Fun
Things to Do in Washington, D.C
Washington , DC will be in full bloom for the 2011
March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference and Exposition. Attendees
will enjoy the opportunity to experience the history and majesty
of the nation’s capital during one of the most beautiful
times of the year. Not only are Washington, DC’s sightseeing
options big in number—nearly all offer free admission.
Theatres and Galleries
Ford’s Theatre
www.fordstheatre.org
 As
a living tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s love of the performing
arts, Ford’s Theatre presents plays and musicals underscoring
multiculturalism and highlighting the eclectic character of American
life. With productions from Sept. – June, Ford’s
Theatre is both a working theatre and a historical monument open
to the public. Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial; Metro Center. Open
9 am-5 pm.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts
www.kennedy-center.org
The Nation’s performing arts center, presenting the best
music, dance, theatre, international, and children’s programs
in six theatres. Hours/prices vary. Free performances 6 pm daily.
Group discounts, accessibility programs, free tours. Metro:
Foggy Bottom-GWU, free shuttle.
Madame Tussauds
www.madametussauds.com/Washington
Madame Tussauds DC is a fully interactive experience where
visitors are able to touch, see and hear major historical events
and celebrities in a way unlike any other Washington D.C. attraction.
Get up close and personal with your favorite celebrities like
Will Smith, Johnny Depp, Madonna, and Marvin Gaye or with historical
figures like George W. Bush, John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King,
and Abraham Lincoln! Admission $20 for adults; $15 for children
3 to 12 years old. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Located at 1001 F Street
NW. (202) 942-7300. Metro: Metro Center
National Gallery of Art and Sculpture
Garden
www.nga.gov
Permanent collection of European and American paintings, sculpture,
decorative arts and works on paper, plus changing exhibitions
of art from around the world. The garden includes 17 works from
the gallery’s growing collection as well as loaned art
for special exhibitions. The Pavilion Café offers year-round
café service, along with indoor seating. Open Mon.-Sat.
10 am-5 pm, Sun. 11 am-6 pm except New Year’s Day and Christmas.
Free admission. Group tours by appointment. Metro: Archives-Navy
Memorial.
National Theatre
www.nationaltheatre.org
The National Theatre opened in 1835 and every person who has
served as President of the United States has attended performances
here, earning the playhouse the revered title: “Theatre
of Presidents.” The historic playhouse has seen Pennsylvania
Avenue grow from the muddy main street of a fledgling capital
to the ceremonial avenue of a great world power. The National
has presented first-class touring productions continuously longer
than any other theatre in America. Tickets for shows may be purchased
online, by phone or in person. Tours are available Monday through
Friday with advance arrangements required. Metro: Metro
Center.
Memorials and Monuments
Arlington National Cemetery
www.arlingtoncemetery.org
 Our
nation’s most treasured burial ground is home to more than
85,000 honored dead. Among the thousands of white headstones
are the graves of President John F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall, world champion boxer Joe Louis and the Tomb
of the Unknowns. Open daily 8 am - 5 pm (to 7 pm Apr-Sept.).
Free Admission. Metro: Arlington
Cemetery.
FDR Memorial
www.nps.gov/fdrm
A 7.5-acre site near the Jefferson Memorial, this memorial
depicts the 12 pivotal years of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s
presidency through a series of four outdoor gallery rooms. The
rooms feature 10 bronze sculptures depicting President Roosevelt,
Eleanor Roosevelt and events from the Great Depression and World
War II. The park-like setting includes waterfalls and quiet pools
amidst a meandering wall of reddish Dakota granite, where Roosevelt’s
inspiring words are carved. It is the first memorial in Washington,
DC, purposely designed to be totally wheelchair accessible. Open
daily except Christmas. Free. Park ranger in attendance 8 am-midnight. Metro:
Smithsonian.
Jefferson Memorial
www.nps.gov/thje
Beneath the marble rotunda, the 19-foot statue of the third
U.S. president is surrounded by passages from the Declaration
of Independence and other famous Jefferson writings. Open daily
except Christmas. Free. Park ranger in attendance 8 am-midnight. Metro:
Smithsonian.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Built by the Korean War Veterans Memorial Advisory
at a cost of $18 million in donated funds, this memorial, located
on a 2.2-acre site adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting
Pool, features a sculptured column of 19 foot soldiers arrayed
for combat with the American flag as their symbolic objective.
A 164-foot mural wall is inscribed with the words, “Freedom
Is Not Free” and is etched with 2,500 photographic images
of nurses, chaplains, crew chiefs, mechanics and other support
personnel to symbolize the vast effort that sustained the military
operation. Open daily 8 am-midnight. Free. For details, call
the National Park Service at (202) 619-7222. Metro: Foggy
Bottom/GWU.
