1901 Fort Place, SE Washington, DC Phone: 202-633-1000(voice), or 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: si.edu/anacostia Hours: Daily 10am-5pm (closed December 25)
This Smithsonian museum focuses on the collection, study, and exhibition of African American history and culture.
Anderson House
2118 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC Phone: 202-785.2040 Hours: T-S 1-4 PM Call First
This elegant turn-of-the-century mansion was the home of former Ambassador and Mrs. Larz Anderson. It currently serves as headquarters of the Society of the Cincinnati, whose membership consists of male descendants of Revolutionary War veterans including our first president George Washington. Swords, decorations and medals, dueling pistols, portraits and other memorabilia are on permanent display, free of charge. Monthly, free concerts are scheduled on Saturday afternoons.
Arts & Industries Building
900 Jefferson Drive, SW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice) 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: www.si.edu/ai Hours: MUSEUM CLOSED IN PREPARATION FOR RENOVATION
The Arts Club of Washington is located in the historic James Monroe House. Exhibitions in the club's two galleries reflect a variety of styles and mediums and change monthly. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
B'nai B'rith Klutznick-National Jewish Museum & Museum Shop
The museum presents the entire sweep of Jewish culture and history. The permanent collection is among the largest and most outstanding in this country, displaying contemporary paintings and sculpture, ritual objects and folk art. Exhibitions highlight art, history, ethnography exploring Jewish culture within the context of other cultures. There also is a Jewish American Sports Hall of Fame.
This mission of The Black Fashion Museum is to identify, acknowledge and spotlight the achievements and contributions of people of the African Diaspora to the fashion industry, past, present and future.
Bureau Of Engraving And Printing
Department of the Treasury 14 and C Streets, SW Washington, D.C. Recorded tour info: 202-874-3019 Web: www.moneyfactory.com Hours: Free, 40-minute public tours are offered Monday-Friday, every 20 minutes, from 9a.m. to 2p.m. During May, June, July, and August only, evening tours are offered from 5p.m. until 7p.m.
See America's money being printed! After the tour, visit the Visitor's Center, where you can buy a variety of items, such as uncut sheets of currency. Free tickets are required from March through September, our peak tour season. The ticket booth is located on Raoul Wallenburg Place (formerly 15th St.), opens Monday through Friday at 8:00a.m. Tickets for 120 people are distributed every twenty minutes for same-day tours only.
Charles E. Sumner School Museum And Archives
17th and M Streets, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-442.6060 Hours: Museum - 9am - 7pm M - F
Named in honor of US Senator Charles Sumner, an outspoken advocate of primary schools, this edifice was the first African American public high school in the nation. Today the museum includes among its permanent collection, the African American history map of the United States, the diploma from the first high school graduation of African American students held at the Sumner School in 1877 and a memorial to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition to its archival library, the museum hosts an array of exhibits.
Corcoran Gallery Of Art
500 17th Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-639-1700 Web: www.corcoran.org Hours: 10a-5p Daily. Closed every Tuesday. Admission $5-adults, $3-seniors, children under 12 are free.Admission is free on Mondays & Thursdays after 5pm. There is sometimes an additional fee charged for Featured Exhibitions. Gift shop on site.
The Corcoran, the city's oldest art museum, features an extensive collection of American paintings, sculptures and drawings from colonial days to the present. Also included is a less extensive collection of European masterworks. Founded by William Wilson Corcoran in 1869, today it also serves as a training center for many area artists through its school of art.
1610 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-842-0920 Web: www.decaturhouse.org Hours: 10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, open until 8pm Thursday, Noon-4pm Sunday, closed Monday. Free Admission.
Designed by architect Benjamin Latrobe for naval hero Stephen Decatur, the townhouse faces Lafayette Square adjacent to the White House. From this vantage point Decatur House has witnessed a rich social history as the home and gathering place for politicians and Washington, DC society. "Today, the Decatur House explores the history of the house, its residents and architecture through guided tours of the historic mansion, changing exhibitions in its adjoining gallery and public programs."
