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
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
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
White House Area & Foggy Bottom
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
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…
Upper Northwest DC
Constructed between 1907 and 1990, this huge neo-Gothic cathedral blends the spiritual with the profane in its architecture. Most of its richly colored…
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Upper Northwest DC
The former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post of Post cereal fame, this lavishly decorated 1920s mansion showcases her extraordinary collections of…
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…
Georgetown
The mansion's 27 acres of enchanting formal gardens are straight out of a storybook. The springtime blooms – including heaps of cherry blossoms – are…
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…
Upper Northwest DC
One of DC's top attractions for architecture buffs and those with an interest in 20th-century art, this museum is housed in a stunning 1963 International…
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…
United States National Arboretum
Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights
The greatest green space in Washington unfurls almost 450 acres of meadowland, sylvan theaters and a pastoral setting that feels somewhere between bucolic…
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
Peaking at 555ft (and 5in) and composed of 36,000 blocks of stone, the Washington Monument is the district's tallest structure. Political shenanigans…
Washington, DC
This is a lovely spot in which to while away a Washington afternoon. Japanese silk scrolls, smiling Buddhas, rare Islamic manuscripts and Chinese jades…
Upper Northwest DC
Home to more than 2700 animals and more than 390 species in natural habitats, the National Zoo is famed for its giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Bei…
Upper Northwest DC
At 1700-plus acres, Rock Creek is twice the size of New York’s Central Park and feels wilder. Terrific trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding…
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…
White House Area & Foggy Bottom
Designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti and DC-based landscape architect Boris Timchenko and constructed between 1963 and 1971, this five-building…
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…
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…
Georgetown
This park is a favorite with couples on first dates, families on an evening stroll and power players showing off their yachts. Benches dot the way, where…
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…
African American Civil War Memorial
Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights
Standing at the center of a granite plaza, this bronze memorial, Spirit of Freedom, depicting rifle-bearing troops is DC’s first major art piece by black…
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…
Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights
This is an incredible bit of urban green space. The grounds are terraced like a hanging garden replete with waterfalls, sandstone terraces and assorted…
Georgetown
Next door to Dumbarton Oaks garden, Dumbarton Oaks Park was once part of the estate but is now a public woodland beloved by joggers and dog walkers…