Museums, Memorials and Monuments in DC 

Visiting Washington, DC

Museums, Memorials and Monuments in DC  

• For answers to questions commonly asked by visitors to Washington (like “How do I get a flag flown over the Capitol?”) see our “what’s the deal with…” page.  

• National Mall maps from the National Park Service. Note that the PDF version is a large file.

• To see how to get around to see the sites, see How to Get Into, Around and Out of Washington, DC.

• Visit the web sites or call the numbers listed for the most up-to-date information.

• For maps and guidebooks, see our DC Books page

• What’s happening this month 

  • Events Calendar – from the Washington City Paper
    

  • Insiders Guide to Museums

  Honor and Glory: America’s Elite Military Honor Guards	National Geographic: Arlington – Field of Honor	The War Memorials (History Channel)	Monuments to Freedom – The Presidential Memorials (History Channel)
  Family Guide Washington, DC	Official Guide to the Smithsonian	Official Guide to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum	Official Guide To The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

• • • Supreme Court The Supreme Court building is open from 9 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. It is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays.  First Street and Maryland Avenue, NE. 202-647-3241 Metro: Union Station or Capitol South.
       
    • United States Capitol See the Capitol Visitor Center web site for information about tours of the Capitol and the Capitol Visitor Center.See this list of allowed and prohibited items when visiting the Capitol.You can also contact the Office of Visitor Services at 202-266-8000.
       
      Make sure you visit
    • The Brumidi Corridors, first floor of the Senate wing.
    • The Catafalque, Washington’s Tomb or what was supposed to be that. It is now the place they store the Lincoln catafalque which has been used for every person who has laid in state in the rotunda since it was used for Abraham Lincoln. It is kind of hard to find but it is directly beneath the center of the Capitol Dome. Just keep going down.
    • The Summerhouse, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
       
    • Metro: Union Station or Capitol South. (Click here for a map of the Capitol complex.)

  ---

Special Congressional tours given by your Representative’s staff can be arranged by calling your Representative’s office: 202-225-3121.

• U.S. House Of Representatives Visitor Information
  

• White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Open to school and youth groups and organized military and veterans groups Tuesday through Saturday from 7:45 am to 10:30 am. Guided Tours (reserved through Congressional offices) — Reserved tickets to the White House may be obtained through Congressional offices. However, tickets are limited and demand is heavy. Requests should be made to your Representative at least 30 days in advance. All White House visitors are encouraged to call the 24-hour tour line at 202-456-7041. Metro: McPherson Square. The White House Visitor Center is located on E Street NW, just east of 15th Street.
   
• A White House History A virtual historical tour of the White House where you can view the rooms and furnishings, past and present.

• District of Columbia City Government
  

• • From Wikipedia

• • Museums in Washington, DC

  • National Mall

  • Visitor attractions in Washington, DC

• Washington DC museums and exhibits – list from Yahoo

   

• See Faculty Favorites on Hobnob Blog for a few places our faculty and authors like best in Washington, DC.
  
  

African American Civil War Memorial

1200 U Street NW, Washington DC. Corner of Vermont Avenue, 10th St, and U Street NW. Metro: U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
 
 
Alexandria, VA – visit

Alexandria, “the fun side of the Potomac,” is a short Metro ride from DC, which has places to visit such as Mt. Vernon, Old Town, including Gadsby’s Tavern (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison all ate here) and the Torpedo Factory Art Center.  Alexandria was established as a town in 1749 and has numerous antique shops, art galleries and restored colonial homes.  The City of Alexandria also has a site with information. Metro: Braddock Road or King Street
 
 
Alexandria (VA) Archeology Museum

Open Tuesday to Friday: 10 am to 3 pm; Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm, Closed Mondays.  Closed: New Year’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street, #327, Alexandria, Virginia. Phone: 703-838-4399.
 
 
Arlington National Cemetery

Open daily, October through March from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm and April through September from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm. Tour sites include the Arlington National Cemetery Visitors Center, Kennedy Grave sites, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington House (Lee’s Home), and the Robert E. Lee Memorial. Highly Recommended: Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – every hour on the hour; every half hour during the summer months.   Metro: Arlington Cemetery. 703-692-0931

 
 
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America, and one of the ten largest churches in the world. Open every day. April 1 – October 31, 7:00 am – 7:00 pm. November 1 – March 31, 7:00 am – 6:00 pm. 400 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 202-526-8300.  Metro: Brookland/CUA.
 
