About NIA

Visitor Information

NIA Locations

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is based at the main campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and various other locations throughout the Greater Washington, D.C./Baltimore Metropolitan Area.

NIH Campus - Bethesda, MD

The NIA offices located at the NIH Campus at Building 31C, 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland include the Office of the Director; Office of International Activities; Office of Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation; Office of Communications and Public Liaison; and the Office of Administrative Management; and the Financial Management Branch. The Brain Physiology and Metabolism section is located in Building 35, and the Laboratory of Neurogenetics is located in Building 10. For NIA's NIH Campus mailing address, refer to NIA's Contact Us page.

Gateway Building - Bethesda, MD

The Gateway Building, located at 7201 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland, is approximately 1.5 miles south of the NIH Campus. The Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, an IRP program,is located in the Gateway Building. Both NIA's Extramural Research Program areas and administrative offices are housed here, including the Office of Biological Resources and Resource Development, Office of Research Resources and Development, Division of Extramural Activities, Grants and Contracts Management Office, and the Scientific Review Office. NIA's extramural programs include:

IRP - Baltimore, MD

The Intramural Research Program (IRP) comprises 11 scientific laboratories, a clinical research branch, a research resources support branch, and 2 sections. Research is conducted in several sites; most of the laboratories are based at the Gerontology Research Center and the Triad Technology Center on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus in Baltimore, Maryland. The Clinical Research Branch’s Advanced Studies in Translational Research on Aging (ASTRA) Unit is located at Harbor Hospital, a few miles south of the Bayview Campus in Baltimore, Maryland. The Brain Physiology and Metabolism Section and the Laboratory of Neurogenetics are located on the NIH main campus in Bethesda, MD, and the Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry is located in the Gateway Building in Bethesda, MD. Directions to our various locations are located at: http://www.grc.nia.nih.gov/visitors/visitinfo.htm.

Driving Directions

To NIA at the Gateway Building

From Baltimore and Points North of Washington, DC: Take I-95 south towards Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), proceed west towards Silver Spring/Bethesda. From the Beltway (I-495), take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. Proceed on Route 355 towards Bethesda, and pass NIH Campus (located on the right at South Drive). Turn left at Willow Drive, and proceed to the visitor's parking garage immediately on the left.

From Virginia and Points South of Washington, DC: Take I-95 north toward Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), head north toward Silver Spring/Bethesda. From the Beltway (I-495), take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. Proceed on Route 355 towards Bethesda, and pass NIH Campus (located on the right at South Drive). Turn left at Willow Drive, and proceed to the visitor's parking garage immediately on the left.

From Baltimore-Washington International Airport: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway south towards Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), proceed west towards Silver Spring/Bethesda. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. Proceed on Route 355 towards Bethesda, and pass NIH Campus (located on the right at South Drive). Turn left at Willow Drive, and proceed to the visitor's parking garage immediately on the left.

From Dulles International Airport: Take the Dulles Airport Access Road east for approximately 13 miles. Exit onto I-495 (Capital Beltway), heading north to Bethesda/Baltimore. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. Proceed on Route 355 towards Bethesda, and pass NIH Campus (located on the right at South Drive). Turn left at Willow Drive, and proceed to the visitor's parking garage immediately on the left.

From Ronald Reagan National Airport: Take the George Washington Parkway north for approximately 5 miles. Exit onto I-495 (Capital Beltway), heading north to Maryland. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. Proceed on Route 355 towards Bethesda, and pass NIH Campus (located on the right at South Drive). Turn left at Willow Drive, and proceed to the visitor's parking garage immediately on the left.

To NIA at the NIH Campus

From Baltimore and Points North of Washington, DC: Take I-95 south towards Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), proceed west towards Silver Spring/Bethesda. From the Beltway (I-495), take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. At the fifth traffic light, turn right onto South Drive, and follow the signs to visitor's parking.

From Virginia and Points South of Washington, DC: Take I-95 north toward Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), head north toward Silver Spring/Bethesda. From the Beltway (I-495), take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. At the fifth traffic light, turn right onto South Drive, and follow the signs to visitor's parking.

From Baltimore-Washington International Airport: Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway south towards Washington, DC. At I-495 (Capital Beltway), proceed west towards Silver Spring/Bethesda. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. At the fifth traffic light, turn right onto South Drive, and follow the signs to visitor's parking.

From Dulles International Airport: Take the Dulles Airport Access Road east for approximately 13 miles. Exit onto I-495 (Capital Beltway), heading north to Bethesda/Baltimore. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. At the fifth traffic light, turn right onto South Drive, and follow the signs to visitor's parking.

From Ronald Reagan National Airport: Take the George Washington Parkway north for approximately 5 miles. Exit onto I-495 (Capital Beltway), heading north to Maryland. From I-495, take Exit 34 (Route 355, or Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike), and proceed south towards Washington/Bethesda. At the fifth traffic light, turn right onto South Drive, and follow the signs to visitor's parking.

Parking Information

The Gateway Building

Hourly visitor parking is available in the garage located under the Gateway Building. Turn on to Willow Drive and the parking garage is immediately on the left. Drive down to the attendant station for pricing information.

Parking meters are available across the street from the Gateway Building. Turn on to Willow Drive and turn right at the second entrance into the metered lot.

Handicapped accessible parking is available in both the Gateway Building underground parking garage and outdoor metered parking lot.

The NIH Campus

For parking information at the NIH Campus, see the Office of Research Services Division of Travel and Transportation Services. Additional parking information is available on NIH's Web site. See:

To locate Building 31, see the NIH Campus Map.

Metro Transit Information

Visitors can take the MetroRail to both the Gateway Building and the NIH Campus via the Red Line (see MetroRail System Map). The closest MetroRail station to the Gateway Building is the Bethesda Station, located at 7450 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. The MetroRail station at Medical Center is located in front of the NIH Campus.