Washington, DC

Washington, DC, the Nation’s capital, sits at the center of the region traversed by the Potomac River. The seat of the Nation's government provides visitors with some of the world’s most famous landmarks including the US Capitol, the White House, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Indeed, the Smithsonian Institution is actually the largest cluster of museums in the world, each worth a day's visit. In addition, DC’s Dupont Circle is internationally known for its ecclectic array of fine art galleries. And, second only to New York City in number of theater seats, the city annually hosts some of the greatest stage productions in the country.

When you’re tired of being inside, DC features tons of sports-related fun, whether you’re an athlete or a spectator! Ideally situated between Maryland and Virginia, the city offers the perfect base for excursions to various nearby attractions.

Northern Virginia, including Arlington, Alexandria and the eastern portion of Fairfax County, once comprised the original District of Columbia, west of the Potomac, as laid out by George Washington. Northern Virginia lies closest to the District, which is only minutes away by metro or car across one of several crossing points under and over the Potomac.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art Museum
This is located at 17th Street and New York Avenue, NW, one block west and south of the White House. The main entrance is on 17th Street. Special needs access is at 1701 E Street, around the corner from the 17th Street entrance. 10:00am to 5:00pm every day except Tuesdays; extended hours Thursday evenings until 9:00pm, except Thanksgiving. The museum is closed Tuesdays, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Suggested contributions for admission to the Corcoran are $3 - $6 for adults, $1 - $4 for senior citizens and students, and $5 - 10 for family groups. Phone: (202) 639-1700 Metro Stop: Four blocks from the Farragut West station or Farragut North station. Ford's Theatre & Lincoln Museum is located at 511 10th Street, NW—10th Street Between E & F Streets. The building is open every day from 9:00am to 5:00pm with the exception of Christmas. Telephone: (202) 426-6924. Metro Stop: the closest station to the theatre is Metro Center.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is located just south of Independence Ave., SW, between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th St.). It is open daily 10am to 5:30pm and closed on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. There is an entrance also on 14th street, next to the Bureau of Printing & Engraving. Permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and up. The visit will take from an 1 1/2 to 3 hours. ONLY the Permanent Exhibition requires a timed entry pass to begin the self-guided tour of the Museum's primary exhibition. Passes are FREE and are NOT required for the Museum's other exhibitions, memorials, resources and facilities. Metro Stop: Smithsonian on the blue or orange lines exit at 12th and Independence Avenue. Telephone: (202) 488-0400.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is on the south bank of the Tidal Basin. The memorials and monuments on the National Mall are opened daily from 8:00am until 11:45pm, every day except Christmas Day. There are no fees to visit any of the monuments or memorials on the National Mall. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddleboat to cruise on the Basin. The Smithsonian Metro stop comes out on the National Mall. Phone: (202) 426-6841.

Korean War Veterans Memorial is staffed from 8am to midnight every day except December 25 by park rangers who are available to answer questions and present interpretive themes. A bookstore in the nearby Lincoln Memorial sells informational items relating to both the memorial and the Korean War. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is part of the National Park System, one of more than 360 parks representing our nation's natural and cultural heritage.

The Lincoln Memorial stands at West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. The memorials and monuments on the National Mall are opened daily from 8:00 AM until 11:45 PM, every day except Christmas Day.

The National Building Museum is at 401 F Street, NW, between 4th and 5th streets. Wheelchair access at 4th and G streets. Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:00am - 4pm, Sunday noon - 4pm. Summer Hours (June through August) Monday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Sunday, 12 - 5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Metro Stop: Judiciary Square - Red line. Telephone: (202) 272-2448.

The National Gallery of Art, in the West Building, has several entrances. They are located on Constitution Avenue at 6th Street, NW, on Madison Drive at 6th Street, NW, and on 4th Street between Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, NW. The entrance for the East Building is located on 4th Street between Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, NW. The museum is open every day of the year except December 25th and January 1st. Hours are weekdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The National Geographic Society is at 1145 17th & M Street. It houses exhibits of famous scientific expeditions. Phone: 800 NGS LINE (800 647 5463); 800 548 9797 (TDD).