 
Botanic Garden

The USBG Conservatory is a special place in the evenings. During the summer, the Conservatory is open every other Tuesday until 8:00 p.m. Spend a few hours expanding your gardening knowledge and exploring the Conservatory at night. Activities at the Garden could include a lecture, guided tour, musical performance, or workshop. Some evening programs require pre-registration.  Maryland Avenue and First Street, SW. Open daily, 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. 202-225-8333. Metro: Federal Center, SW or Capitol South.

 
 
Bureau of Engraving and Printing

202-622-2000, 14th and C Streets, SW. See how U.S. currency – at a rate of $30 million daily-  postage and revenue stamps are printed. Real and counterfeit paper money and coins are on display. Public tours are conducted – see web site for current information.  Tours last approximately 35 minutes. Admission is free. Tickets required. For 24 hour information 202-874-2330. Metro: Smithsonian.

 
 
Capital Children’s Museum (renamed National Children’s Museum)

Admission Fee charged. The new museum will be located at L’Enfant Plaza.  Metro: L’Enfant Plaza

 
 
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

Follows the Potomac.  Hiking, biking and more. The Billy Goat Trail is a 4-mile loop off the C&O Canal, and canal boat rides operate between April and November.

 
 
City Museum (of Washington, DC)

Exhibits closed, no fee for building and library admission.  801 K Street, NW.  Sponsored by the Historical Society of Washington, DC.  202-383-1800.  Metro: Mt. Vernon Square 7th St. – Convention Center

 
 
Constitution Gardens

On the Mall just east of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, north of the Reflecting pool, south of Constitution Avenue.

 
 
Corcoran Gallery of Art Museum

17th Street and New York Avenue. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and on Thursday, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. 202-447-9709. Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North.

 
 
DEA Museum

700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA. Open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Metro: Pentagon City

 
 
Decatur House

One of the oldest houses in DC, built in 1818 for Stephen Decatur. 1610 H Street NW, across the street from the White House. Open Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sunday: Noon – 4:00 pm. Metro: McPherson Square

 
 
Department of State

2201 C Street, NW. Tours are conducted Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, & 3:00 pm. Tours are by reservation only. A virtual tour of the Diplomatic Reception rooms is available  202-647-3241.  Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU

 
 
Department of the Treasury

This building was built in 1836 and since then has served as the headquarters for the Treasury Department. A tour (offered only on Saturdays) includes the history of the Treasury Department, the building’s architecture history, the Andrew Johnson suite, where, in 1865, President Johnson conducted official business for 6 weeks after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the beautiful Salmon P. Chase suite, the Cash room (the site for Grant’s inaugural reception), and the 1864 burglar proof vault. Entrance through Appointment Center doors located next to the White House on 15th street between F and G streets, NW. Metro: Metro Center or Federal Triangle or McPherson Square. Tours must be arranged through your Congressional office.

 
 
Dumbarton Oaks

The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection is housed in a nineteenth-century Federal-style mansion. Former owners Mildred and Robert Woods conveyed the house, gardens, and their collections to Harvard University. It is now a museum with collections of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, as well as a research institution. The gardens were designed by the noted landscape gardener Beatrix Jones Farrand and are also open to the public.
1703 32nd Street, NW. Gardens open daily from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Museum open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Both are closed on Federal Holidays and December 24, 25, and January 1. $ Admission fee to garden. 202-338-8278.

 
 
Einstein Memorial

The memorial to Albert Einstein, situated in an elm and holly grove in the southwest corner of the National Academy of Science’s grounds at 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC, one block north of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

 
 
FDR Memorial

South bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. Open 24 hours daily. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddle boat to cruise on the Basin.

 
 
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

No public tours.  Metro: Metro Center or Gallery Place/Chinatown.

 
 
Folger Shakespeare Library

201 East Capitol Street, SE (Behind the Library of Congress). This library has one of the world’s finest collections of rare English Renaissance books and a large collection of Shakespeare’s works. Plus, there are many programs and concerts at the Folger theatre. The building and gift shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm Tours are available Monday through Friday at 11:00 am, and Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 am Call for tour information and event times: 202-544-7077. Metro: Capitol South.

