Washington, D.C.

National Museum of Natural History

The real show stoppers here are the gargantuan, complete dinosaur fossils, and you won't have to search to find them! Further into the museum you'll find displays of world cultures, meteorites, mineral samples, and the evolution of life from beginnings to today. Don't leave without seeing the overawing precious rock collection, including the Hope Diamond, the enormous blue diamond of legend. A dining area is on the first level of this museum. The food is good, but somewhat pricy.

10:30AM-5:30PM daily, 10AM-7:30PM during the summer·Wi-Fi · Free entry · Built 1910

National Gallery of Art

The staggering depth and breadth of the world-class collections here are a clear testament to U.S. wealth and power. The east building of this museum is devoted to modern art, while the west building showcases traditional, mostly European, paintings and sculptures. The west wing's impressionist gallery is likely the most popular, although it would be a shame to skip the east wing's fauvist and abstract expressionist galleries. Just west of the buildings is the relaxing sculpture garden, with a foot pool for cooling off tired feet. There are dining options within the Gallery. Among popular options are the Garden Café and various dining options in the area connecting the east and west wings of the museum. Also, food is available in the park on the Gallery grounds.

Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM; Sun 11AM-6PM·Wi-Fi · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

National Air and Space Museum

The most-visited museum in the U.S., with over 8 million visitors per year, this impressive repository covers the history of human flight, rocketry and space flight. It contains thousands of impressive artifacts, including the Wright brothers' 1903 Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo 11's command module Columbia, and the simulated bridge of an aircraft carrier. Enthusiasts should try to also make it to the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum out in Chantilly near Dulles International Airport; the Center houses full aviation and space aircraft (e.g., SR-71 Blackbird, Enola Gay B-29, Concorde, Space Shuttle Discovery, etc.) that would not fit on the Mall.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free entry · Wi-Fi · Wheelchair accessible

National Museum of the American Indian

This museum displays the cultural traditions of the Native peoples of North, Central, and South America. It focuses on 20th century and present day culture much more than pre-Columbian and colonial periods. The exhibits can be fascinating, but are not as grandiose as those of the other museums. Perhaps the most important attraction is the gorgeous building itself, designed by famous Native Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal of Blackfoot descent, echoing the ancient stone formations of the American Southwest, and surrounded by manifestations both metaphorical and literal of natural North American landscapes.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Both a museum and a memorial, this space is dedicated to the exposition of just what exactly occurred during the Holocaust, its pointless inhumanity and unbelievable suffering. Exhibits include video and audio testimonies as well as more traditional museum exhibits. This is without a doubt the most somber, and even disturbing place for visitors on the Mall, and a good portion of the visitors leave sobbing—make sure your kids are old enough for this material. Entrance is by free timed ticket on a first come, first served basis during the busy months of March-August.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free entry

Washington Monument

No man looms larger over American history than the first president, and no monument looms larger over D.C. than this, both the world's tallest stone structure and its tallest obelisk. When completed in 1884 it was the world's tallest structure, and remains one of the tallest buildings in D.C. Viewed from either end of the Mall its size may not be evident, but enter the enormous square on which it stands, and you'll realize just how monumental it is. The view from the 555-foot top is great on a clear day, allowing you to see up and down the Mall, and out as far as the Shenandoah Valley. The observation level reopened in September 2019 and is open for viewing with a ticket. Entrance is by timed ticket, which are distributed on a first come first served basis starting at 8:30AM from a National Park Service booth on 15th St east of the monument or online, if booked months in advance.

open daily except for July 4th and December 25th- regular hours-9AM-4:45PM, summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) 9AM to 9:45PM·Free · Wheelchair accessible

Lincoln Memorial

Most of the D.C. memorials, especially those for U.S. leaders, are meant to awe and impress in a very direct manner. None more so than this impressive monument in a commanding location at the end of the Mall. Modeled after the Greek Temple of Zeus, Lincoln sits with a commanding presence overlooking the reflecting pool, straight across the Mall to the Washington Monument and beyond it the Capitol Building. Few monuments in the world can match the simple power of the Lincoln Memorial at night.

Open now · open 24 hours·Wheelchair accessible

National Museum of Women in the Arts

This is the only museum devoted to art made by women. Its special exhibits can be really interesting, often featuring works from a specific part of the world. The big, beautiful building is a historic former Masonic Temple. The gift shop is extraordinary, with a collection of very unique handmade gifts from around the world.

Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM·$10 adults; $8 students, ages 65+; free 18 and younger

National Museum of African Art

A much smaller museum of art than the massive National Gallery and Hirshhorn museums, but it is excellently exhibited, and extremely family-friendly, with daily events and programs for kids. The exhibits subvert the name of the museum, showing that creative arts from the African continent, traditional and contemporary, are too diverse to fit neatly under the title of "African Art." The museum hosts frequent performances of storytellers, musicians, films, etc.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

White House

The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 when the national capital was moved from Philadelphia. The White House is also a metonym for the Executive Office of the President.