Lincoln Memorial
www.nps.gov/linc
This grand monument overlooks the Reflecting Pool, the Washington
Monument and the US Capitol. Inside, the 19-foot marble statue
of the 16th president is flanked by inscriptions of his Second
Inaugural Address and the famous Gettysburg Address. Open daily
except Christmas. Free. Park Ranger in attendance 8 am-midnight. Metro:
Foggy Bottom/GWU.
Marine Corps Barracks
www.mbw.usmc.mil
Marine Barracks Washington, also known as “8th & I,” is
the oldest active post in the Marine Corps. Located in southeast
Washington, DC, the Barracks supports both ceremonial and security
missions in the nation’s capital. Ceremonies take place
throughout the year, which feature “The President’s
Own” United States Marine Band, the United States Marine
Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine
Corps Silent Drill Platoon and Ceremonial Marchers. Open for
tours each Wednesday or by special appointment. Free admission;
reservations required for Evening Parade. Metro: Eastern
Market.
National World War II Memorial
www.wwiimemorial.com
Located between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial,
this memorial honors the 16 million who served during WWII and
those who supported the war effort from home. The memorial features
two 43-foot arches, a 17-foot pillar for each state and territory
from that period and a field of 4,000 gold stars honoring the
more than 400,000 who died. A series of bronze sculpture panels
depict Americans at war, at home and overseas. Open daily except
Christmas. Free. Metro: Smithsonian.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
www.ushmm.org
Located between 14th St. and Raoul Wallenberg Pl. SW (formerly
15th St.), this internationally acclaimed museum tells the story
of the Holocaust through artifacts, films, photos, and oral histories.
Timed passes required to view the permanent exhibition. Passes
are not required for ‘Remember the Children: Daniel’s
Story’ or temporary exhibitions. Free passes are given
out daily on a first-come, first-serve basis. Advance passes
may be purchased through tickets.com at (800) 400-9373. A service
fee applies. Metro: Smithsonian.
Washington Monument
www.nps.gov/wamo
One of the tallest masonry structures in the world, this majestic
obelisk was dedicated in 1885 to the memory of the first U.S.
president. Free elevator ride takes you to the top for a spectacular
view. Open 9 am-5 pm everyday except Christmas and the 4th of
July. For advance tickets call (800) 967-2283. Metro:
Smithsonian.
Women in Military Service for America
Memorial
www.womensmemorial.org
The Women in Military Service for America Memorial is a unique,
living memorial honoring all military women – past, present
and future – and is the only major national memorial honoring
women who have served in our nation’s defense during all
eras and in all services. Open daily except Christmas. Free admission. Metro:
Arlington Cemetery.
Historic Museums
Frederick Douglass Museum/Caring Hall
of Fame
www.caringinstitute.org
This museum is the first Washington home of Frederick Douglass.
It includes Frederick Douglass memorabilia from the National
Park Service along with the portraits of those selected by the
Caring Institute as the most caring men and women in America.
Disability accessible. Metro: Union Station. Hours
by appointment.
International Spy Museum
www.spymuseum.org
Featuring the largest collection of international espionage-related
artifacts open to the public, the museum chronicles the history
of spying throughout the ages, across the globe, and today. Metro:
Gallery Place/ Chinatown. Open 10 am-6 pm.
National Museum of African Art
www.nmafa.si.edu
The National Museum of African Art is located on the National
Mall between the Smithsonian’s Arts & Industries Building
and the Sackler Gallery of Art. Devoted to the collection and
study of African art, visitors will discover a culture rich with
creativity, power and enchantment from the entire African continent.
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Dec. 25. Admission
is free. Metro: Smithsonian Station or L’Enfant
Plaza Station.
National Air and Space Museum
www.nasm.si.edu
 The
world’s most visited museum houses the Wright Brothers’ 1903
Flyer, Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 lunar
command module, and an incredible collection of aviation and
space technology treasures. Lockheed Martin IMAX theater shows
spectacular films daily (admission). Albert Einstein Planetarium
presents several programs daily (admission). Open daily 10 am
-5:30 pm, except Dec. 25, extended summer hours determined annually.
Free admission. Group tours, tours for visitors with disabilities
and theater/planetarium booked by appointment; call (202) 275-2110
or toll-free (866) 868-7774 (groups in theater or planetarium)
or (202) 633-2563 (group tours), (202) 357-1505 (TTY). Metro:
L’Enfant Plaza.
National Museum of the American Indian
www.nmai.si.edu
The Smithsonian’s newest museum, it is the centerpiece
for preservation, study and exhibition of the life, arts, culture
and history of the native peoples of the Western Hemisphere.
Also features educational and public programs, including ceremonies
and performances. Free, but passes may be required; call to confirm.
