WASHINGTON — One of the most popular museums on the National Mall is testing “walk-up Wednesdays” in the month of April.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened to large crowds in September 2016, and until now, visitors have only been able to gain entry with timed passes.
But in April, those who do not have passes may be able to get in on Wednesdays on a first-come, first-served basis.
The goal is to widen access to the museum, said Lonnie G. Burch III, the museum’s director.
“[The program] in April will help us determine how to manage visitor demand,” he said in a statement. “We are honored and humbled to have struck such a chord with our visitors.”
Visitors can try their luck without pretimed passes starting April 4, and continuing on April 11, 18 and 25. Any groups of 10 or more will still need advance passes, and those who already have timed passes are asked to enter at the preselected time.
Due to the new program, same-day, timed entry passes will not be issued on those Wednesdays.
The museum reminds visitors that access is always dependent upon building capacity, and some waits may be unavoidable. The average visitor, according to the museum, spends about 4.5 hours touring exhibits on weekdays.
For more information, visit the National Museum of African American history and Culture’s website.
