Smithsonian is a side platform

Side platform

A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...

ed Washington Metro

Washington Metro

The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...

 station

Metro station

A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....

 at the National Mall

National Mall

The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...

 in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess...

 (WMATA). Providing service for both the Blue

Blue Line (Washington Metro)

The Blue Line of the Washington Metro in the United States consists of 27 rapid transit stations from Franconia–Springfield to Largo Town Center. It has stations in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland...

 and Orange

Orange Line (Washington Metro)

The Orange Line of the Washington Metro consists of 26 rapid transit stations from Vienna to New Carrollton. It has stations in Fairfax County and Arlington, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland. Half of the line's stations are shared with the Blue Line, and over...

 Lines, the station is also scheduled to be on the Silver Line

Silver Line (Washington Metro)

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, formally dubbed the Silver Line, is an extension of the Washington Metro rapid transit system, currently under construction with the goal of providing rapid transit service to Dulles International Airport and Tysons Corner...

 route, which is expected to start operations in 2013. The station's south entrance is at the southwest corner of Independence Avenue and 12th Street, Southwest, the street elevator is at the northwest corner of the same intersection, and the north entrance is on the south side of the Mall near Jefferson Drive, Southwest. The station is named for its proximity to the Smithsonian Institution's

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

 museum

Museum

A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

s and is close to the Washington Monument

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...

, the Tidal Basin and other tourist attractions on and near the National Mall. The station is also near several federal office buildings, including those of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy

United States Department of Energy

The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...

.

The station opened on July 1, 1977. Its opening coincided with the completion of 11.8 miles (19 km) of rail between National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...

 and RFK Stadium

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....

 and the opening of the Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery (Washington Metro)

Arlington Cemetery is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . The station provides service for only the Blue Line, and is located at the entrance...

, Capitol South

Capitol South (Washington Metro)

Capitol South is an island platformed Washington Metro station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Crystal City

Crystal City (Washington Metro)

Crystal City is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Eastern Market

Eastern Market (Washington Metro)

Eastern Market is an island platformed Washington Metro station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Farragut West

Farragut West (Washington Metro)

Farragut West is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Downtown Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Federal Center SW

Federal Center SW (Washington Metro)

Federal Center SW is an island platformed Washington Metro station in an area of Southwest known as the Southwest Federal Center in Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Federal Triangle

Federal Triangle (Washington Metro)

Federal Triangle is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Downtown Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Providing service for both the Blue and Orange Lines, the station's entrance...

, Foggy Bottom–GWU, L'Enfant Plaza

L'Enfant Plaza (Washington Metro)

L'Enfant Plaza is a Washington Metro station in the Southwest Federal Center neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, McPherson Square

McPherson Square (Washington Metro)

McPherson Square is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Downtown Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington Metro)

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia on the Blue and Yellow Lines. The station platform is elevated and covered and is the last above ground station on the Yellow Line in Virginia, heading into Washington, D.C...

, Pentagon

Pentagon (Washington Metro)

Pentagon is a split platformed Washington Metro station located adjacent to The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Pentagon City

Pentagon City (Washington Metro)

Pentagon City is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Pentagon City neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue (Washington Metro)

Potomac Ave is an island platformed Washington Metro station in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C., United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority...

, Rosslyn

Rosslyn (Washington Metro)

Rosslyn is a rapid transit station on the Blue and Orange Lines of the Washington Metro in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. One of three interchange points on the Metrorail system west of the Potomac River and located in a growing business district, Rosslyn is the busiest station...

, and Stadium–Armory stations. Orange Line service to the station began upon the line's opening on November 20, 1978. Near this station, Metro had its first fatalities, which occurred on January 13, 1982 when a train derailed

1982 Washington Metro train derailment

The 1982 Washington Metro train derailment was an incident involving a single Orange Line Washington Metro train during the afternoon rush hour of January 13, 1982, in Downtown Washington, D.C. in the United States...

. On the same day, Air Florida Flight 90

Air Florida Flight 90

Air Florida Flight 90 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia, to Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a stopover at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida...

 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge. The two events closed the federal government

Federal government of the United States

The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...

 in the Washington Metropolitan Area

Washington Metropolitan Area

The Washington Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S...

.

The Smithsonian station was closed all day on the Fourth of July from 2002 to 2008, as its north entrance is within the secure perimeter established around the National Mall during Independence Day

Independence Day (United States)

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...

 events. Metro stopped closing Smithsonian station on July 4 beginning in 2009.

Notable places nearby

• Several Federal Government
  Federal government of the United States
  The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
  
   buildings, including:
  • Bureau of Engraving and Printing
    Bureau of Engraving and Printing
    The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs and produces a variety of security products for the United States government, most notable of which is paper currency for the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve itself is...
    
    
  • United States Department of Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
    The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
    
    
  • United States Department of Energy
    United States Department of Energy
    The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
    
    
• National Mall
  National Mall
  The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
  
  
• Several Smithsonian museums, nearest are:
  • Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
    Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
    The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery joins the Freer Gallery of Art to form the Smithsonian Institution's national museums of Asian art. The Sackler celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2012....
    
    
  • Arts and Industries Building
    Arts and Industries Building
    The Arts and Industries Building is the second oldest of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Initially named the National Museum, it was built to provide the Smithsonian with its first proper facility for public display of its growing collections.The building, designed...
    
    
  • Freer Gallery
  • Hirshhorn Museum
  • National Museum of African Art
    National Museum of African Art
    The National Museum of African Art is a museum that is part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. Located on the National Mall, the museum specializes in African art and culture...
    
    
  • National Museum of American History
    National Museum of American History
    The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
    
    
  • National Museum of Natural History
    National Museum of Natural History
    The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
    
    
  • Smithsonian Institution Building
    Smithsonian Institution Building
    The Smithsonian Castle, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. behind the National Museum of African Art, houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center...
    
     (The "Castle")
• Tidal Basin (where the cherry blossoms
  National Cherry Blossom Festival
  The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington...
  
   bloom)
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the United States' official memorial to the Holocaust. Adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the USHMM provides for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history...
  
  
• Washington Monument
  Washington Monument
  The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
  
  

External links

• WMATA: Smithsonian Station
• StationMasters Online: Smithsonian Station
• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Smithsonian Station
• The Mall Entrance (North Entrance) is at coordinates 38°53′20.7"N 77°1′42.2"W
• The Independence Avenue and 12th Street SW Entrance (South Entrance) is at coordinates 38°53′14.7"N 77°1′42.6"W
• The Street Elevator Entrance is at coordinates 38°53′15.90"N 77°1′42.75"W
• Jefferson Drive entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Independence Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View