Tours: Tue-Thu 7:30AM-11AM, Fri 7:30AM-noon, Sat 7:30AM-1PM·Free

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Often described as the most moving memorial in the city, the Vietnam Memorial stands as tribute to those who died or went missing, intended to transcend political controversy in remembrance of the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Its centerpiece is a simple black granite wall engraved with the 58,256 names of each.

24 hrs daily. Rangers on duty for questions and interpretive programs: 9:30AM-10PM

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Asia is a rather large place, and a tour through these Asian Art museums is a bit like a travel from Japan to Turkey. The Asian galleries, along with the connected African Art museum are a lot quieter and more peaceful than the huge museums to the east, which can be quite a relief! Like their companion museum above, the Freer and Sackler galleries host very frequent events.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free entry · Built 1923

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

Home to D.C.'s premier collection of international modern and contemporary art, housed in an intimidating brutalist spaceship of a building. The exhibits are wonderfully stimulating and cutting-edge, albeit often not made accessible to casual viewers (a free docent-led tour available noon-4PM can be helpful), and very often not family-friendly with very graphic content. The museum tries to make it clear when you are about to walk into an "adult exhibit," but do not count on this if you are with children. The sculpture gardens, however, are great fun for kids, and a nice quiet escape from the Mall proper. And this modern sculpture collection of several Rodins, a huge Lichtenstein brushstroke, and other famous works, is world-class!

Mon noon-5:30PM, Tue-Sun 10AM-5:30PM·Free entry

United States Botanic Garden

U.S. Botanic Garden

The national conservatory is one of the least visited attractions around the Mall, and that is one of the best reasons to visit. The botanical collection is extensive, the climate is often a welcome respite, and the catwalk through the leaf canopy in the jungle room is a favorite. Bartholdi Park, south of the conservatory, is small but majestic, centered around the Bartholdi Fountain.

10AM-5PM daily·Free · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Dumbarton Oaks

Most famous for its role in 1944, when world leaders convened here to draw up the United Nations charter. But that's not why you should come. The extensive gardens are the biggest draw; they are extraordinarily beautiful—almost palatial—and peaceful, uncrowded. The best time to come is a Spring weekday, when the gardens are practically empty, and the trees are budding with bright pinks and purples. The mansion, built in 1800 for John Calhoun (one of the most powerful senators in American history), houses an extraordinary collection of pre-Columbian and Byzantine art. And rest assured a stroll around the mansion would be worthwhile even without the exhibits. Don't thank Sen. Calhoun for all this though; he was rather a boor. The second owners, the Blisses, a wealthy couple from the U.S. Foreign Service, are responsible for the magnificent landscaping and collections. If you are up for a little homework, look for Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks Concerto, commissioned by Mrs. Bliss for their 30th wedding anniversary.

Museum: Tue-Sun 2PM-5PM, Gardens: Tue-Sun 2PM-6PM (15 Mar-31 Oct), Tue-Sun 2PM-5PM (1 Nov-14 Mar)·Museum: free; gardens: $15, Free in the winter - 2PM-5PM

National Postal Museum

The Smithsonian's own philatelist Shangri-La has one of the world's largest collections of rare stamps, as well as exhibitions of how mail has been delivered throughout history, and other ways that the mail shapes culture.

10AM-5:30PM daily·Free · Free entry

The Phillips Collection

The Phillips Collection, opened in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. Featuring a renowned permanent collection of nearly 2,500 works by American and European impressionist and modern artists, the Phillips is internationally recognized for its incomparable art and for its intimate atmosphere. Housed in founder Duncan Phillips' 1897 Georgian Revival home, The Phillips Collection is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest small museums.

Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-6:30PM·Special exhibit prices vary; permanent collection: Tu-F free, Sa Su adults $10, seniors and students $8

National Museum of American History

There is a lot here in one of the city's most informative museums, covering topics ranging from war to technology, social and political history. The biggest draw, though, is the Treasure Room, with an astonishing set of iconic Americana objects, ranging from the original Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln's top hat, to Kermit the Frog and Dorothy's ruby slippers!

10AM-5:30PM daily·Wi-Fi · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Union Station

Not just a train station or metro stop, the grandiose 1908 Beaux Arts building by legendary American architect Daniel Burnham makes it worth a look—the ceremonial entrance is stunning. Open long after the museums close, it contains shops and restaurants. A large monument to Christopher Columbus stands outside the building.

Wheelchair accessible

Smithsonian American Art Museum

The collection here is a walk through encyclopedia of American Art—Gilbert Stuart's stern presidential portraits through Nam June Paik's house-sized America sculpture of neon and televisions.

