About A perfect blend of education and adventure, the Air and
Space Museum gets rave reviews from children and
adults alike.
It is the most popular museum in the world. Every year more
than 10 million people marvel at its aircraft, artifacts, and
creative displays and exhibits. Here you'll find the actual
Wright Brothers' Flyer, space capsules that orbited
the Earth,
and a specimen of moon rock that you can touch.
The Museum's IMAX movie theater, with its five-story screen,
shows breathtaking films about flight. The Albert
Einstein Planetarium
catapults you into the vast wonders of our universe.
About Note: The National Museum of American History is closed for renovations. It will reopen in the summer of 2008.
The National Museum of American History opened
to the public
in January 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. It
was the sixth Smithsonian building on the National
Mall in Washington,
DC.
The Museum offers three floors of exhibitions that
explore the
rich diversity of American history, from "First Ladies:
Political Role and Public Image" to
"Information Age:
People, Information, and Technology."
The museum also contains workshops, laboratories,
offices, libraries,
archives, and other support areas along with an auditorium,
a bookstore, gift shops, public and staff cafeterias, an ice
cream parlor, and a working post office.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Smithsonian
Tours & Reservations:
(202) 357-2700 (Voice)
(202) 357-1729 (TTY)
The National Museum of American History is closed for renovations. It will reopen in the summer of 2008.
About Since 1842, the US Botanic Garden has been
studying, preserving,
and displaying a wide variety of plants, both
common and exotic,
from around the world.
The Botanic Garden features, among other
attractions, a cavernous
"Jungle" that recreates a tropical
rainforest; a "World
Desert" with cacti and succulents; an orchid room filled
with stunning specimens; and a "Garden Primeval,"
a simulated Jurassic landscape of ferns and other
ancient plants.
Recently expanded, the Botanic Garden's renovation continues
with the construction of an outdoor National
Garden, scheduled
to be completed in 2004.
About The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden specializes in
modern and contemporary art. The unique circular
building houses
works by such modern masters as Picasso, Warhol,
and de Kooning.
A delightful outdoor sculpture garden provides a
contemplative
haven for viewing over 60 works of art. These
large-scale sculptures
date from the 1880s to the 1960s and explore the
same stylistic
progression of ideas and styles as the small and
mid-sized works
in the Hirshhorn interior galleries.
About The National Museum of Natural History is
dedicated to understanding
the natural world and our place in it. From
towering dinosaurs
to exotic live insects, the museum offers a dazzling array of
exhibits, interactive displays, and rare specimens.
The Johnson
IMAX Theater shows eye-popping films (some in 3-D)
that explore
the many wonders of life on Earth.
About The National Gallery of Art's West Building
houses an amazing
collection of masterpieces, from a delicate da Vinci portrait
to the vivid colors and passionate brushstrokes of a van Gogh
landscape.
Here you'll find energetic works by American
artists like George
Bellows and Winslow Homer, as well as the famous portraits of
the Founding Fathers, painted from life by Gilbert
Stuart.
Special exhibits, an outdoor sculpture garden, and
an extensive
offering of art books and reproduction posters make
the National
Gallery's West Building an attraction that draws
visitors from
across the country and around the world.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Archives / Navy Memorial
Tours &
Reservations:
(202) 737-4215
Monday through Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Sunday 11 am-6
pm;
Closed Christmas and New Year's holidays
About The soaring lines and razor-edge corners of the National
Gallery's East Building make it a work of art in
itself. Designed
by renowned architect I.M. Pei, this daring
structure features
a spacious, sun-filled atrium in which an enormous
steel mobile
by Alexander Calder turns slowly overhead.
The East Building is home to popular special exhibitions, and
an intriguing collection of contemporary paintings, graphics,
photographs and sculpture.
With examples of Jackson Pollock's controversial
drip paintings,
Picasso's Cubism, and Roy Lichtenstein's whimsical pop art,
the East Building offers a thrilling trip through the world
of modern art.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Archives / Navy Memorial
Tours &
Reservations:
(202) 737-4215
Monday through Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Sunday 11 am-6
pm;
Closed Christmas and New Year's holidays
About As the home of the NBA´s Wizards,
NHL´s Capitals,
WNBA´s Mystics, and the Georgetown Hoyas, the
Verizon Center
is Washington´s premier sports and entertainment arena.
Here you´ll find concerts by world-class
performers like
Janet Jackson, sporting events like the World Figure Skating
Championships, and family entertainment like
Disney On Ice.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Gallery Place-Chinatown
Information:
(202) 628-3200
Accessible Handicap Seating (202) 661-5065 or (202)
661-5066 (TTY)
About With more than 530 miles of bookshelves holding some 120
million items, including 18 million books, the
Library of Congress
is the world's largest library.