Open daily 10 am-5:30 pm, except Dec. 25. Metro: Federal
Center, SW.
National Museum of American History
http://americanhistory.si.edu/
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
dedicates its collections and scholarship to inspiring a broader
understanding of our nation and its many peoples. The museum
creates opportunities for learning; stimulate imaginations, and
present challenging ideas about our country’s past. The
Museum collects and preserves more than 3 million artifacts—all
true national treasures. They have everything from the original
Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat to Dizzy
Gillespie’s angled trumpet and Dorothy’s ruby slippers
from “The Wizard of Oz.” Open daily 10 am-5:30 pm,
except Christmas. Metro: Smithsonian.
National Museum of Natural History
www.mnh.si.edu
The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is part of the
Smithsonian Institution, the world’s preeminent museum
and research complex. The Museum is dedicated to inspiring curiosity,
discovery, and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled
research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs.
At the center of the Museum’s exhibition and research programs
are its expertly documented collections: more than 126 million
natural science specimens and cultural artifacts. Just to name
a few of our museum holdings, the collections include 30 million
insects carefully pinned into tiny boxes; 4½ million plants
pressed onto sheets of paper in the Museum’s herbarium;
7 million fish in liquid-filled jars; and 2 million cultural
artifacts. Open daily from 10am-5:30pm, except Christmas. Metro:
Smithsonian.
Newseum
www.newseum.org
 The
brand-new Newseum is a 250,000-square-foot museum of news, and
offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news
history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.
In its new location at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue
and Sixth Street, N.W., the Newseum is adjacent to the Smithsonian
museums between the White House and the U.S. Capitol. The building
itself is something to behold with 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. This museum has galleries, theaters
and a variety of hands-on exhibits that are entertaining and
educational for all age groups. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission
$20 for adults; $13 for children 6 to 13 years old. Metro:
Archives/Navy Memorial.
United States Capitol Visitor Center
www.visitthecapitol.gov/Visit/
Your visit to the United States Capital begins at the Capitol
Visitor Center located underground on the east side of the U.S.
Capitol, at First Street and East Capitol, NE. Admission to the
Capitol Visitor Center is free and does not require a ticket.
However, tickets are required for tours of the historic Capitol.
Reservations must be made in advance, through your Senators’ or
Representatives’ office, for a staff-led tour of up to
15 people. The gift shop, on the upper level, feature merchandise
inspired by the Capitol’s art and architectural treasures.
The Capitol Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday 8:30
am to 4:30 pm A restaurant, on the lower level, is open Monday
through Saturday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. It is fully accessible
to people with disabilities. Metro: Capitol South, Union
Station.
Smithsonian Institution
www.si.edu/visit
Known as the Castle, the oldest of the 14 Smithsonian museums
in Washington houses the crypt of founder James Smithson, two
orientation theaters, scale models of Washington’s monumental
core, interactive touch-screen program in six languages, two
electronic wall maps, plus multilingual information and assistance.
Open daily 8:30 am -5:30 pm except Dec. 25. Free admission. Walk-in
tours Monday. Fri. - Sun. call for times. Group tours also available
by appointment; call (202) 357-2987. Metro: Smithsonian.
Washington Landmarks
J Edgar Hoover FBI Building
www.fbi.gov
The tour of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) Building
is one of the most enthralling tourist attractions in Washington,
D.C.. Along the tour, visitors may learn about the FBI’s
history and work against organized crime and terrorism, see FBI
scientists at work in the forensic labs and watch a firearms
demonstration given by a special agent. Tours depart every 15
minutes and admission is free. Open Monday-Friday 8:45am-4:15pm. Metro:
Archives - Navy Memorial
National Archives
www.archives.gov
 The
National Archives houses the original Declaration of Independence,
Constitution, Bill of Rights and more than 3 billion records.
Open daily 10 am-5:30 pm except Christmas; extended summer hours.
Group tours by appointment, call (202) 501-5205. Free admission. Metro:
Archives-Navy Memorial.
Washington National Cathedral
www.nationalcathedral.org
World’s sixth-largest cathedral, offering worship, tours,
gardens, views of Washington, D.C., magnificent stained glass,
carvings, dramatic Gothic architecture and three shops. Donations
requested. Group reservations required March-June. Spaces for
entertaining, (202) 537-5581.
White House Visitor Center
www.whitehouse.gov/history/tours
The Visitor Center is open seven days a week, from 7:30 am-4
pm. Allow between 20 minutes and 1 1/2 hours to explore the video
and exhibits. The Visitor Center features many aspects of the
White House. Public tours of the White House are available for
groups of 10 or more people and requests must be submitted through
one’s member of Congress up to six months in advance. Stop
on the Tourmobile route. Restrooms are available, but food service
is not. Metro: Federal Triangle; Metro Center. |