11:30AM-7PM daily·Free · Wi-Fi · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Capitol Building

The center of the legislative branch of America is home to the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as numerous impressive paintings, statues, historical exhibits, and one magnificent dome. The visitor center features an exhibition of the history of the Capitol and of Congress. Tours of the Capitol building are free and can be arranged online or by same-day walk-in and start from the visitor center. You may not bring food or drinks inside. Only the smallest and thinnest bags will be allowed. If lines for security are long, an alternative is to use the tunnel from the Library of Congress. When you are looking at this beautiful structure, remember that it was built during the era when slavery was legal in D.C., and enslaved laborers were used in the original construction that was completed in 1800 and the expansion that took place in the 1850s. The impressive rotunda is where deceased former presidents and other distinguished individuals granted the privilege by the U.S. government lay in state.

Mon-Sat 8:30AM-4:30PM·Free · Built 1800 · Wheelchair accessible

Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson played an outsized role as one of the republic's founding fathers, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president. Accordingly, he has an enormous statue in a circular, neoclassical, open-air building, based largely on the design of the Roman Pantheon (and Jefferson's Monticello and University of Virginia), and standing prominently on the bank of the Tidal Basin. Quotes from Jefferson's writings, including the Declaration of Independence, are reproduced on the walls.

Open now · open 24 hours·Wheelchair accessible · Built 1943

Library of Congress

Founded by the third U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson, this grand building, also called the Jefferson Library, has the largest collection of books in the world. The most popular points of interest are the massive main reading room and Great Hall. On the Winter and Summer solstices, the Great Hall is filled with an odd silver glow that gives the impression you are surrounded by floating clouds, and this makes those days the most crowded. The main reading room is known as the Sacred Room, and is absolutely stunning. You must be 16 or older to use the reading rooms and have a reader identification card, which can be obtained by presenting a driver's license/passport and completing a self registration form. Guided tours will not bring you into the reading room, but will take you up in the dome, where you can see the room in its full glory. There are also a number of rotating exhibitions from the Library's vast collection on display at any one time, as is a Gutenberg Bible.

Mon-Sat 8:30AM-4:30PM·Free · Wheelchair accessible

National World War II Memorial

Many of D.C.'s monuments have a simple, sudden, and grandiose impact, and don't require much time to visit. Not so for this new memorial. WWII was the defining event of the twentieth century, in which sixteen million U.S. soldiers served, and 400,000 died—the enormity of the war is hard to grasp in one's mind, and the architect aimed to convey that enormity in this central memorial. To best appreciate it, you will have to walk around and slowly take it in. Kilroy was here—look for the hidden carving behind the Pennsylvania obelisk.

Wheelchair accessible

National Cathedral

Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

The impression of walking up to the world's 6th-largest cathedral, a hulking mass cut over a period of 83 years of 150,000 tons of stone, is alone worth the trip. Tours are a must if you really want to see the cathedral, and the towers and the crypt are off limits without a guide during the busy season. The organ demonstrations are spectacular and loud. Check the website for events, as there is often children's programming as well as major concerts.

Visitor hours: Mon-Fri 10AM-5:30PM, Sat 10AM-4PM, Sun 8AM-5:15PM. Tours: every half hour (Sun last tour at 2:30PM). Mass (Episcopalian): Mon-Fri noon; Sat 7:30AM, noon; Sun 7:45AM, 8:45AM, 10AM (contemporary), 11:15AM. Evensong: usually Mon-Fri 5:30PM, Sun 4PM. Organ demonstration: Mon Wed 12:30PM-1PM·$12 adult; $8 for seniors, children 5–17, students, teachers, and military; Sundays free · Heritage listed

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

The newest of the Mall's memorials, dedicated to the fallen civil rights leader. You enter between two slabs of granite that symbolize a "Mountain of Despair" before standing before the "Stone of Hope", both named based on a line in King's "I Have a Dream" speech. A 30-foot likeness of King is carved out of the Stone of Hope overlooking the Tidal Basin, while a nearby wall contains inscriptions of quotes from many of King's speeches.

Museum of the Bible

A privately-owned museum founded by David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby, that displays the history and impact of the Bible.

Closed · opens 10 am tomorrow·$25 adults; $20 seniors/military/first responders/students; $15 children 7-17; free for children under 6 · Wheelchair accessible

National Portrait Gallery

Its most popular exhibit is the Hall of Presidents. The enclosed Kogod Courtyard has received several architectural accolades. It has a small cafe and is a peaceful, quiet place to escape for a break. Free WiFi.

11:30AM-7PM daily·Free · Wi-Fi · Free entry

Gallaudet University

Gallaudet is the world's only university where all classes and services are tailored to the needs of the hearing-impaired. Aside from being the principal institution for teaching and learning American Sign Language, the campus includes several buildings of fanciful North American High Gothic architecture and is a National Historic Landmark District. The most famous building is the campus' centerpiece, Chapel Hall. Guided tours are available, but unless you give three days notice, the tours are given in ASL. Self guided tours are also available.

Closed · opens 10 am tomorrow·Parking $3/day. Enter at 8th St. Front Gate and stop at kiosk

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Filled with sculptures, wartime and depression era quotes, and numerous waterfalls (beautifully lit up at night), the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the city's most peaceful and contemplative places for a walk. It is divided into four sections, each dedicated to one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four terms in his twelve year presidency.