One day, 3rd visit how’s this?

Question

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies.

We would like to have breakfast at JimmyT’s, and visit the Library of Congress, National Archives, and the Smithsonian Museum of American history.

Our flight arrives at 7:42 am on Thursday. I got 10:15 tickets to LOC and thought we could eat before or after, depending on what time we arrive by metro. Which of the second sites would you advise doing next? I’m not sure because of the timed entry tickets - should we try to guess how long we will stay at LOC and do NA next, or pick a later time so we could enjoy the museum knowing how long we have.

We don’t have a set time to meet our relatives yet.

Answer

Since your flight arrives at 7:42 am and your LOC tickets are for 10:15 am, you have a relatively short window to get from the airport to central DC. Assuming you take the Metro or a quick taxi/Uber, you might be able to have a light breakfast before the LOC visit, or plan to grab breakfast afterward depending on your energy levels and travel timing.

The Library of Congress visit typically takes about 1 to 1.5 hours for most visitors, including time to admire the Main Reading Room, exhibitions, and any highlights you don’t want to miss. That means you would likely finish around 11:30 am or so.

After LOC, you have two other stops planned: National Archives (NA) and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Here’s some guidance for planning:

Option 1 – National Archives next: It’s very close to the LOC and easy to walk. You can estimate spending about 1–1.5 hours here as well. Timing may be tight if you want a more leisurely visit at the American History Museum afterward.
Option 2 – Smithsonian Museum of American History next: If you want a more relaxed experience, consider booking a timed entry at a later hour for NA or visiting it afterward. The American History Museum is larger and can easily take 1.5–2 hours. Visiting this first allows you to enjoy it without feeling rushed.

Since your meeting time with relatives is flexible, a good approach could be:

Arrive at LOC for your 10:15 am tickets.
Finish around 11:30 am, then grab a quick breakfast/lunch snack nearby if you haven’t eaten.
Head to the Smithsonian American History Museum and spend 1.5–2 hours there.
If you still want to visit the National Archives, you can either pop in for a shorter visit afterward or check if a later timed entry is available to fit your schedule.

This plan minimizes backtracking, keeps travel between sites short, and allows you to enjoy each museum without feeling rushed by tight timing constraints. Walking between LOC, National Archives, and the Smithsonian museums is straightforward, making this loop very doable in one day.

One day, 3rd visit how’s this?

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