Our gorgeous capital is all about history and culture, so what better choice for your Washington DC wedding than a museum? There is just something oh so romantic about hosting your best day ever in a museum or gallery, thanks to stunning decor and architecture, a rich history, intimate spaces, and such unique photo opportunities!

Would you believe there are over 100 museums in DC? We’re lucky to have so much history and heritage right on our doorstep, and many of these locations also provide venue hire for weddings. You can host both your ceremony and reception in a DC museum, which is not only fun but also really convenient for you and your guests. 

So to help you get started, here are some of the best museum wedding venues in Washington DC! For couples planning a DC wedding and looking for something totally unique, you’ll love the rich culture and elegance of these special spaces. 

1. National Museum of American History

Home to iconic treasures like the ruby slippers worn in The Wizard of Oz, the National Museum of American History is seriously one of the most iconic spaces in the city for a grand wedding. 

You can choose from several incredible spaces, including the Flag Hall, which is home to the original flag that inspired our national anthem and can host up to 350 for a seated dinner. Or, smaller events are great in the Presidential Reception Suite. Hosting up to 70, this cozy and intimate space is wood-paneled and so beautiful — and yes, it’s been used for many presidential functions!

Or, for a killer outdoor location with views of the Washington Monument, the Rooftop Terrace is gorgeous on a balmy summer night and can host up to 350. Trust me, at sunset, this is absolutely the best place to be in the city for romantic couples’ portraits, the city illuminated behind you in soft golden light! 

No matter which space you go for, you can personalize it with colored lights, florals, and styling and they have an amazing team of event managers and stylists to help you out. 

National Museum of American History wedding photos are always so elegant, as we can take portraits walking around the exhibits but also outside, showcasing the museum’s marble exterior, a breathtaking mix of Neoclassical and modern design. 

2. National Postal Museum

One of the most unique wedding venues in DC has to be the National Postal Museum! Built in 1914 in the classic Beaux Arts style, we’ll be sure to take some candid images in front of the museum’s stonework and oversized bay windows. 

Located next to Union Station, you can choose from two totally different spaces: the Historic Lobby, with grand columns, rosette ceilings, and marble floors, or the Atrium, a light and airy space with skylights and historic airmail planes suspended in the air–so cool!!

The Historic Lobby, seating up to 225, is the ideal place for a formal wedding with elegance — with golden chandeliers and historic post boxes, this space looks so dreamy in photos. The Atrium can seat up to 100 and is such a fun and creative space, bathed in natural light and packed with lots of historic exhibits that you and your guests can check out. Both spaces are truly one of a kind!

There are a limited number of National Postal Museum weddings per year and always on Saturdays, so just take that into account if you’re still finalizing your date!

3. Dumbarton House

Dumbarton House is a federal period mansion in Georgetown, built in 1799. Open to the public as a history museum, this gorgeous home and its gardens are also available as a wedding venue!

If you love the idea of combining a garden ceremony with the heritage of being in a historic museum, this space is just perfect for you. This space was named ‘Best Wedding Venue’ by the Washington Post Express and it’s easy to see why. With red brick walls, lush gardens, and decadent interior spaces, Dumbarton House weddings are like a fairytale come to life.

There are several outdoor terraces and courtyards you can choose from, including an elegant white-tented outdoor space for a spring or summer reception under the stars. Or, the Belle Vue Room is such a gorgeous ballroom, with space for up to 80 guests (or it can be combined with the tented courtyard to host up to 160). 

Featuring soaring Palladium windows, gold chandeliers, and soft yellow walls, you and your guests will absolutely love The Belle Vue Room’s federal-style, ideal for formal wear and florals!

4. International Spy Museum

If you’re searching for museum wedding spaces in Washington DC like no other, you have to check out the International Spy Museum. This super cool space is all about espionage and is always so popular with tourists in DC — but you can also host your celebrations here!

Both the Rooftop Terrace, with views of all the major DC landmarks, and the elegant 7th Floor Ballroom, a luxury space with so much natural light, are ideal spots for your ceremony and reception. The city views in both spots are already so stunning, so you really don’t need to spend much on styling or florals (unless you want to, of course!).

An International Spy Museum wedding is perfect for couples seeking a seriously cool space with amazing city views. Plus, we can create such fun imagery here as we walk around and check out the exhibits. The eye-catching exterior architecture of the museum will also look amazing in your photos, with bold red lines and dramatic diagonals.

As another totally unique feature, the museum can help you add special guests to come along to your reception, offering your guests fortune telling, handwriting analysis, or even celebrity look-alike performers. The wedding planning team here is stellar and always delivers such stylish and romantic weddings!

5. Decatur House

Part of the White House Historical Association, the Decatur House is a former residence built in the early 1800s. It’s now a museum of White House history and also a stylish wedding space, with beautifully renovated interiors and brick courtyards.

Right in Lafayette Square and next to the White House, Decatur House is in one of DC’s most prestigious neighborhoods, perfect for an elegant and fabulous celebration! The red brick courtyard, surrounded by manicured gardens, is such a great place for an outdoor ceremony and it can also be transformed, via a chic clear marquee, into your reception space. 

Or, dance the night away in the Carriage House, a stylish ballroom with arched ceilings and a lovely blue and white color palette. Planning a smaller celebration? No problem, as there are also a few historic parlor rooms, with original period styling, that are ideal for elopements! 

And with so much history and elegance, Decatur House wedding photos are epic! Both the interior and exterior spaces here are gorgeous for photography — in the home, the polished hardwood floors, fireplaces, and vaulted ceilings will add such a sense of place to your images. Outside, the light-filled courtyard and garden spaces are just a dream for taking romantic images.

6. Renwick Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum 

Renwick Gallery is one of the best art gallery wedding locations in DC! This beautiful gallery is dedicated to traditional American arts and craftsmanship and is also a National Historic Landmark. Originally built in 1859 but renovated in 2015, this gallery is a historic space but with the benefit of modern amenities! The Renwick is technically part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and both spaces are actually ideal for weddings.

The Grand Salon, which is the stunning focal point of the Renwick, has 4,000 square feet of event space and can be rented out for your wedding. Although they don’t offer in-house catering or styling, the team here can supply a list of preferred contractors, so it’s still easy to get everything organized. 

Within the Smithsonian American Art Museum, you also have a range of awesome options — the stunning Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard can seat up to 850 guests and is a truly spectacular space, a sparkling contemporary ballroom with a glass canopy.

Or, the Luce Center can seat up to 300 and is an elegant space with marbled floors and a huge skylight within a sculpture gallery. Smaller weddings are just made for the Portico, an intimate outdoor space for up to 40 that’s designed to look like the Pantheon in Athens!

Whether you go for the Renwick or the American Art Museum, your art gallery wedding images or even DC engagement photos will be so unique! We can stroll through the gallery and take such fun and romantic photos with some of the artwork in the background, which will add a pop of color and texture to your photos! 

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As your Washington DC wedding photographer, I’m all about capturing your best day ever in one of our city’s fabulous museums. Reach out and let’s start planning!