Things to do in Washington D.C.
American history permeates a visit to Washington DC. Most memorials and museums, like the Museum of Natural History, the National Archives and the US Capitol, are located on or around the downtown National Mall, easily visited via Open Top Sightseeing. Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River in Arlington, is a popular destination, while families love the National Zoo in Woodley Park. Most attractions offer free admission and are open daily.
Museums and Galleries
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1. National Air and Space Museum - Museums and Galleries
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Exhibits in the downtown National Air and Space Museum include the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St Louis, Apollo 11 space module and a lunar rock that can be touched. A new America by Air exhibition was added in 2007.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
4th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
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2. National Archives - Museums and Galleries
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Located downtown, the National Archives protect the federal government's most important documents. The most impressive and popular displays are originals of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta, signed in 1297.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Mar 15-Labor Day daily 10am-7pm; Day after Labor Day-Mar 14 daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20408
Telephone
+1 866 272 6272
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3. National Museum of the American Indian - Museums and Galleries
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Exploring native communities through artefacts, art, music and dance, the National Museum of the American Indian is located on the downtown National Mall. Call in at the two museum shops, Chesapeake and Roanoke, which sell native-made crafts, books and toys.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
4th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
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4. Newseum - Museums and Galleries
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The recently opened Newseum on the downtown National Mall explores the history and importance of free press in a democratic society. Exhibits include historical newspapers and newsreels as well as information about the technology employed to create up-to-date news footage.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$20; concessions US$13-US$18; under-7s free
Opening hours
Daily 9am-5pm
Address
555, Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C. 20001
Telephone
+1 888 639 7386
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5. Museum of Natural History - Museums and Galleries
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The 45-carat blue Hope Diamond and a collection of dinosaur skeletons are the most popular exhibits at the downtown Museum of Natural History. The new 4,000 square foot "Butterflies and Plants" exhibition explores the evolution and diversity of butterflies.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
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6. International Spy Museum - Museums and Galleries
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Located in the Penn Quarter, the International Spy Museum houses the world's largest collection of spy-related artefacts, from tiny hidden microphones to fantastic disguises and covert messages. Exhibits explore espionage from biblical times through the Cold War to the present.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$18; seniors US$17; 5s-11s US$15
Opening hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
800, F Street NW, Washington D.C. 20004
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7. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Museums and Galleries
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The sombre United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in downtown Washington DC details German anti-Semitism and the extermination of social outcasts during World War II. Honouring the heroes who saved Jews, it also stresses the importance of modern genocide prevention.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
100, Raoul Wallenberg Place, Washington D.C. 20024
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8. Smithsonian American Art Museum - Museums and Galleries
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The downtown Smithsonian American Art Museum houses American artworks, including everything from colonial portraits to nineteenth-century landscapes and 20th-century realism and abstraction. A beautiful new glass gallery leading to the National Portrait Gallery also hosts performances and concerts.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 11.30am-7pm
Address
8th and F Streets, Washington D.C. 20001
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
Attractions
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9. National Zoo - Attractions
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Home to over 2,000 animals, the National Zoo in Woodley Park is beautifully landscaped and a family favourite. Most visitors come to see the two Giant Pandas, on loan from China since 2000, together with their cub Tai Shan.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Apr-Oct 6am-8pm; Nov-Mar 6am-6pm
Address
3001, Connecticut Avenue, Washington D.C. 20008
Telephone
+1 202 673 7800
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10. FDR Memorial - Attractions
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One of the newest memorials in the city, the FDR Memorial honours President Franklin Delano Roosevelt with this beautiful park on the Tidal Basin. The site depicts FDR's presidency in four outdoor galleries with inspiring quotes, artworks, gardens and waterfalls.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily all day
Address
900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington D.C. 20024
Telephone
+1 202 426 6841
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11. Washington National Cathedral - Attractions
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Gothic architecture, artworks and a quiet setting attract visitors to the 1907 Washington National Cathedral. Located in Woodley Park, this was the scene of Martin Luther King's last sermon and Dwight Eisenhower's funeral. Woodrow Wilson is also buried here.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Sun 8am-6.30pm; Mon-Fri 10am-5.30pm; Sat 10am-4.30pm. Closed during special services.
Address
3101, Wisconsin Avenue, Washington D.C. 20016
Telephone
+1 202 537 6200
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12. Arlington National Cemetery - Attractions
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Famous for its thousands of white headstones, the vast Arlington National Cemetery has been the final resting place of American military heroes since the Civil War. Arlington's tombstones honour numerous astronauts as well as, most famously, John F Kennedy.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Apr-Sep 8am-7pm; Oct-Mar 8am-5pm
Address
Arlington VA, Washington D.C. 22211
Telephone
+1 703 607 8000
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13. US Capitol - Attractions
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Located at the easternmost end of downtown National Mall, the US Capitol with its famous dome stands regally atop Capitol Hill. Besides housing Congress, it is a historical and artistic monument and is also open for guided tours.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Mon-Sat 9am-4.30pm
Address
Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. 20003
Telephone
+1 202 225 6827
Special things to do
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14. National Mall - Special things to do
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A downtown park extending two miles from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall boasts Washington DC's most famous landmarks: the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and, of course, the White House.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily all day
Address
Between Constitution and Independence Avenues SW, Washington D.C. 20004
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15. Open Top Sightseeing - Special things to do
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The Open Top Sightseeing double-decker bus takes visitors past Washington DC's most famous landmarks. Tickets are sold on board and allow visitors to hop on and off as often as they like. A good place to start is Union Station.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$28; children US$14 (two day ticket)
Opening hours
Daily 9am-7pm
Address
Union Station, Washington D.C. 20002
Telephone
+1 877 332 8689