It serves Congress as a lending library and research service,
and provides educational and reference resources to scholars,
libraries, and schools. It is also the home of the Copyright
Office.
The ornate Thomas Jefferson Building, which was completed in
1897, delights visitors with its exuberant Italian
Renaissance
flourishes, dramatic bronze fountain, and vaulted
reading room.
The newer James Madison Memorial Building (1981),
located just
up the street on Independence Avenue, hosts many exhibitions
of treasures from the Library's collections.
collections.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Union Station
Tours &
Reservations:
(202) 707-5000
Public tours are
offered in the Great Hall of the Thomas
Jefferson Building
Monday through Friday, at 10:30 and 11:30 am and 1:30,
2:30, and 3:30 pm, and Saturday at 10:30 and 11:30 am
and 1:30 and 2:30 pm.
About The Supreme Court, one of the three independent branches
of the United States government, moved into this
dignified marble
building in 1935. Prior to that time it had met in
various locations,
including chambers in the US Capitol.
As the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court usually
hears cases that require interpretation of the US
Constitution
or federal law. Its decisions set precedents that effect laws
and court rulings across the United States.
The oral argument portion of the Court's term begins on the
first Monday in October and runs through April. Arguments on
each case typically last one hour. Visitors may choose to sit
in and observe for a few minutes, or attend an
entire argument.
Seating is limited, and on a first-come, first
seated basis.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Union Station
Tours &
Reservations:
(202) 479-3211
Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Closed Saturday,
Sunday,
and federal holidays.
About The Vietnam Veterans Memorial bears the names
of more than
58,000 servicemen killed or missing in the
Southeast Asia conflict
between 1959 and 1975.
Built in 1982, "The Wall" was the winning entry of
21 year-old architecture student Maya Ying Lin in a
design competition.
Two long walls of black granite grow in height as
visitors descend
a gradual slope; the walls meet to form a 125° angle, at
which point the walls are over 10' high. Many people find the
effect quite moving, sensing the enormity of the
loss, and the
commitment and sacrifice of those who fought under difficult
circumstances.
The Memorial also includes a statue, "Three
Servicemen,"
a Flagpole, and a Vietnam Women's Memorial.
About George Washington himself laid the cornerstone
of the magnificent
US Capitol in 1793; the Romanesque design was the winner of
a competition the previous year. Congress moved
into the first
completed section in 1800.
Since then the Capitol, home of the US Senate and
House of Representatives,
has been frequently expanded and renovated. Much of
the building
had to be rebuilt after the British burned it in 1814.
About With its eclectic assortment of shops and
restaurants, Union
Station is the most visited tourist site in Washington, DC.
Over 25 million people each year enjoy the ornate
gilt ceilings,
stern Roman soldier statues, and energetic atmosphere of this
beautifully restored landmark.
The outlet store of the US Mint is here, as well as several
fine restaurants. A large food court and multiplex
movie house
are located on the lower level. Union Station is on Metro's
Red Line, and is also the place to catch Amtrak
trains to destinations
all across the United States.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Union Station
Information:
(202) 289-1908
Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 9 pm; Sunday, noon
to 6 pm.
Amtrak portion of Union Station is open 24
hours a day.
Built in the 1790's by Irish-born architect James Hoban,
the White House was constructed under the
supervision of President
George Washington, although he never lived there.
It was first
occupied by President John Adams in 1800.
The Executive Mansion was burned by the British during the
War of 1812, but rebuilt within a few years.
Today's White House is a vibrant blend of past
and present.
Although high-tech communications systems keep
the President
in touch with every country on Earth, the exterior walls of
the White House are those first raised over 200
years ago.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
McPherson Square
Tours &
Reservations:
(202) 456-7041
Tuesday
through Saturday,
7:45–10:30 am; Visitor Center is open seven days
a week, 7:30 am–4 pm.
White House tour policy is subject to change.
Visit White
House tours or call the 24-hour visitor
information line
at 202-456-7041 for the latest information.
About The National Museum of African Art is a
showcase of vibrant
artwork and crafts from ancient and modern times.
The many cultures
of Africa are illuminated by creative multimedia displays and
exhibitions that educate as they delight.
