Have you ever rolled your eyes when someone told you to go to a museum in Washington DC? I know I have. They’re usually so crowded and some of them are highly overrated. But the DEA Museum is an exception to this. It’s one of the most fascinating places in the city (well technically just outside of it) and is so underrated.

Just a note before you plan your trip, the DEA Museum has weird hours. It’s only open Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm and is closed on federal holidays. The museum is actually quite small and you can easily walk through and view all of the exhibits in an hour and it’s also free, making it an easy visit.

The DEA Museum gives a look at the evolution of the growth of drugs in the United States. It discusses the history of drugs, drug abuse and drug law enforcement.
Flickr/Joe Loong
The museum opens with a head shop from the 1970s and then you move through a crack-house door from the 1980s and then you pass a medical marijuana dispensary storefront from the 2000s. It’s meant to show the changing face of drugs in the US.
Facebook/DEA Educational Foundation and Museum
Flickr/Joe Loong
You move into more factual information about the history of drugs, including the opium dens and early folk medicines.
Yelp/ Danny V.
Yelp/Danny V.
The museum is full of artifacts and photographs from the early 1900s to present day.
Facebook/DEA Educational Foundation and Museum

Related Stories

This Medical Museum Near Washington DC Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

This Medical Museum Near Washington DC Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

 Here Are 15 Museums In Washington DC That You Absolutely Must Visit

Here Are 15 Museums In Washington DC That You Absolutely Must Visit

 If There's One Exhibit You Need To See In DC This Summer, Make It This

If There's One Exhibit You Need To See In DC This Summer, Make It This
Yelp/DEA Museum and Visitor Center
There’s an interesting array of smuggling devices confiscated during drug busts and many artifacts undercover DEA agents used.
Flickr/Joe Loong
Flickr/Joe Loong
Parts of the museum can feel like an overt “Don’t Do Drugs” ad. You can read about the famous celebrities like Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Jerry Garcia and how drugs impacted their lives.
Yelp/DEA Museum and Visitor Center
Yelp/DEA Museum and Visitor Center
Overall the museum seeks to educate and honor the DEA. There is an impressive wall honoring DEA agents who have died in the line of duty.
Facebook/DEA Educational Foundation and Museum

The DEA Museum is an easy in, easy out museum where you can learn a lot in a short time through interactive exhibits.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles