Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House

Visitors to the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House today will find a vibrant and active place, often with the happy sounds of schoolchildren on class trips to the National Museum of the American Indian housed in the first three floors of the facility. But this grand building was not built as a museum, or a courthouse. What was its original purpose? The clues are there for the discerning visitor. In its heyday, the Custom House was a bustling place of activity as brokers and customs agents worked together building the wealth of this nation. Here’s a history of the Custom House and the U.S. Customs Service that commanded such a grand location.


Federal building hours:

8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

At the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian hours are:

10 am – 5 pm daily
10 am – 8 pm Thursday