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
Due to renovation - closed until further notice. 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-324-3447 Web: www.fbi.gov Hours: 8:45am-4:15pm M-F, Free
Established in 1908 during the Theodore Roosevelt administration, the FBI is dedicated to solving the nation's interstate crimes and is one of the most popular stops in Washington. Take a peek inside the crime laboratories where you will see weapons used by some of the most well-known gangsters in America. Watch a presentation about the top priorities among the bureaus 200 jurisdictions and check out the computer room. At tour's end you will see a live firearms demonstration. There is no admission charge.
Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol Street, SE Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-544-7077 Web: www.folger.edu Hours: 10am-4pm, Monday-Saturday
The Folger Library is home to the world's best collection of Shakespeare's works and a center for studies in Renaissance literature, art, history and science. There is a wondrous three-tiered Elizabethan innyard theater offering a season of plays by Shakespeare and other modern playwrights as well as early music concerts, family programs, and reading of poetry and fiction. Visitors also enjoy exhibitions drawn from the collection and tours of the Folger's national landmark building and Elizabeth garden.
This historic landmark was the site of President Lincoln's assassination. Interesting museum with artifacts located on lower level of theatre; tours conducted by National Park Service free. There is live theatre presented at Ford's Theatre. Special family discounts offered. Most productions are for children age 10 years and above.
Freer Gallery Of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice), 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: www.asia.si.edu Hours: Daily 10am-5:30pm (closed December 25);
Two outstanding collections of Asian art, plus works by 19th- and 20th-century American artisits. The opulent Peacock Room is the only surviving example of American expatriate American James McNeil Whisler's interior design.
Hillwood Museum
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-686-5807 Web: www.hillwoodmuseum.org Hours: Open Tues.-Sat. 9:30am to 5pm. Reservations are required for entrance and tours of the house.
Hillwood captures a vanishing American lifestyle and a gracious way of living that is rarely seen today. The mansion, along with auxiliary buildings, set amid 25 acres of landscaped gardens and woodlands, was the final residence of Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973). Businesswoman, socialite and philanthropist, Marjorie Post collected fine and decorative arts to embellish her many homes. She amassed the largest collection of imperial Russian objects outside the former Soviet Union. Hillwood is best known today for these outstanding collections. Tours of the house are $12 adults; $10 senior adults 65 and older; $7 for full time students with ID, and $5 for children 6 to 18. Gift shop and Cafe.
Collection of 19th- and 20th century paintings and sculptures in a striking cylindrical museum and adjoining outdoor garden. Changing exhibits explore the newest trends in modern art.
Howard University Gallery Of Art, College Of Fine Arts
With more than 3,000 works in its collection, the Gallery of Art has something for everyone. In addition to its extensive African American collection, the gallery is home to an encyclopedic assembly of African artifacts, Renaissance and Baroque paintings, 16th -19th century European prints and an array of paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints by other 20th century artists. Academic year exhibitions include works from the permanent collection, students, faculty and leading national and international artists.
Could you pass up an exhibit called "Money Matters"? This is the permanent exhibit at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is a self-guided tour. You can also see a video on the work of the IMF. The goal of the IMF is to heighten public awareness and understanding of the IMF's role in the global economy. In addition, the center presents information on the ways in which the IMF serves its 183 member countries. The IMF sponsors special exhibits on the history of money and trade. Currently Showing: "THE ARTISTRY OF AFRICAN CURRENCY". Bookstore and Gift Shop: The IMF Bookstore offers complimentary and for sale publications on the most up-to-date thinking on recent economic issues. IMF souvenir gifts available.
International Spy Museum
800 F Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-393-7798 Hours: Open 10am daily. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Hours are subject to change. Group tours by reservation. Admission - $18 adults; $17 seniors, active duty military, and intelligence with ID; $15 children (age 5-11); $ 14 Operation Spy (ages 12+); $24 Combined admission; Children 4 & under are free. To infiltrate The Spy Ring, the Museum's membership program, visit www.spymuseum.org or call 866-SPYMUSEUM.
