      • Take 395 North to Washington Boulevard/Memorial Bridge/Pentagon/Arlington Cemetery. Move to the left lane.
      • Cross the Memorial Bridge in the center lane.
      • At the Lincoln Memorial, bear left and follow the road to the left onto Henry Bacon Avenue until it ends at Constitution Avenue. Make a right on Constitution Avenue.
      • Turn left onto 18th Street. The public entrance to the Udall Building is one block north on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W.
    • Driving Directions from Northern Virginia
      • Take I-66 into Washington, staying in the center lane to arrive at Constitution Avenue.
      • Turn left onto 18th Street, N.W.
      • The public entrance to the Udall Building is one block north on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets.
    • Driving Directions from Western Maryland
      • Take 270 South to 495 West toward Northern Virginia.
      • After crossing American Legion Bridge, take the next exit to the George Washington Memorial Parkway heading south toward Washington, D.C.
      • Follow signs to cross the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and end up on Constitution Avenue. 
      • Turn left onto 18th Street, N.W. The public entrance to the Udall Building is one block north on C Street, between 18th and 19th Streets, N.W.
  • Parking
    Metered street parking in the vicinity of the Udall Building is available but limited. Meters operate via the ParkMobile parking app, but most also accept coins and credit cards. There are also several public parking garages located within a few blocks of the building. 
  • By Bike
    A bike rack is located outside the C Street entrance for storing one's personal bicycle. Additionally, several Capital Bikeshare stations are located within two blocks of the Udall Building.
  • By Air
    There are three primary airports serving the Washington, DC, region:
    • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) –  Most convenient and accessible by Metro (the regional public transportation system).
    • Dulles International Airport (IAD) –  Located approximately 26 miles from Washington, DC.
    • Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) –  Located South of Baltimore, approximately 35 miles from Washington, DC.

      Ground Transportation options from the airports include Washington FlyerSuper Shuttle, and Go Airport Shuttle.

Accessibility

An accessible ramp is located at the C Street visitor entrance to the Udall Building. Within the Interior Museum, devices for listening to full audio descriptions of the exhibitions are available to borrow for in-gallery use by contacting the museum. Alternatively, visitors who have personal devices may freely download the audio description app (iOS); the complete audio description tour only functions when on-site at the museum. The 14-minute narrated film is open captioned and audio-described. Additionally, visitors may borrow assistive listening devices for in-gallery use. Tactile elements are included throughout the exhibition galleries. Visitors with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) may borrow EnChroma-enhanced eyewear to aid in seeing an expanded range of colors more clearly and vibrantly during their gallery and/or tour experience.

Accessible restrooms and a Family & All-Gender restroom are located in the corridor by the museum.

For those in need of special assistance (such as an interpreter for the hearing impaired) or inquiries regarding the accessible entrance, please notify museum staff at (202) 208-4743 in advance. Special needs will be accommodated whenever possible.

Photography

Unless otherwise stated, photography and videography are allowed in the Interior Museum so long as the images are taken using existing light only (no flash) and are for personal, noncommercial use.  Photography is not permitted in the non-public areas of the Udall Building. 

Places to Eat

There are a number of eateries within walking distance of the Udall Building. In addition, local restaurants offer pop-up food services in the basement level of the Udall Building from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Thursday. Because only a limited number of meals for walk-up customers are available on a first-come, first-served basis, it is recommended to pre-order through the contractor's website/app, fooda.com and selecting "Stewart Lee Udall Building-DOI" as the location. 

Neighboring Cultural Attractions

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