Washington, DC
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
Must-see attractions in Washington, DC
Washington, DC
The legendary exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the Wright brothers' flyer, Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St…
Washington, DC
Two buildings. Hundreds of masterpieces. Infinite enjoyment. It's easy to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, which showcases a whole range…
Washington, DC
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…
National Museum of African American History & Culture
Washington, DC
Located in Washington, DC, the sensational National Museum of African American History & Culture is devoted exclusively to the documentation of African…
Washington, DC
In a city of classic, white-marble monuments, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands out on the National Mall for its stark modernism. Designed by 21-year…
Washington, DC
Set on the south bank of the Tidal Basin amid the cherry trees, this memorial honors the third US president, political philosopher, drafter of the…
Washington, DC
The world's largest library – with 164 million books, manuscripts, maps, photos, films and other items – awes in both scope and design. The centerpiece is…
Washington, DC
It's hard not to feel a little in awe of the big three documents in the Archives: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights…
Reynolds Center for American Art & Portraiture
Washington, DC
The Reynolds Center is one of DC's finest museums. This Smithsonian venue combines the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum into one…
Washington, DC
Want to take a trip around the world? Stroll northwest along Massachusetts Ave from Dupont Circle (the actual traffic circle) and you pass more than 40…
Washington, DC
The country's first modern-art museum (opened in 1921) houses a small but exquisite collection of European and American works. Renoir’s Luncheon of the…
Washington, DC
The highest court in the USA occupies a pseudo-Greek temple protected by 13,000lb bronze doors. Arrive early to watch arguments (periodic Monday through…
Washington, DC
On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln here. Free timed-entry tickets provide access to the site, which has four parts: the…
National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC
Arguably the most popular of the Smithsonian museums, so crowds are pretty much guaranteed. Wave to Henry, the elephant who guards the rotunda, then zip…
National Museum of American History
Washington, DC
Containing all kinds of artifacts of the American experience, this museum has as its centerpiece the flag that flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry during…
Washington, DC
DC's main rail hub, a 1907 beaux-arts beauty designed by Daniel Burnham, is an eye popper. The Grand Concourse is patterned after the Roman Baths of…
Washington, DC
The 2-mile stroll around this constructed inlet incorporates the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson memorials as well as the Floral Library…
Washington, DC
The Smithsonian-run Postal Museum is way cooler than you might think. Level 1 has exhibits on postal history from the Pony Express to modern times, where…
Washington, DC
Dedicated in 2004, this grandiose memorial honors the 16 million US soldiers who served in WWII. Groups of veterans regularly come here to pay their…
Washington, DC
This Smithsonian museum has good rotating exhibitions on the experience of diverse and underserved communities in the USA. They typically focus on art …
National Museum of the American Indian
Washington, DC
Ensconced in an architecturally notable building clad in honey-colored limestone, this museum offers cultural artifacts, videos and audio recordings…
Washington, DC
Peaking at 555ft (and 5in) and composed of 36,000 blocks of stone, the Washington Monument is the district's tallest structure. Political shenanigans…
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Washington, DC
The only US museum exclusively devoted to women’s artwork fills this Renaissance Revival mansion. Its collection – some 5500 works by 1000 female artists…
Washington, DC
Built to resemble London’s Crystal Palace, this garden's iron-and-glass greenhouse provides a beautiful setting to view orchids, ferns and cacti. When you…
Washington, DC
Bard-o-philes will be all aflutter here, as the library holds the world's largest collection of old Billy’s works. Stroll through the Great Hall to see a…
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Washington, DC
The 7.5-acre memorial pays tribute to the longest-serving president in US history. Visitors are taken through four red-granite areas that narrate FDR’s…
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
Washington, DC
Opened in 2011, this was the first Mall memorial to honor an African American. Sculptor Lei Yixin carved the piece, which is reminiscent in concept and…
Washington, DC
In spring, just steps from the fabled cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin, some 10,000 tulips explode in vibrant color in a sweet garden called…
Washington, DC
James Renwick designed this turreted, red-sandstone fairy-tale in 1855. Today the castle houses the Smithsonian Visitor Center, which makes a good first…
Washington, DC
Straddling technology, art and science, this 15,000-sq-ft, three-level state-of-the-art digital gallery mesmerizes with large-scale, interactive, multi…
Washington, DC
Nineteen steel soldiers wander through clumps of juniper past a wall bearing images of the ‘Forgotten War’ that assemble, in the distance, into a panorama of…
Washington, DC
This little oasis of flowers and fountains honors the famed statesman and author of the Commonwealth of Virginia Declaration of Rights (a forerunner to…
Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum
Washington, DC
Before founding the American Red Cross, Clara Barton set up shop in her DC boardinghouse to locate thousands of missing soldiers after the Civil War. You…
Washington, DC
Psychedelic designs cover the facade of this one-time Baptist church, alerting you to the fact that something different is going on here. The 15,000-sq-ft…
Washington, DC
One of DC’s most popular museums, the International Spy Museum delivers fun, interactive exhibits portraying the flashy, over-the-top world of…
Washington, DC
This beautiful park 9 miles northwest of downtown has a huge carousel (per ride $1.25, operating May through September) and children’s shows by the Puppet…
Washington, DC
This six-story museum explores the history and impact of the Bible through a mix of scholarly displays and theme-park-style exhibits. On the 4th floor,…
Washington, DC
Devoted to architecture and urban design, the museum is housed in a magnificent 1887 edifice modeled after the Renaissance-era Palazzo Farnese in Rome…