The International Spy Museum explores the craft, practice, history and contemporary role of espionage. The Museum features the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever placed on public display. The International Spy Museum, located at 800 F Street in Washington's historic Penn Quarter is conveniently located near the Gallery Place/Chinatown and National Archives/Navy Memorial Metrorail stations serviced by the red, yellow and green lines. The museum complex includes a fine dining restaurant, cafe and museum store. For more information call 202.EYE.SPY.U (202/393-7798)
Kiplinger Washington Collection
1729 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-887-6537 Hours: By Appointment Only, Mon-Fri
The Kiplinger Washington collection comprises over 5,000 items, including prints, paintings and photographs, most of which feature Washington architecture. There are also a number of maps and period political portraits. The collection originated in the 1920s when W.M. Kiplinger, a young reporter new to Washington, bought a single old Washington print for his small office. In 1923, Mr. Kiplinger started his successful Washington newsletter and as his company grew, so did his collection of Washingtoniana. Today, it can be seen hanging in the offices, halls and stairways of the Editors Building in downtown Washington, DC. There is no admission charge.
Kreeger Museum
2401 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-338-3552 Web: www.kreegermuseum.org Hours: Open hours are Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Guided tours by reservation only Tues-Fri at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Free parking on grounds. $8 adults, $5 seniors and students, free for museum members. Closed month of August
Designed by Philip Johnson in spectacular post modernist style, the Kreeger Museum showcases David and Carmen Kreeger's personal collection of 19th and 20th century paintings, sculptures and examples of traditional African and Asian art. Highlights include works by Monet, Picasso, Miro, Moore, van Gogh and Stella.
Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum
701 3rd Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-789-0900 Hours: By appointment only
The oldest synagogue in Washington (1876) now houses the Small Jewish Museum displaying local Jewish history in changing exhibits. The building was dedicated with President Ulysses S. Grant in attendance and has been used as a synagogue, church, and carry-out sandwich shop! In 1969, the synagogue was moved to its present site. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features a restored sanctuary.
Marian Koshland Science Museum
6th and E Streets, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-334-1201 (voice), 202-334-1306 (TTY) Web: www.koshlandsciencemuseum.org Hours: 10 am - 6 pm daily, except Tuesdays. Last admission at 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
The Marian Koshland Science Museum features state-of-the-art exhibits that present the complexities of science in an engaging and accessible way to the general public. Best enjoyed by visitors ages 13 and older, the museum explores current scientific issues at the core of many of the nation’s public policy decisions, as presented in reports by the National Academies.
Originally built for Franklin MacVeagh, President Taft's Secretary of the Treasury, this Italianate house became the Embassy of Mexico in the 1930s. The gallery boasts murals by Roberto Cuerva del Rio, a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures and photographs and travelling exhibits in various media.
National Air And Space Museum
6th Street and Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice), 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: www.nasm.si.edu Hours: 10-5:30 daily (closed December 25); summer hours determined annually
The National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall has many of history's icons: the original Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, SpaceShipOne, the Apollo 11 command module and a touchable lunar rock. Free interactive activities for kids. IMAX movies, planetarium shows, flight simulators (fee)
National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air & Space Pkwy Chantilly, VA 20151 Phone: 202-633-1000 Web:www.si.edu Hours: Open daily (closed December 25) summer hours determined annually
The Museum currently has over 80 aircraft and dozens of space artifacts on display including the Space Shuttle "Enterprise", an SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft; the Dash 80 prototype of the Boeing 707, to name a few. The facility has a large aviation exhibit hangar and a separate space exhibit hangar, an observation tower from which visitors can watch air traffic at Dulles Airport, classrooms, a large-format theater, food service and more. A shuttle bus service runs between the downtown Museum and the new Center for a fee.
National Aquarium
14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-482-2825 Web: www.nationalaquarium.com Hours: 9-5 daily $7 Adult, $3 for Kids 2-10 yrs. old, Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Only one block from the Washington Monument, the National Aquarium is located in the Department of Commerce Building on 14th Street between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW. The nation’s first Aquarium offers an unique 45-minute self guided tour of America’s Aquatic Treasures and highlights the National Marine Sanctuaries Programs.
Metro: Orange and Blue lines – Federal Triangle
Open daily 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. with last admission at 4:30 p.m.
National Archives
Constitution Avenue, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-501-5000 Web: www.archives.gov Hours: 8:45am-5:00pm Mon. & Wed.; 8:45am-9:00pm Tues., Thur. & Fri.; and 8:45am-4:45pm Sat.
Here you can examine the original documents that helped in the formation of this nation: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Treaty of Paris. The National Archives also is the main repository for military and naval papers, and contains more than three billion records and documents. Many people use the Archives to research and access early census, pension and military records to aid in tracing their family history.
