Host an Event in Washington, DC
With event spaces as diverse as its holdings, and stunning views of both the US Capitol and the National Mall, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is one of the city's premier event venues.
The museum is available for private event rentals for corporate and non-profit organizations, personal and social events, fundraising events for 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, and daytime meetings. The museum can host events ranging from a private dinner for 10 to a full-building rental for 1,500 guests.
For more information and to reserve your space, contact the Office of Special Events at nmai-specialevents@si.edu or 202-633-6982.
Welcome Plaza
Guests' entry experience begins with the museum's landscape and installations, a cascading water feature, and indigenous plant life leading to the Welcome Plaza. The Welcome Plaza and Riverwalk are available for receptions for groups to welcome their guests with hors d'oeuvres and performances as they arrive for your event. The National Native American Veterans Memorial is accessible from the Welcome Plaza and remains open to visitors every day, 24 hours a day.
Outdoor Amphitheater
Accessible from the Potomac Atrium, the Outdoor Amphitheater allows guests to enjoy the landscape during your event. Open the space for a pre-dinner reception or wind down the evening with a dessert reception beside the water feature.
Outdoor Amphitheater | Reception capacity 80 | Seated capacity 100
First Floor
Potomac Atrium
Guests enter the museum into the Potomac Atrium, the museum's main event space. Named for an Algonquian phrase meaning "where the goods are brought in," the Potomac celebrates contemporary Native culture and offers a place for receptions, awards ceremonies, programs, and seated dinners. The sweeping white walls are ideal for decorative lighting, and the space features a built-in wooden dance floor.
Mary Louise and Elmer Rasmuson Theater
With a generous stage and an intimate atmosphere, the Rasmuson Theater is a flexible space that can be used for presentations, lectures, and performances. Rental of the Rasmuson Theater includes access to the greenroom suite and two dressing rooms.
Third Floor
Third Floor Overlook
The Third Floor Overlook is an ideal setting for evening receptions, including a cocktail reception prior to a seated dinner in the Potomac Atrium. Guests have the opportunity to explore the exhibitions on this level.
Fourth Floor
Fourth Floor Overlook
A reception on the Fourth Floor Overlook offers guests access to private lounge spaces, views of the National Mall, and access to the exhibitions on this level.
Fourth Floor Overlook | Reception capacity 250 | Seated capacity 60
Patrons Lounge
The Patrons Lounge is an elegant space for a dinner, luncheon, reception, or other gathering, with unparalleled views of the US Capitol and the National Mall.
Fourth Floor Meeting Rooms
The Fourth Floor Meeting Rooms are available for daytime meetings, luncheons, and presentations. The main meeting space includes use of in-house meeting AV. For an evening event, the meeting rooms can also serve as a private lounge, an office for day-of coordinators, and a staging space for event materials.
Fifth Floor
Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Terrace
Affording guests spectacular views of the US Capitol and the Washington Monument, the Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Terrace is an outdoor space suitable for lunches, receptions, and seated dinners.
Policies and Guidelines
The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, can host the following types of private events:
- Private receptions for corporations, non-profits, and foundations
- Fundraising events for organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
- Personal social events for adults, such as wedding receptions, memorials, anniversary celebrations, and birthday parties for those over the age of 13
- Personal youth events, such as proms, dances, and birthday parties for those over the age of 13
- Business gatherings in non-public spaces
For additional information, please refer to the Policies and Vendor Guidelines for each building.
