The 11 Best Washington DC African American History Tours

1.Guided African American History Tour with Reserved Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,180 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89Our pick

This 3.5-hour Washington tour pairs bus commentary and guided stops at landmarks including Black Lives Matter Plaza, the MLK Memorial and Lincoln Memorial with reserved-entry access to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Guides such as Dre and Elvis have led the tour. The museum visit is independent, and entry availability can change.

“Me and my family had the best experience on the DC African American tour. Dre was ver knowledgeable. He gave us a lot of information we didn’t know about African American history and its history in DC. I will recommend this tour to all my family and friends.”

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2.African American History Tour with Museum of African American History Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

This 3.5-hour small-group tour links Washington’s monuments with Black history, from the Capitol and Marian Anderson’s Lincoln Memorial concert to LeDroit Park and the Frederick Douglass home on selected days. Kenny is a guide associated with the tour. Museum admission, bottled water, and air-conditioned transport are included; the visit ends at the museum.

“Must do it very informative 👍 and glad we did KB touring was worth every penny and I will do it again.”

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3.African American History Tour & Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 312 reviews · 210 minutes - 4 hours · from $89

Travel by air-conditioned bus with an English-speaking guide to landmarks including Howard University, historic U Street, Lincoln Park, and the Lincoln Memorial. Guides on this tour have included Dre and Elvis Pate. Timed entry to the National Museum of African American History and Culture is included, with time to explore it on your own.

“Dre was awesome. Very informative, I learned a lot.”

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4.Walking Tour and African American Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 157 reviews · 3 hours · from $80

Meet your English-speaking guide at Lafayette Square for a three-hour walk past the White House, the Capitol, and the Washington Monument, with stories about African American history in DC. The tour includes a reserved entry time at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which you explore on your own. Guides have included Nur Gray and Dr. Koura Gibson.

“Our tour guide Nur did a fantastic job giving us great insight to the parts of DC that we visited. It was not the best of weather but we really enjoyed the tour! And the museum experience was amazing. So glad we booked- it was the highlight of our visit.”

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5.African American History Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · 2 hours

Meet a private English-speaking guide at the National Museum of African American History and Culture for a two-hour, family-friendly tour. Expect museum highlights, context on African American influence on the National Mall, and stories connecting Black history to global influences and American values. Guides have included Nur Ali Gray, Koura, and Michael.

“This was a guided tour for 5 adults. Nur was about 30 minutes late, however, the tour was excellent. He was knowledgeable, well informed on current events and skillfully guided us through the very busy museum. He spoke clearly over the noise of the crowd.”

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6.DC Landmarks Walking Tour + African American Museum Admission

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $80

Start at Lafayette Square for a guided walk past the White House, US Capitol, and Washington Monument, with stories that connect DC’s landmarks to African American history. A reserved National Museum of African American History and Culture ticket is included. Guides have included Nur, Dr. Koura Gibson, and Dion; the museum visit itself is unguided.

“This isn't about a good or bad review.... because of the protest, we were unable to do the tour. Our tour guide called me and let me know (which was very professional and great to do), he also stated he would make sure I got my refund. So, waiting for refund.”

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7.Private Guided Tour of African American History Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Spend about two hours at the National Museum of African American History and Culture with a private English-speaking guide. Admission is included, and your group is limited to five. Guides named in past tour experiences include Nur, Nona, and Dr. Koura Gibson. Meet at the museum on Constitution Avenue; transportation and food are not included.

“Our tour guide Nur was great. Enjoyable experience and I learned a lot of history. I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about the museum.”

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8.African American Heritage Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 17 reviews · 2 hours · from $90

Spend two hours walking Washington’s U Street Corridor with an English-speaking local guide. Hear about Duke Ellington and the neighborhood’s place in Black cultural life, see his sculpture, and learn about the area once known as Black Broadway. An African American museum ticket is included, though the museum is not named in the tour details.

“The tour was very informative. The tour guide did a great job making stories come to life.”

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9.Private Black History Tour Washington DC for up to 10 Guests

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) Top rated

Start at 9 a.m. with hotel or vacation-home pickup, then visit memorials, Howard University, the U Street Corridor, and other landmarks in a private air-conditioned vehicle. Admission to the National Museum of African American History and Culture is included. Christopher Williams has led the tour, but confirm your guide and how much museum time is planned.

“Wonderful experience with Chris, a D.C. native with a deep knowledge of area history and a keen sense for complex historical anecdote. Also his jokes are good. Skipping the line at the African-American History museum is priceless and the additional sites that Chris includes on the tour are meaningful and probably impossible to visit in so little time without a chauffeured vehicle. You won’t look at some of the monuments the same way after visiting the museum. We are thinking of taking the tour again when our child is older.”

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10.Walking Tour of Still’s Underground Railroad in Alexandria

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $15Best value

In 90 minutes, a guide leads you along downtown Alexandria’s King Street corridor, connecting six Old Town stops to William Still’s accounts of people escaping enslavement. You’ll hear about the city in the 1850s and individual escape stories. The tour starts and ends at 132 N Royal St, costs $15 per person, and takes up to 25 people.

“Loved this tour. The stories were meaningful and we learned a lot while walking through the town. The guide was very well informed and easy to listen to as well.”

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11.Private Tour of Museum of African American History and Culture

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Spend about two hours with a private English-speaking guide at Washington’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Kenny has guided visitors through the museum’s first three floors, including galleries on slavery, freedom, segregation, and civil rights. Wireless headphones help you hear the guide clearly, and admission is included.

“This is a big museum and the tour covers the first three floors. The guide was engaging and fun with personal reflections on the museum from an African American perspective.”

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