National Building Museum
401 F Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-272-2448 Web: www.nbm.org Hours: 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday, 12-5pm Sunday, as of 1/2/02 11am-5pm Sunday. Admission is free. Group tours by appointment.
The National Building Museum is dedicated to exploring the world we build for ourselves, from bridges and highways to homes, skyscrapers, cities, and parks. As such, the Museum presents exhibitions and public programs focusing on architecture, construction, engineering, design, landscape architecture, and urban planning. The historic brick building is itself a marvel in architecture and engineering and many presidential inaugural balls have been held in the Great Hall. The long-term exhibition "Washington: Symbol and City" is joined by a series of temporary exhibitions (visit the Museum's website for current exhibitions). Free building tours are given daily and a cafe' offers a quick bite to eat. The Museum Shop is one of the best in town. The Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, at the entrance to the Judiciary Square Metro Station (Red Line). Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Free
National Gallery Of Art
4th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-737-4215 Web: www.nga.gov Hours: 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday Gift shop on site.
The neoclassical West building of the gallery, designed by John Russell Pope, houses the world's finest collections of paintings, sculptures and graphics arts. The gallery offers a comprehensive survey of Italian painting and sculpture. The East building, designed by I.M. Pei, houses a permanent collection of 20th century art featuring works by Picasso, Matisse, Miro and others.
National Mall
Between Constitution and Independence Avenues, SW Washington, D.C. Web: www.nps.gov/nama Hours: Open daily
This tree-lined grassy strip extends approximately two miles from the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Scattered along its perimeter are many of the Smithsonian Institution museums, the United States Botanic Gardens and other memorials. Residents often can be found on the Mall playing volleyball, bicycling, walking or jogging. The Mall also plays host annually to kite flying and frisbee contests, and on Independence Day, the spectacular fireworks display. It is the site of famous marches, protests and demonstrations.
Devoted to the collection and study of African Art.
National Museum Of American History, Behring Center
Constitution Avenue, NW between 12th and 14th Streets Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice), 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: www.nmafa.si.edu Hours: The museum is closed for renovation until summer 2008
National Museum Of American Jewish Military History
1811 R Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-265-6280 Web: www.nmajmh.org Hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, 1-5pm Sunday, closed Saturday Admission by donation.
Under the auspices of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, the museum displays exhibitions documenting the courage and heroism of Jewish Americans who have served in the armed forces of the United States. Current and future exhibitions include I Remember: Recollections on the End of World War II; Major General Julius Klein: His Life and Work; The Jewish War Veterans of the United States Celebrate One Hundred Years: 1896-1996; and An American Sailor and A Jew: The Life and Career of Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy, USN (1792-1862).
Compare a smoker's lung to a coal miner's lung, see the bullet that took Abraham Lincoln's life as well as fragments of his skull and a lock of his hair, touch a real brain or the inside of a stomach if you dare. Try on a pregnancy garment that makes you feel what it's like to be with child, view skeletons and skulls and a stomach-shaped hairball surgically removed from inside a 12-year-old girl. There are live leeches, the world's most comprehensive collection of microscopes dating to the 1600's, a display of kidney stones, a brain still attached to a spinal cord suspended in formaldehyde, and medical artifacts and instruments important in the development of medicine and today's modern hospital.
National Museum Of Natural History
10th St. and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice), 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: http://www.mnh.si.edu/ Hours: 10-5:30 daily (closed December 25); summer hours determined annually
See the 45.5 carat Hope Diamond, dinosaurs, Insect Zoo, the mammals hall, and the world's largest African bush elephant. Johnson IMAX Theater shows films daily (admission). Friday night Jazz Caf (cover charge) Theater and dining group reservations call 202-275-2110, toll free 866-868-7774.
Centerpiece for preservation, study and exhibition of the life, arts, culture and history of the native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Features films in the Rasmuson Theater, a multimedia presentation in the Lelawi Theater, and educational and public programs, including ceremonies and performances.
The National Portrait Gallery gives visitors a chance to meet fascinating Americans from more that 225 years of history in its halls. Through portraits and performances the Portrait Gallery tells the stories of poets and presidents, visionaries and villians, actors and activists who speak American history.