Exploring the museum's unique underground galleries
you'll find
sculptures, textiles, jewelry, photographs,
paintings, costumes,
masks, and musical instruments. And you can take a bit of the
magic home: the Museum Shop offers genuine African crafts, as
well as an extensive selection of posters, music,
and books.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Smithsonian
Information:
(202)
357-4600 (Voice),
(202) 357-4600 (TTY);
Smithsonian
Numbers:
(202) 357-2700 (Voice), (202) 357-1729 (TTY)
10 am to 5:30 pm daily except December 25
Free
Admission (Suggested
Donation of $3 for Adults)
About The Historical Society of Washington, DC, is housed in the former Carnegie Library, adjacent to the DC Convention Center. The Society was founded in 1894 and serves as an educational institution that promotes knowledge of city’s storied past.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center
About At a cost of over $830 million, the Washington Convention
Center is the city's largest building - two
Washington Monuments
could be laid end-to-end along its length.
The Center hosts everything from trade expos and professional
conferences to car shows and elegant banquets.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Mount Veron Square/7th Street-Convention Center
About The US Holocaust Memorial Museum presents
powerful and poignant
exhibits, artifacts, and oral histories related to
the systematic
persecution and killing of approximately six million Jews by
the Nazi regime in the 1930s and early 1940s.
The Museum's exhibitions illuminate many aspects of
this tragedy,
and help visitors see past the staggering statistics, to the
human faces of the victims.
There are family photographs, mountains of personal
items confiscated
from concentration camp inmates, and dramatic
environments that
create a sense of place and stimulate the imagination. These,
along with the recollections of Holocaust
survivors, help keep
alive a history that must never be forgotten.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Smithsonian
Information:
(202) 488-0400
Daily, 10 am to 5:30 pm. Closed on Yom
Kippur and Christmas
Day.
Admission is Free, Permanent Exhibition requires a
timed entry pass.
Call (800) 400–9373 to get tickets.
About Perhaps more than any president, Thomas
Jefferson is identified
with the concepts and ideals that gave shape to the American
form of government and way of life.
This Memorial, dedicated in 1943, reflects a
classic Roman motif
that influenced Jefferson's own designs for
Monticello and the
University of Virginia. The domed colonnade houses a towering
statue of the statesman, surrounded on all sides by
inscriptions
of his most inspired words.
About The Lincoln Memorial, fashioned after the
temples of ancient
Greece, was dedicated in 1922, at a time when the
nation still
had a long way to go in realizing Lincoln's vision
of equality
and national unity.
It has been the scene of many demonstrations, including the
1963 March on Washington, at which Dr. Martin
Luther King made
his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Lincoln's dream of peace, justice and reconciliation can be
found in the words of his speeches, inscribed on the interior
walls of the Memorial.
About The National Building Museum occupies one of Washington's
most spectacular structures, designed in 1881 by
civil engineer
and US Army General Montgomery C. Meigs and
completed in 1887.
The building, which originally housed the Pension Bureau, is
widely recognized as a marvel of engineering.
Information
Closest
Metro Station:
Gallery Place-Chinatown or Judiciary Square
Information:
(202) 272-2448
Monday through Saturday 10 am-4 pm; Sundays noon-4
pm;
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Year's holidays
Extended summer hours (from May 23 to
September 1) are
10 am-7:30 pm
Free
Admission (Suggested
Donation of $3 for Adults)
About George Washington made it clear that he wanted
nothing more
than a simple equestrian statue erected in his honor. But for
a grateful nation, that was not enough.
A private Washington National Monument Society began raising
funds for the monument in 1833. Although construction began
in 1848, it stopped and started several times due
to political
turmoil, engineering problems, and the Civil War.
The 555-foot high marble structure was finally completed in
1884, and topped off with a nine-foot pyramid made
of aluminum,
which was then considered a precious metal. It was officially
opened to the public in 1888.
Various team sports are played at the western
base of the Washington Monument. The Smithsonian
Kite Festival
in March and National Frisbee Festival in September
take place
here.
Closest
Metro Station:
Federal Triangle
or Smithsonian
Military bands from all four branches usually
perform alfresco at the Sylvan Theater from June to August,
on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday nights at 8 pm.
This sculpture is a memorial to the
men who died
in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, many giving up their
space in the lifeboats for women and children. The sculpture
was done by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. The
architect was Henry
Bacon.
Located in the heart of a residential
and historic
Capitol Hill neighborhood, Capitol Hill Suites
offers a selection
of accommodations ideal for short or long term
stays. The hotel
is located two blocks from the US Capitol and one block from
the Capitol South Metro.
Founded in 1879 and chartered by an
act of Congress
in 1937, Southeastern University is a private,
nonprofit university
offering Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's
degrees in: Computer
Science and Information Systems Management,
Business Management
(including Accounting), Public Administration, and
Liberal Studies.
The Best Western Capitol Skyline
Hotel, five blocks
south of the US Capitol building and the mall, has 203 newly
refurbished guest rooms and Suites. Half of guest rooms have
a view of the US Capitol.