 
 
Ford’s Theatre (NPS) 

10th Street Between E and F Streets, NW. Building is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with the exception of Christmas. 202-426-6924. Metro: Metro Center or Gallery Place/Chinatown.
 
 
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America

The Monastery of Mount St. Sepulchre, designated a National Historic Site in 1991, has been a place of worship and pilgrimage for thousands of visitors since the church’s dedication in 1899.

Tours of the Monastery and shrines begin on the hour at 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm. On Sundays, tours are at 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. No tours are given between 12 noon – 1 pm and after 4 pm. Guided tours are only available of the interior of the Main Church. Tours of the gardens are self-guided. Guided tours last approximately 45 minutes. Groups of six or more must make reservations. The first part of the tour comprises the Upper Church and the second part the Lower Church, where the catacombs are located. 1400 Quincy Street NE, Washington, DC, 20017-3087, 202-636-4247.

 
 
George Mason Memorial

In West Potomac Park near the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

 
 
Gunston Hall

Gunston Hall was the plantation home of George Mason (1725-1792), a senior statesman and well-known public figure in Colonial/Revolutionary War America. Author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, Mason was the first to call for such basic American liberties, freedom of the press, religious tolerance and the right to a trial by jury. Thomas Jefferson was influenced by his words when composing The Declaration of Independence, and Mason’s ideas were also used as the model for many state constitutions, France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man, and the United Nations Charter of the Rights of Man.

Today, Gunston Hall is a National Historic Landmark, located about 12 miles from Mount Vernon.   Hours are 9:30 am – 5 pm everyday with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. $ Admission fee charged to Gunston Hall Plantation, children in kindergarten and younger-free.  703-550-9220
 
 
Hillwood Museum and Gardens

Founded by American collector and heiress to the Post cereal empire Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is one of the premier art collector’s museums in the United States. The museum features the most comprehensive collection of Russian imperial art outside of Russia and a world-renowned collection of eighteenth-century French decorative art and furnishings. The collection includes Fabergé eggs, Russian porcelain, Russian Orthodox icons, Beauvais tapestries, and Sèvres porcelain. Encircled by woodlands, the twenty-five acre estate provides visitors a tranquil oasis of luscious formal gardens.
 
 
See the Visitors page for details. 4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-686-5807.  Metro: Smithsonian.  Metro: Hillwood is a mile-long walk from the Van Ness/UDC Metro Station.
 
 
Holocaust Museum

America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history. The Museum is closed only on Yom Kippur (October 8, 2011) and Christmas Day (December 25). See the Visitors page for details. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, Washington, DC, 202-488–0400.  Metro: Smithsonian.

 
 
International Spy Museum

Next to FBI Headquarters at 800 F Street NW, Washington, DC.  Hours: see web site. $ Admission Fee charged.  202-654-0960, toll-free: 1-866-779-6873.  Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial or Gallery Place/Chinatown.

 
 
James Madison Memorial Building

Between First and Second Streets SE on Independence Avenue. One of three buildings that make up the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill. Metro: Capitol South.

 
 
Jefferson Memorial

South bank of the Tidal Basin. Open 24 hours daily. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddle boat to cruise on the Basin. A separate visit after 10:00 pm is highly recommended

 
 
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Millenium Stage performances are free every evening from 6 – 7 pm.

Free tours of the Kennedy Center are given by the Friends of the Kennedy Center from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and 10 am to 1 pm, Saturday and Sunday. They depart from the parking plaza on Level A, and feature the Hall of States and Hall of Nations, the Center’s main theaters, and dozens of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks given to the Center by foreign countries. For more information, call 202-416-8340. Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU.

 
 
Korean War Veterans Memorial

(Lists of Casualties from the Vietnam and Korean Wars)
Near the Lincoln Memorial in West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. Open 24 hours daily.

 
 
Library of Congress

Jefferson Building, First Street and Independence Avenue, SE. Public Tours are offered Monday through Saturday at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm (no 3:30 pm tour on Saturdays). These free tours are open to individuals and small groups with no more than 10 participants. No reservations or tickets are required. Madison Building. Groups of 10 people or more need reservations. 202-287-5458. Metro: Union Station or Capitol South.

