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Study Tours

Study Tours

Smithsonian Associates Study Tours takes the educational intent of our fabulous programming outside the classroom and on the road!

About our tours

Each tour is led by one of our Study Leaders with expertise in the subject matter along with a Smithsonian Representative to handle all the logistics and comforts of the group. The study leader imparts knowledge both formally and informally throughout the tour, with methods that can include a background lecture, handout materials, narrating site visits, and stimulating social engagement with all participants during the course of the tour.

Tour types

Study tours include day bus trips, multi-day and overnight tours, and shorter neighborhood walks or visits to specific sites. We offer over 70 study tours each year, and we hope you will join us!

Select a tour type to learn more:

Day bus tours visit destinations as close as Capitol Hill and as far as New York City or Maryland's Eastern Shore. Topics for these tours are wide-ranging and cover subjects such as military history, art, architecture, railroading, horticulture, gastronomy, and literature.

Popular tours have included:

  • Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater
  • John Wilkes Booth's Escape Route
  • Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
  • Sultana Cruise & Historic Chestertown
  • The Cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Overnight tours give Study Leaders the opportunity to take a group a greater distance from Washington, DC. Study Leaders spend more time with participants and explore the subject in greater detail. The majority of these tours depart from Washington, DC, however for some tours the group meets at the destination.

Popular tours have included:

  • Best of Brooklyn, New York
  • Berkshires Summer Sampler
  • Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago
  • Corning Museum of Glass
  • West Virginia Railroad Spectacular

Walking and on-site tours last two to three hours. Participants meet directly at the tour destination and spend time with the Study Leader exploring that particular subject or neighborhood.

Popular tours have included:

  • Inside Smithsonian Libraries
  • Architecture on the National Mall
  • Dupont Circle and Embassy Row
  • Sunrise Hike at Great Falls
  • Roosevelt Island Walks

Resources

Meet your Study Leaders

All upcoming Study Tours

Programs 1 to 5 of 26
A Day at SERC
Friday, ​April 18, 2025 - ​7:30 a.m. ​to 4:30 p.m. ET​
In-Person Tour
Register

The 2,650-acre campus of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, Maryland, encompasses a mix of forests, farmland, wetlands, and shoreline and is home to some of the world’s most enduring environmental research projects. Spend the day with SERC’s expert staff as you explore this environmental research hub and learn about its cutting-edge ecological studies.

Two of Virginia's Historic Gardens: Oak Spring and Blandy Experimental Farm
Friday, ​April 25, 2025 - ​7:30 a.m. ​to 5:30 p.m. ET​
In-Person Tour
Register

Historic Garden Week in Virginia offers the opportunity to visit beautiful homes and gardens in the state, ranging from classic to modern. Horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey leads this tour of Oak Spring, the former home of philanthropists Paul Mellon and Rachel “Bunny” Mellon which is usually closed to the public, and the University of Virginia’s Blandy Experimental Farm, which includes the State Arboretum of Virginia.

Outdoor Arizona: Geology, Architecture, and Natural Beauty
Saturday, ​April 26, ​2025 - 6:00 p.m., ​to Thursday, ​May 1, ​2025 - 4:00 p.m. ET​
In-Person Overnight Tour
Register

From the desert gardens to the red rocks of Sedona, the northern mountains to the depths of the Grand Canyon, this 6-day spring adventure offers outdoor enthusiasts an itinerary filled with education and scenic beauty led by geologist and study tour leader Wayne Ranney.

Chincoteague and Assateague
Sunday, ​April 27, ​2025 - 7:00 a.m., ​to Monday, ​April 28, ​2025 - 9:15 p.m. ET​
In-Person Overnight Tour
Register

Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge are home to natural splendor, cultural treasures, and coastal charm. Spend two days with naturalist and educator Liana Vitali immersed in island life, exploring the natural wonders the barrier islands have to offer—and hear the lore of the Chincoteague ponies’ origin.

Southwest Washington
Friday, ​May 2, 2025 - ​10:00 a.m. ​to 12:00 p.m. ET​
In-Person Tour
Register

Washington, D.C.'s Southwest Waterfront is a study in contrasts: The neighborhood retains some of the most historic architecture in the federal capital and boasts one of the largest private development projects in the city, the District Wharf. Laid out by the Carroll family in the 1770s, the neighborhood teemed with commercial activity by the 1830s. In the mid-20th century, huge swaths of the area were demolished in the name of urban renewal. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a tour of the historic neighborhood.