Colorful and engaging collection of airmail planes, mail trucks, stagecoaches, and other postal vehicles along with rare stamps, letters, Owney the Postal Dog, and a Pony Express exhibit.
Naval Heritage Center
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 123 Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-380-0710 Web: www.lonesailor.org Hours: 9:30a.m.-5p.m. Mon-Sat, Closed Sundays, Gift Shop on Site (Closed Sundays and Mondays - Nov - Feb)
You'll be introduced to an attractive display of ships, aircraft and naval history. Center offers exhibits, Library, and 242 sea theater with the wide-screen movie, At Sea, about life on board an aircraft carrier while on a deployment. Also available for viewing is the Navy Log, over 260,000 records of sea service personnel. The nautical gift shop has items for all ages.
Naval Museum
Washington Navy Yard 805 Kidder Breese Street, SE Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-433-6897 Hours: 9am-4pm Monday - Friday (reservations required); closed weekends and holidays
Opened in 1963, the Navy Museum is housed in the former 600-foot long Breech Mechanism Shop of the old Naval Gun Factory. Exhibits offer a look at the traditions and contributions of the Navy throughout American history. Popular attractions include the fully rigged fighting top from the frigate Constitution, a submarine room with operating periscopes and a variety of large guns which can be elevated and aimed by the visitor. There is no admission charge. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Navy Art Gallery
Washington Navy Yard 9th and M Streets, SE Bldg. #67 Washington, D.C. Web: www.history.navy.mil Phone: 202-433-3815 Hours: 10am-4 pm, Mon.-Fri.
The Navy Art Gallery focuses on artworks that distinguish the character of the Navy and her personnel. In this collection is recorded the actions of United States Navy ships, aircraft and submarines, in peace and war, beginning with the Revolutionary War up to the present day. Rotating exhibits follow naval activities and produce art for the collection. There is no admission charge.
Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20001 Website: www.newseum.org Phone: 888/NEWSEUM (888/639-7386) Hours: 9 am-5 pm daily (Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day)
Newseum Blends High-Tech With Historical The Newseum - a 250,000-square-foot museum of news - offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America's Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior's unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfill its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other.
Built in 1765, this is the city's only remaining colonial building. There is a museum, craft demonstrations and formal gardens. There is no admission charge.
This is the country's first museum of modern art. A treasure trove of 19th and 20th century American and French artists are represented including works from Bonnard, Braque, Cezanne, El Greco, Manet, Matisse, Mir, O'Keefe and Picasso. Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party is one of the most prominent works on display. Apart from the permanent collection, there are changing exhibits of photographs, drawings, paintings and lithographs. Plan to attend the Thursday night Artful Evening session which features art appreciation and music in a social setting. There is an admission charge on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
3900 Harewood Road, NE Washington, D.C. 20017 Phone: 202-635-5400 Web: www.jp2cc.org Hours: Open Thursday - Saturday; Sunday 12pm-5pm. Starting April 1st open Tuesday-Sunday. Admission is by donation.
The nation's newest, must-see attraction, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center offers a one-of-a-kind, dynamic experience where visitors of all ages and denominations can explore spirituality through state-of-the-art interactive galleries, the Cultural Center features the Papal and Polish Heritage Room, art from the extraordinary collections of the world-class Vatican Museum, special exhibits and events, Children's Gallery, Cafe, Museum Store, Bookstore, theaters, and chapel. The architecturally stunning Cultural Center has free parking and is Metro accessible.
Renwick Gallery of the SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
Permanent collection and exhibitions of American crafts. This gem of a museum, located in a historic building near the White House, is dedicated to exhibiting the finest American crafts from the 19th century to the present.
Sewell-Belmont House and Museum
144 Constitution Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-546-1210 Web: www.sewallbelmont.org Hours: Tu - F 11am - 3pm, Sat Noon - 4pm. $5 suggested donation
The Sewell-Belmont House and Museum, a National Historic Landmark on Capitol Hill, is the headquarters of the historic National Woman's Party and one of the nation's premier women's history sites. For 43 years, it was the Washington home of the NWP's founder, Alice Paul, militant suffragist leader, author of the Equal Rights Amendment and lifelong activist for women's rights.