 
 
Lincoln Memorial

West Potomac Park at the southern foot of 23rd Street, NW. Open 24 hours daily. 202-426-6895. A separate visit after 10:00 pm is highly recommended.

 
 
Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima)

The statue depicts Marines raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.  Just off the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington.

 
 
Mount Vernon

Home of George Washington. Open to the public daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from March through October & at 4:00 pm from November through February. $ Admission Fee charged. 703-780-2000.

 
 
National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall

Open 10:00 am – 5:30 pm every day except Dec. 25. The most popular, i.e., crowded, museum in Washington. Independence Avenue & 7th Street, SW  Metro: L’Enfant Plaza (across the street) or Smithsonian.
 
 
Steven F. Udva-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport

Open 10:00 am – 5:30 pm every day except Dec. 25. A round-trip shuttle bus ($ fee charged) has been established between the museum’s flagship building in Washington DC and the Udvar-Hazy Center. 14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA.

 
 
National Aquarium

14th Street between Constitution Avenue and D Street, NW. Tanks filled with fish, frogs, alligators, sharks etc. Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas. $ Admission Fee charged. 202-377-2825. Metro: Federal Triangle.

 
 
National Arboretum

3501 New York Avenue, NE. 444 acres of trees, shrubs and assorted plants in the northeast section of the District of Columbia. Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm every day except Christmas. Guide services for organized groups are available. Please make reservations for groups. Entrance: New York Avenue, NE. Metro: Stadium Armory on the blue or orange lines, then Bus number B-2, B-4, or B-5 to the intersection of Bladensburg Road and R Street, Walk east of R street 300 yards to the R street gate. 202-637-7000.

 
 
National Archives

7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Research Room is open Mon-Fri 9-5, Rotunda and Exhibit Hall are open in the Spring and Summer from 10-7 and Fall and Winter from 10-5:30. 202-523-3183.  Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial

 
 
National Building Museum

401 F Street, NW, between 4th and 5th streets. Wheelchair access at 4th and G streets. Museum Hours: Monday through Saturday 10-5, Sunday 11-5. Tours last 45 minutes and are offered Monday through Wednesday at 12:30 pm, and Thursday through Sunday at 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 1:30 pm. Reservations are not required for groups fewer than 10. Metro: Judiciary Square. 202-272-2448.

 
 
National Capital Trolley Museum

1313 Bonifant Road, Silver Spring. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10-5, varying hours on Thursdays and Fridays, closed Monday through Wednesday. 301-384-6088.  Metro: Silver Spring

 
 
National Cryptologic Museum

Maryland Route 32 and the Baltimore/Washington Parkway. Open M-F from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, 1st and 3rd Saturdays 10-2.  301-688-5849

 
 
National Gallery of Art
 
 
6th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.  202-737-4215. Highly Recommended. Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial or Smithsonian.

 
 
National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall

17th and M Streets, NW. Exhibits of famous scientific expeditions. M-Sat 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 10 to 5. 202-857-7588. Metro: Farragut North.

 
 
National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II

At the intersection of New Jersey Avenue, Louisiana Avenue, and D Street in Washington, DC. Google map.  Metro: Union Station.

 
 
National Mall

The National Mall is located between the Capitol on the east, the Lincoln Memorial on the west, Constitution Avenue NW (Route 50) on the north, and Independence Avenue SW on the south (click here for map).

Click to view larger map

1400 Constitution Ave NW, 844-750-3012 Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
National Museum of African Art

950 Independence Ave SW, 202-357-4600 Metro: Smithsonian

 
 
National Museum of Health and Medicine

Silver Spring, 202-782-2672 Metro:
 
 
National Museum of The American Indian

4th Street and Independence Ave, SW 202-633-1000 Metro: L’Enfant Plaza

 
 
National Museum of the Marine Corps

18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle, VA 22172, 877-635-1775. Open daily from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, every day except Christmas Day.

 
 
National Postal Museum

2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE in the Washington City Post Office Building on Capitol Hill (next to Union Station). Hours: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Closed on Christmas. General number is 202-357-2700, hearing impaired call 202-357-1729.  Metro: Union Station.
 
 
National World War II Memorial

On the Mall at 18th Street, NW between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Open 24 hours daily. Metro: Smithsonian.