The Phillips Collection is at 1600 21st Street, N.W. The Phillips Collection is located in the Dupont Circle area, one-half block off of Massachusetts Avenue on 21st Street, between Q and R Streets. Offices and Visitor information: (202) 387-2151. Metro Stop: RED line of the Metro to the Dupont Circle Station. Exit to Q street. At the top of the escalator, go left on Q street one block to 21st Street. The museum entrance is located halfway up 21st Street on the left.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial is at l900 Ohio Drive, S.W., near the Jefferson Memorial and the Potomac River. There are park rangers available from 8am to midnight every day except Christmas Day.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located at Henry Bacon Drive & Constitution Avenue, NW. Open daily from 8am until 11:45pm. A ranger station is open during these hours to assist visitors in locating names on the memorial. There are no fees to visit any of the monuments or memorials on the National Mall.

The Washington Monument is on the Mall at 15th Street, SW. Open 9am until 5:00pm. Tickets are required. They are free and available at the booth located on the west side of 15th Street, NW, on the Mall. Advance Tickets (small fee charged): Ticketmaster: (DC Metro) 202-432-7328 (Outside DC) 1-800-551-7328. Facilities: Bookstore, Restrooms, Museum. Information: 202-426-6841. Metro stop: Smithsonian.

The Smithsonian Institution museums are open daily, except Christmas, from 10:00am to 5:30pm (Air & Space 10:00am to 7:30pm and Anacostia Museum which closes at 5 p.m.). Extended summer hours are determined annually. Smithsonian Information Center: 202/357-2700 (voice) 202/357-2729 (TTY). Metro: Smithsonian or L'Enfant Plaza.

The Arlington National Cemetery is open daily October through March from 8:00am to 5:00pm and April through September from 8:00am to 7:00pm. It includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amphitheater, the Custis-Lee Mansion & the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy & William Howard Taft. Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is every hour on the hour & every half hour during the summer months. Narrated bus tour: Adults $2.75 Children $1.25 (the buses run one half hour after opening to one half hour before closing) -(703) 692-0931 Metro: Arlington Cemetary.

At the United States Capitol Building, the Capitol Guide Service conducts free, guided tours of the Capitol Monday through Saturday throughout the year. During the non-peak visitor season (September through February) tours are offered every 15 to 30 minutes, from 9:00am until 3:30pm. During the peak visitor season (March through August), tours are offered every 10 to 15 minutes, from 9:00am until 7:30pm. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.

The Capital Children's Museum takes up the whole city block at 3rd and H streets, NE. About three blocks behind Union Station at 800 3rd Street, NE. The museum specializes in hands-on, interactive educational exhibits. Open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Telephone: (202) 675-4120 Metro: Union Station.

Federal Bureau of Investigation is open 8:45am to 4:15pm, Monday - Friday. This is a guided tour, lasting approximately 1 hour. Tours run every 20 minutes. Enter Rear of FBI Building on E Street between 9th & 10th Streets, NW. Closed on weekends & Federal holidays. A 45 to 60 minute tour leaves every 15 to 20 minutes. Metro: Gallery Place.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is on New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, NW. Free tours of the Kennedy Center are given by the Friends of the Kennedy Center from 10am to 1pm daily. Tours leave every 15 minutes. They depart from the parking plaza on Level A, and feature the Hall of States and Hall of Nations, the Center's main theaters, and dozens of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks given to the Center by foreign countries. For more information, call (202) 416-8340 (TTY 416-8524). Foggy Bottom Metro Station.

The Library of Congress is located on First Street SE between Independence Avenue and East Capitol Street, the Library of Congress houses more than 119 million items, including the papers of 23 presidents of the United States, Thomas Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and the earliest motion picture print. The Thomas Jefferson Building was completed in 1897 and restored to its original splendor in 1997. Visitors can view the Main Reading Room with its magnificent domed ceiling from the Visitors' Gallery.