With unparalled archives and a collection of fine art and artifacts from the women's sufrage and equal rights movements, the Sewall-Belmont House tells the inspiring and still unfinished story of women's quest for full equality. The Museum features docent-led tours highlighting original busts and portraits of the pioneers of the women's rights movement, suffrage parade banners, Susan B. Anthony's desk, political cartoons and historic photographs.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum, the nation's first art collection, is an unparalleled record of the American experience from the colonial period to today. Highlights are images of the west, impressionism, WPA murals, folk art, modern art. Don't miss the new Lunder Conservation Ctr. and Luce Foundation Ctr.
Established in 1846 for, "the increase and diffusion of knowledge," with funds bequeathed to the United States by Englishman James Smithson, the Smithsonian Institution today is the world's largest museum complex with 14 national museums and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and two other museums in New York City. The Smithsonian holds more than 140 million artifacts and specimens in its trust for the American people. The Institution, also a center for research, is dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, sciences, and history.
Smithsonian Institution Information Center
1000 Jefferson Drive, SW PO Box 37012 - SI Bldg. 153 MRC 010 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 Phone: 202-633-1000 (voice), 202-357-1729 (TTY) Web: www.si.edu Hours: 9am-5:30pm daily (closed December 25)
Known as the Castle, the oldest of thr 15 Smithsonian museums in Washington houses the crypt of founder James Smithson, an orientation theater, scale models of Washington;'s monumental core, an interactive touch-screen program in 6 languages, plus multilingual information and assistance. Cafe dining.
The Octagon
1799 New York Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-638-3105 Web: www.theoctagon.org Hours: 10am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday
This federal style townhouse was the executive mansion for President James Madison after the British burned the White House in 1814. The Treaty of Ghent ending the war of 1812 was signed in the second floor parlor of this historic home, designed by William Thornton, the first architect of the US Capitol and built in 1801 for Colonel John Tayloe III. The building features period furnishings and a museum with changing architecture and allied arts exhibits. There is an admission charge.
The Textile Museum
2320 S Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-667-0441 Web: www.textilemuseum.org Hours: 10-5 M-Sat, 1-5 Sun
Private museum devoted to historic and contemporary handmade textile arts. Few blocks walk from subway. In elegant residential section of Embassy Row. Fee.
United States Military Cemetery
6700 block of Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-722-3337 Hours: Not open to the public. Office 7:30A-4P M-F
The second smallest national cemetery in the United States, just a few blocks east of Fort Stevens.
This museum memorializes the Nazi annihilation of six million Jewish people along with gypsies, homosexuals and other political opponents. It was designed by James I. Freed of I.M. Pei and Associates.
VERIZON CENTER
601 F Street NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-628-3200 Web: www.mcicenter.com Hours: 10 AM - 5:30 PM on M-Sat non-event days & on event days, 10 AM until end of event, Sunday closed
Construction began in October 1995 on MCI Center, the new home of the NBAs Wizards (formerly Bullets), NHLs Capitals, Georgetown University men's basketball plus big-time entertainment and sporting events. Families will enjoy visiting the MCI National Sports Gallery, a showcase for American sports history with interactive games, Discovery Channel's Destination DC, a one-of-a-kind store offering stories and products themed around an imaginary journey, Velocity Grill, a dining experience mixing technology and sports, and Modell's Sporting Goods Team Store where fans can adorn themselves in teamwear.
Very Special Arts Gallery
1300 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-628.0800 Web: www.vsarts.org Hours: Closed to the Public on the Internet now
The Very Special Arts Gallery is a non-profit organization and represents professionals artists with disabilities. This is a fun place for children and adults of all ages to admire a wide variety of artwork by numerous talented artists; most items are available for purchase.
Woodrow Wilson House Museum
2340 S Street, NW Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-387-4062 Web: www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org Hours: 10am-4pm Tuesday - Sunday, Admission is charged, Guided tours last 1 hour
Having served as the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson led the nation through World War I and established the League of Nations. He moved to S Street in 1921 to reflect on his career as educator, president and world statesman. This museum, property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and designed by architect Waddy B. Wood in 1915, is authentically furnished. Tours of the Wilson House are fully guided. On display are important materials from Wilson's presidency, objects from the White House, elaborate gifts of state from around the world and family items and personal objects.
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