 
 
National Zoological Park

3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Grounds open 6 am to 8 pm April through October, 6 am to 6pm November through March. Buildings hours 10 am to 6 pm April through October, 10 am to 4:30 pm November through March. 202-673-4717. Hint if taking Metro: it’s an easier walk – downhill – from the Cleveland Park station rather than the uphill walk from the Woodley Park/Zoo station.

 
 
Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial

On the DC-side of the George Washington parkway, just north of the I-395 overpass.  Google map.

 
 
Newseum

555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. $ Admission Fee charged. 888-639-7386. 

See: “Why the Newseum creeps out journalists and should bother you, too” and “The Newseum Deserves to Die”

Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial, Gallery Place/Chinatown, or Smithsonian.

 
 
Octagon House

Now housing the American Architectural Foundation. 18th and New York Avenue, NW. Architectural exhibits. Served as James Madison’s White House following the destruction of the real White House by the British in 1814. See web site for tour infromation.  $ Admission Fee charged.  202-638-3105. Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North.

 
 
Old Post Office Tower

1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Open Daily from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. National Park Service offers a tour of the bell tower with a splendid view of the city. The lines for this tour are normally much shorter than for the Washington Memorial. See web site for hours. Tours begin approximately every five minutes from the glass elevator at the northwest corner of the stage level of the Pavilion. The observation deck is exposed to the weather and the Tower may close in bad weather. 202-289-4224  Metro: Federal Triangle or Archives/Navy Memorial

 
 
Pentagon

Across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia (I-395). our length is approximately 60 minutes and includes walking about one and a half miles of Pentagon corridors and several staircases. Visitors taking part in a Pentagon tour should wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Tours can be set up through your Congressional office or embassy. Sights to see: the Flag Corridor, the Hall of Heroes. 703-697-1776  Metro: Pentagon.

 
 
Phillips Collection

The nation’s first museum of modern art with free Sunday concerts. 1600-1612 21st Street, NW. 202-387-2151.  $ Admission Fee charged. Metro: DuPont Circle.

 
 
Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Near Catholic University, 3900 Harewood Road NE, Washington, DC, 202-635-5400. Metro: Brookland/CUA.
 
 

Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences

Marian Koshland Science Museum. 6th and E Streets, NW.  202-334-1201, 1-888-567-4526 $ Admission Fee charged. Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown or Judiciary Square.

 
 
Smithsonian Institution

Most museums open daily from 10:00 am until 5:30 pm For specific information, call 202-357-1300. Metro: Smithsonian

Encyclopedia Smithsonian – features answers to frequently asked questions about the Smithsonian and links to Smithsonian resources from A to Z.
 
 
American Art Museum

8th and F Streets, NW.  Open every day 11:30 am to 7:00 pm except Christmas. 202-357-3111. Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown.

 
 
The Anacostia Community Museum

2405 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE  Metro: Anacostia, then take W3 or W3 bus

 
 
Arts and Industries Building

900 Jefferson Drive, SW  Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
Freer Gallery of Art

Jefferson Drive and 12th Street, SW  Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Independence Avenue and 7th Street, SW  Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
National Air and Space Museum

Independence Avenue & 7th Street, SW  Metro: L’Enfant Plaza
 
 
National Gallery of Art

4th Street between the Mall and Constitution Avenue, NW Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial
 
 
National Museum of African Art

950 Independence Avenue, SW  Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
National Museum of American History

14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Call Smithsonian Visitor Information: 202-633-1000 (voice) or 202-357-1729 (TTY), Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5:30 pm, closed December 25.  Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle.

 
 
National Museum of Natural History

10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Call Smithsonian Visitor Information: 202-633-1000 (voice) or 202-357-1729 (TTY), Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5:30 pm, Summer hours 10 am to 7:30 pm, closed December 25.  Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle.

 
 
National Museum of The American Indian

4th Street and Independence Ave, SW 202-633-1000, Daily 10 am – 5:30 pm, closed December 25. Metro: L’Enfant Plaza

 
 
National Portrait Gallery

8th and F Streets, NW. Open daily 11:30 am to 7 pm, closed Christmas.  202-633-8300. Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown.

 
 
Renwick Gallery

Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, NW 202-357-2531. Metro: McPherson Square.

