Smithsonian Museum Support Center
The Smithsonian Institution's Museum Support Center (MSC) is a collections storage and conservation facility in Suitland, Maryland, which houses Smithsonian collections which are not on display in the museums. Look for it in Silver Hill. It dates from 1983.
A museum inside Silver Hill
Camp Springs is the nearest base
Camp Springs is 3 miles southeast, with 8 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 36 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 67–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) has airline service, about 5 miles from Smithsonian Museum Support Center.
Established in 1983
Smithsonian Museum Support Center dates from 1983. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The year’s weather
Pick a month for Smithsonian Museum Support Center from the weather below.
Smithsonian Museum Support Center
The Smithsonian Institution's Museum Support Center (MSC) is a collections storage and conservation facility in Suitland, Maryland, which houses Smithsonian collections which are not on display in the museums. It is not usually open to the public, due to security concerns, though occasionally special tours are organized.
More than 54 million collections items are housed at the MSC. This comprises approximately 40 percent of the Smithsonian's collection which is not on display, while the rest of the objects are housed behind-the-scenes in the museums themselves or at other off-site storage facilities.
- Type
- Museum
- Established
- 1983
- Wikipedia readers
- 2.2K a year
Places to stay near Smithsonian Museum Support Center
The first towns with rooms are Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3Smithsonian Institution
- 4Arlington National Cemetery
- 5United States Triumphal Arch
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Northwest Stadium
- 8Ford's Theatre
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Smithsonian Museum Support Center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Hill | in town | — | — | 5,193 | $323K | — |
| Washington | 6 mi northwest | 10 min | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 9 mi west | 15 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Alexandria | 8 mi west | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Lake Arbor | 7 mi northeast | 10 min | 13 13 hotels | 14,335 | $461K | — |
| National Harbor | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| College Park | 11 mi north | 15 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| Bethesda | 14 mi northwest | 20 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Make a day of it near Smithsonian Museum Support Center
Pair a visit with these, within 8 miles.
Big draw16 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw26 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw36 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw47 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw57 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw67 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw76 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest Stadium
Big draw86 mi National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a yearPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Know before you visit Smithsonian Museum Support Center
Is Smithsonian Museum Support Center in Silver Hill?
Yes. It’s inside Silver Hill, MD.
When is the best time to visit Smithsonian Museum Support Center?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 67–83°.
How far is Smithsonian Museum Support Center from Baltimore?
About 36 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Smithsonian Museum Support Center?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 5 miles away.
Where should I stay near Smithsonian Museum Support Center?
Washington (6 mi, 247 places to stay), Arlington (9 mi, 58 places to stay) and Alexandria (8 mi, 44 places to stay).
Notes from people in Silver Hill
Be the first to share a tip in Silver Hill’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.