Inside the Department of Commerce Building, the White House Visitor Center offers interactive exhibits, a large-scale model of the White House, and both permanent and temporary exhibits on the history and significance of “The People’s House.” Free to visit, it’s an ideal companion experience to a tour of the White House (which must be reserved well in advance), as well as a stand-alone stop.
Created to commemorate the two-term US president and victorious Civil War general, Washington DC’s Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is one of its most important military monuments. Unveiled in 1924, the bronze sculpture—the largest equestrian statue in the United States—situates Grant above a reflecting pool, facing the Lincoln Memorial.
The former home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Arlington House now exists as a museum and a memorial to this complex and controversial figure in American history, as well as the nearly 100 enslaved people who worked for his family. The site contains the main house, a small museum, and North and South Enslaved People’s Quarters.
Lafayette Square is a public park located directly across from the White House and flanked by famous edifices including the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Department of the Treasury, and Decatur House. The well-manicured park hosts an equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson, top White House views, and wide, brick walking paths.
Located on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences and measuring 12 feet (4 meters) tall, the Albert Einstein Memorial depicts the world-renowned astrophysicist in a seated posture, wearing a ponderous expression, and holding a sheaf of papers. The distinctive monument was created by sculptor Robert Berks and installed in 1979.
Located in Washington DC’s grand, historic City Post Office Building, the National Postal Museum tells the story of the United States Postal Service and other international postal services. One of the city’s many Smithsonian institutions, the museum has been a popular stop for history lovers since opening in 1993.
A moving tribute to the 184 people who lost their lives at the Pentagon on September 11th, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is located just adjacent to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Opened in 2008, the memorial features 184 illuminated benches spread across two acres (one hectare), each dedicated to a victim of the tragedy.
At Christ Church in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, visitors can sit in the same pews that George Washington and Robert E. Lee once worshipped. Commenced in 1767, the church is a living testament to American history, as is the site's cemetery, which memorializes 34 Confederate prisoners of war who perished in prison camps during the Civil War.
A block-long public plaza located on Pennsylvania Avenue (just a few blocks from the White House), Freedom Plaza is a popular Washington DC gathering place. Inscribed with urban planner Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s 1791 design for the city. It’s also engraved with quotes from famous figures and has a statue of soldier Casimir Pulaski.
One of the oldest federal buildings in Washington DC, the United States Treasury Building is a National Historic Landmark and home to the US Department of Treasury. Construction began in 1836 and the Greek Revival style architecture, complete with granite columns and statues, set the tone for many of the city’s future government buildings.
The National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. With numerous exhibits ranging from the Asia Trail to the Reptile Discovery Center, the zoo is home to more than 2,200 animals and 300 species, including elephants, big cats, rare birds, and more. Past residents have included giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the real-life Smokey Bear, and even the first chimpanzee to go to space.
The Petersen House was the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s death after assassin John Wilkes Booth shot him on April 14, 1865. A simple three-room boarding house, it’s located right across the street from Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln was attacked. Today, the house is a museum administered by the National Park Service.
Open since 1987, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is the only major institution in the world dedicated solely to women’s art. Located in a historical building in the heart of DC, the museum showcases the work of over 1,000 artists, including legends like Frida Kahlo, Judy Chicago, and Mary Cassatt.
Dating back to around 1766, the Old Stone House is the oldest structure in DC that still sits on its original foundation—and it hasn’t changed a whole lot since it was built. Today it's managed by the National Parks Service and features a gift shop and exhibits about American history and the history of the house.
Washington DC’s Massachusetts Avenue—better known by its nickname, Embassy Row—is dotted with impressive mansions flying flags from across the globe. Once the homes of DC’s rich and famous, the boulevard’s Beaux Arts buildings have been repurposed as embassies for more than 60 countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Brazil, Egypt, Italy, and many others.
Designed by American architect Willoughby Edbrooke, this enormous Romanesque Revival building was the largest office building in Washington, D.C. when it opened in 1899, and was soon abandoned in favor of a new mail depot near Union Station. Today the Old Post Office and Clock Tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Japanese American Memorial is a profound memorial that honors the Japanese Americans who endured internment and served in the US military during World War II. The memorial is a place for quiet reflection, with a large-scale bronze sculpture of two Japanese cranes entangled in barbed wire as its centerpiece. Granite walls line the memorial, engraved with quotes, names, and timelines of the more than 120,000 Japanese Americans impacted by the internment order.
Among the country’s first museums dedicated to modern Latin American and Caribbean art, the Art Museum of the Americas has been a DC highlight since its founding in 1976. Located just steps from the National Mall and Washington Monument, the museum’s permanent collection includes 2,000-odd paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other works.
Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit college in the nation. Situated on a hill overlooking the Potomac River and Washington DC, this elite institution of higher learning is known for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. Notable alumni include Bill Clinton and Antonin Scalia.
The African American Civil War Museum, opened in 1999, tells the stories of the 209,145 soldiers of the United States Colored Troops who fought during the Civil War to end slavery. Visit the museum in Washington D.C.'s historic U Street community, and don't miss the companion African American Civil War Memorial across the street.
Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg is among the largest living history museums in the United States, showing what daily life looked like during the colonial era and American Revolution. Costumed historical reenactors contribute to the immersive experience by working in preserved buildings and across a variety of crafts, from blacksmithing to wigmaking. There are also two art museums on-site, dedicated to folk art and decorative objects.
The metropolitan neighborhood of Dupont Circle revolves around the prominent marble fountain and busy traffic circle at its center. With Embassy Row cutting through it, Dupont Circle is home to an eclectic mix of cultures, architecture, foods, and entertainment. From its famed fountain to surrounding shops, bistros, and bars, the plaza is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
Chinatown is set apart by a towering traditional Chinese gateway known as the Friendship Arch. Step through the arch and join the throngs of pedestrians exploring the eclectic shops and authentic Chinese restaurants. The neighborhood is also home to some of the city’s best entertainment venues—including the Capital One Are
One of several buildings that make up the White House complex, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building is also one of the most striking. Constructed between 1871–1888, it is known for its French Second Empire-style architecture. Originally built to house the State, War, and Navy Departments, it now holds offices for White House staff.
A branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Renwick Gallery is dedicated to crafts and decorative artworks created in America from the 19th to 21st centuries. Given its proximity to the White House in Foggy Bottom, the intimate museum makes for an easy, and often serene, stop on any itinerary.
Hosted at the National Geographic Society’s world headquarters, the National Geographic Museum is a family-friendly institution that celebrates exploration, international adventure, and the natural world. Its permanent and temporary exhibitions showcase photographs, artifacts, and films and also include interactive elements.
An architectural landmark stretching along the banks of the Potomac River, the six buildings of Washington DC’s Watergate Complex house a luxury hotel, apartments, and office blocks. Most famously, it was also the site of the eponymous 1972 political scandal that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Situated on the Potomac River between Washington DC and Arlington, Virginia, Theodore Roosevelt Island is a protected memorial to the country’s 26th president. Spanning 88.5 acres, the park consists of a manmade woodland designed to evoke the region’s original forest habitat and features walking trails and a Roosevelt statue.
Located in Yorktown, Virginia—the site of the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War—the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown dives into early US history. The two-part museum offers a sweeping, multimedia exhibition space with hundreds of artifacts, as well as an immersive living history area.
See how America’s first English settlers lived at the Jamestown Settlement. The living history museum sits in Virginia near the site of the original colony where settlers landed in 1607. It explores colonial history through films, exhibits, and interactive experiences. Plus, climb aboard replicas of the ships that sailed to Virginia.