 
 
Sackler Gallery

1050 Independence Avenue, SW 202-357-2700  Metro: Smithsonian
 
 
Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)

1000 Jefferson Drive, SW  Metro: Smithsonian

 
 
Textile Museum

11,000 textiles and 1,000 rugs. 2320 S Street, NW 202-667-0441.  Metro: DuPont Circle.

 
 
Theodore Roosevelt Island

A parking lot sits near the footbridge in Virginia, accessible only from the right hand lane of the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway north of Arlington Cemetery. Google map.  703-289-2500   Metro: Rosslyn.

 
 
Union Station

50 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington, DC 20002 202-371-9441 Metro: Union Station. A beautiful building, well worth a visit.

 
 
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW (old 15th street between Maine Avenue and Independence Avenue). There is an entrance also on 14th street, next to the Bureau of Printing & Engraving. Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm Closed on Yom Kippur and Christmas. Permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and up. Daniel’s Story is recommended for ages 8 and up. The visit will take from an 1 1/2 to 3 hours. 202-488-0400 Metro: Smithsonian on the blue or orange lines, exit at 12th and Independence Avenue.

 
 
United States Naval Observatory

34th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. See web site for tour information.   Reservations online or by fax.

 
 
United States Navy Memorial

Located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Hours for Visitors Center are Monday through Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, noon to 5:00 pm. 202-737-2300. Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial

 
 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

(Lists of Casualties from the Vietnam and Korean Wars)
Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, NW, adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial. Always open. Constructed of black granite to honor all Americans who served in the Vietnam War. As a special tribute to those who did not return, the names of more than 58,000 who gave their lives or who remain missing are inscribed in the Memorial’s walls. The names are in chronological order.  A separate visit after 10:00 pm is highly recommended.

 
 
Washington Monument

On the Mall at 15th Street, NW. Open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed Christmas.  (While visiting, walk across the street for a closer look at the White House and the Zero Milestone.) 202-426-6841. Metro: Smithsonian

 
 
Washington National Cathedral

A stunning architectural work and fascinating place to tour. Gift shop is first-rate, too. Visitor information.  3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-537-6200.

Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral — A much smaller gem, planned by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and Florence Brown Bratenahl. Located directly below the Cathedral on south side, with nooks and crannies where you can escape and enjoy a tranquil moment or two. Combine with visit the the Cathedral itself.

 
 
Washington Navy Yard

9th and M Streets, SE, on the banks of the Anacostia River. The original buildings date back to the 1800’s and contain the National Museum of the US Navy, which is free and open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm weekdays and 10:00 am to 5:00 pm weekends. Docked near the Navy Museum is a real Vietnam-era destroyer, the USS Barry. Metro: Navy Yard 
 
 
Woodlawn

This grand 1805 house overlooking the Potomac River was a gift from George Washington to Eleanor “Nelly” Custis, granddaughter of Martha Washington (Nelly’s brother, George Washington Parke Custis, built Arlington House), and her husband, Maj. Lawrence Lewis, the General’s nephew. Dr. William Thornton, first architect of the U.S. Capitol, designed Woodlawn for the young couple. Woodlawn interprets the lives of the Lewis family as well as the numerous African-Americans, both free and enslaved, who lived and worked on this Virginia plantation.

Also located on the grounds of Woodlawn is the Pope-Leighey House , a “Usonian” house designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was moved to Woodlawn in 1965 in order to remove it from the path of a highway project. 

Woodlawn is located at 9000 Richmond Hwy (US Rt. 1), at the intersection of Rt. 1 and VA Rt. 235 South, 3 miles from Mount Vernon. Both houses are open daily March-December from 10 am to 5 pm, and are closed during the months of January and February, except for Presidents’ Day. 703-780-4000 
 
 
TIP: If you can’t make it south to Williamsburg, the Mount Vernon/Woodlawn/Gunston Hall triad is a good substitute. They offer excellent educational and interpretive programs on Colonial and early Federal American life, including children’s programs, colonial crafts, family, and slave life. Woodlawn is just three miles from Mount Vernon, and Gunston Hall is approximately another 5 miles south down US Rt. 1 from Woodlawn.

 
 
World War II Memorial  (NPS)

On the Mall at 18th Street, NW between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Open 24 hours daily. Metro: Smithsonian 
 
 
 

Also see our Visiting Washington, DC page

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