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.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Remembering WWII genocide victims
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
100, Raoul Wallenberg Place, Washington D.C. 20024
National Air and Space Museum
Icons of flight
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
4th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
International Spy Museum
Espionage on display
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.
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Cost
US$18; seniors US$17; 5s-11s US$15
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
800, F Street NW, Washington D.C. 20004
National Archives
America's most historic documents
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.
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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
National Museum of the American Indian
Native life and culture
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
4th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
Newseum
History of news media
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.
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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
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Fine American craft
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 11.30am-7pm
Address
8th and F Streets, Washington D.C. 20001
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
Museum of Natural History
Understanding the natural world
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm
Address
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 20560
Telephone
+1 202 633 1000
US Capitol
Seat of government
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 9am-4.30pm
Address
Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. 20003
Telephone
+1 202 225 6827
Arlington National Cemetery
Honouring America's heroes
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Apr-Sep 8am-7pm; Oct-Mar 8am-5pm
Address
Arlington VA, Washington D.C. 22211
Telephone
+1 703 607 8000
National Zoo
Beautiful animal park
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.
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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
FDR Memorial
Monument to Roosevelt
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington D.C. 20024
Telephone
+1 202 426 6841
Washington National Cathedral
Historical Gothic structure
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.
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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
National Mall
Washington's landmarks
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.
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Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily all day
Address
Between Constitution and Independence Avenues SW, Washington D.C. 20004
Open Top Sightseeing
City landmarks bus tour
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.
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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