Adult's over the age of 18 can utilize the Library's collections once they register as readers in room LM 140 of the Madison Building. Please note that the stacks are closed and that books are requested for use in the appropriate reading rooms.

There are guided tours daily, Monday through Saturday, at 11:30 am, 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00 pm. Spanish language tours are offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 pm. All tours start in the Visitors' Center in the Jefferson Building.

The United States National Arboretum houses 444 acres of trees, shrubs and assorted plants in the northeast section of the District of Columbia. Hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. 10:00am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday. Guide services for organized groups are available. Please make reservations for groups. Entrance: New York Avenue, NE. Metro: Stadium Armory on the blue or orange lines, then Bus number B-2, B-4, or B-5 to the intersection of Bladensburg Road and R Street, Walk east of R street 300 yards to the R street gate. Telephone: (202) 637-7000.

The National Cathedral is located on Mount Saint Alban in Washington, D.C., which is one of the highest points in the city. Guided tours are given Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:15 pm and Sundays from 12:30 to 2:45 pm except during special events and services. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 per adult and $1.00 per child for tours. The grounds tour takes you through the Bishop's Lawn and Gardens. You get many details on the plants and trees in the garden. These tours are given on Wednesdays from 10:30 - 11:30 am, April through October.

The Old Executive Office Building, next door to the White House, commands a unique position in both our national history and architectural heritage. Designed by Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Alfred B. Mullett, it was built from 1871 to 1888 to house the growing staffs of the State, War, and Navy Departments, and is considered one of the best examples of French Second Empire architecture in the country.

The Old Post Office Pavilion is at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Open daily from 9:00am to 10:00pm. National Parks Service offers a tour of the bell tower with a splendid view of the city. The lines for this tour are normally much shorter than for the Washington Memorial. Telephone: (202) 289-4224 Metro: Federal Triangle or Navy Memorial. The Pentagon, across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia (I-395), is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 3:30pm Tours every half hour. Sights to see: the Flag Corridor & Hall of Heroes. Telephone: (202) 695-1776 Metro: Pentagon.

The Supreme Court stands at first Street & Maryland Avenue, NE. Open Monday through Friday except on Federal holidays. Tours & public lectures are conducted in the courtroom from 9:00am to 4:30pm every hour on the half hour, except when court is in session. No tours are given during August. Reservations can be made through you Senators' or Representatives' office. When the Court is in session tours are only given on Thursdays and Fridays. To see the Court in session, wait in two lines outside the building. The lines start forming around 8:30 a.m. so get there early! Public lectures are conducted in the courtroom from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. when the Court is not in session. Telephone: (202) 479-3000. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.

The Department of the Treasury was built in 1836 and since then has served as the headquarters for the Treasury Department. The tour includes the history of the Treasury Department and the building's architecture history. This includes a tour of the Andrew Johnson suite, where, in 1865, President Johnson conducted official business for 6 weeks after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It also includes the beautiful Salmon P. Chase suite, the Cash room (the site for Grant's inaugural reception), and the 1864 burglar-proof vault. Entrance through Appointment Center doors located next to the White House on 15th street between F and G streets, NW. Hours: Saturday morning, lasting 90 minutes. Admission: free. For Tour information or to make an advanced reservation call (202) 622-0896. For hearing impaired tours call (202) 622-0692. Metro: Metro Center.

The White House, is at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Open Tuesday through Saturday, visitors are welcome from 10:00am to12 noon. The waiting area is not in effect between Labor Day & Memorial Day. This is a self-guided tour, however Tour Officers are stationed in each room to answer questions. Tickets are required for this tour during spring and summer months and can be acquired at no cost at the "Visitors Kiosk" on the Ellipse of the White House starting at 8:00am on the morning you wish to tour. Only one member of the family is required. A time will be issued for later in the day between 10am and noon. Since the White House is occasionally closed for official events, it is recommended that visitors call in as far in advance as possible. White House Telephone: (202) 456-7041. For more information: (202) 456-2200. Metro: McPherson Square.