Attractions Guide Washington DC

US Capitol Building The US Capitol Building sits on a slight hill at the eastern end of the Mall. It is a beautiful white building of classical Greek design with a large central dome, columnar porticos, grand staircase and two wings. The south wing houses the US House of Representatives and the north wing houses the US Senate. When either body is in session, a flag flies over the respective wing. You can visit the building for free 9 AM to 8 PM March through August and until 4 PM the rest of the year. The hallways and central atrium are filled with marble statues of great US statesmen, artists and historical figures and the building is full of unique architectural features. You can visit the House and Senate chambers when they are empty and even view a live session of congress from the spectator's gallery when they are occupied. The US Senate web site has a nice virtual tour of this building. The White House The official residence of the President of the United States is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, two blocks north of the Mall near the Washington Monument. It is best viewed from the Ellipse, a large open field behind the White House, or from Lafayette Park in front of the building. (Where various protesters camp.) A limited number of tickets for free tours are available from the White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue on Tuesdays through Saturdays all year round. You must appear in-person to obtain up to four tickets that will indicate a specific tour start-time. The Center opens at 7 AM and tickets go quickly, so arrive early! The Tours start from a grandstand on the Ellipse. The Washington Monument The Washington Monument is the most prominent feature of the DC skyline. It is the 555-foot (185-meter) high, white-marble obelisk at the top of a slight rise in the center of the Mall. It is best viewed from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the western end of the Mall where an inverted image appears in the large reflecting pool. You can ride an elevator to the 500-foot observation deck any day from 8 AM until 11:45 PM, April through September, and until 4:45 PM, the rest of the year. Tickets are available at a kiosk near the base of the monument. The elevator ride costs only 50 cents. Hint: Go to the kiosk early in the morning to obtain tickets for use later in the day, or go to the monument late in the evening when the wait is not so long. Cool tip: Walk down the stairs from the top and see the interior of the monument as you get lots of exercise. The National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum is nearly everyone's favorite. It displays many original historic aircraft and spacecraft as well as full scale models of a Lunar Lander, a spacelab, numerous rockets and aircraft. Don't miss the Imax Theater for a spectacular film on flight and the planetarium star show. The National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History contains many specimens of plants and animals from around the world plus an impressive exhibit of dinosaurs and anthropological artifacts. It has an outstanding mineral exhibit with many precious gems including the legendary Hope Diamond. The National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History contains a diverse collection of Americana that ranges from the inaugural gowns worn by every president's wife since George Washington to the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz. The National Gallery of Art contains The National Gallery of Art contains the finest collection of Western European art and sculpture in the New World, as well as an impressive collection of American paintings. The Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden The Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden contains a vast collection of modern and contemporary art. It also features a sunken outdoor sculpture garden on the Mall. The Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a beautiful white marble building of Greek Classical design situated at the western end of the Mall near the banks of the Potomac River and the Arlington Memorial Bridge. It contains a 19-foot (6-meter) high marble statue of a seated Abraham Lincoln. The Vietnam War memorial and the Korean War memorials lie on either side of the reflecting pool just before this monument and the new Roosevelt Memorial is but a short walk to the south. The Lincoln memorial is open to the public all hours of the day and night. Jefferson Memorial The Jefferson memorial is located across the tidal basin from the western end of the Mall and adds picturesque charm to the views from many locations. It is a beautiful white-marble, circular-domed structure patterned after a classic Greek temple. It contains a 19-foot (6-meter) tall bronze statue of President Jefferson. It is open to the public all hours. Other Attractions There are so many things to see and do in Washington DC that it would require many pages to describe them all. The Holocaust Museum, just south of the Mall presents a sobering recollection of the terrible effects of the 1933-1945 persecutions in Europe. At Arlington Cemetery, across the Memorial Bridge, you can visit the final resting-places of George Washington, John and Robert Kennedy as well as thousands of statesmen, politicians and US veterans of the armed forces. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing just south of the Washington Monument offers free tours where you can see them print US dollars. The FBI Building on E street north of the Mall features free tours of its criminal laboratories including a demonstration firing of a Thompson sub-machine gun. The National Zoo on Connecticut Avenue, north of the Georgetown district, offers a pleasant diversion. The Georgetown District, northeast of the mall, is a great place to go shopping in trendy boutiques or to go eat in fashionable restaurants. The Smithsonian Museums and Parks One of the wonderful aspects of Washington DC is that it contains the biggest museum complex in the world. The Smithsonian Institute is a conglomeration of sixteen widely different buildings and parks. Eleven of them are downtown between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, lining a large grassy field known as "The Mall." Four other museums and park are located in various suburbs of DC, easily accessible by the Metro subway system. The legacy of an Englishman who never saw the USA An Englishman who had never set foot in America founded the Smithsonian Institute. In 1829, James Smithson bequeathed over half a million dollars to the U.S. government to create an institute "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The United States government eventually used the gift to catalogue mankind's current knowledge in its museums, to fund science research, art projects, and to further exploration into unknown areas. Today, the government is still responsible for 75% of the institutes funding with the rest coming from private donations. The Mall, at the center of DC, is within easy walking distance of the Capitol Building, the White House and most of the monuments. The Smithsonian Metro station, near the center of the Mall, provides convenient access and brings you only one block away from the original Smithsonian administrative building. Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial and L'Enfant Plaza Metro stations are also within easy walking distance to one or more of the museums. Centrally located and free to the public All of the museums are open from 9 am to 5:30 pm every day except Christmas Day. The least crowded times are in the winter when the weather is at its worst. The summer months (June through August) are the busiest times. Weekend days are typically the most crowded, particularly around summer holidays such as Independence Day (July 4th), or Memorial Day (the last Monday in May). The quietest day is usually Monday, which is also a good day to get into any exhibit that needs a time-ticket entry (more about that later). The museums, parks, and zoo are all free, although some special exhibits may charge a modest entrance fee. ($3.00 to $5.00 per adult). Some of the museums have special Hands-On Centers for children, or special exhibits, which require timed-entry tickets. These free tickets are usually issued outside the exhibit on the same day and specify the time you may enter. Warning, you may want to get your tickets as soon as you reach the museum, because the special rooms are very popular, and the tickets are usually gone by lunchtime. Some of the museums, such as the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museums, also run IMAX movies (70 mm films) or special interactive exhibits which cost around $6.00 a person. These shows vary throughout the year, but you can find a current listing is at the Smithsonian website. The most popular museums Some unique exhibits are housed in the Arts and Industries Building and the original Smithsonian administrative building. The latter is usually referred to as "The Castle" because its red brickwork and ornate towers. The Castle is largely made up of administrative offices but the center area is devoted to tourist information and the few computers that line the walls can help you locate any special or temporary exhibits. James Smithson's sarcophagus is located in the north entry. The Arts and Industries building is used for temporary exhibits as well as a 19th century look at American life. It currently houses an exhibit that will form the core of the National Museum for the American Indian collection. The three most popular museums in the area are the Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History, and the National Museum of Natural History. All three museums are quite large and would require a minimum of two to four hours to completely view. The space shuttle, the hope diamond and the ruby slippers Each museum is truly unique. The National Museum of American History displays full-size trains and tractors, unusual exhibits of popular culture such as the ruby shoes from the Wizard of Oz, a collection of inaugural gowns from the First Ladies, and the American flag that inspired the national anthem. The National Museum of Natural History is famed for its displays of minerals and gems including the Hope Diamond, animals including the largest squid ever found, and the bones of many prehistoric creatures. The Air and Space Museum has the original aircraft used by the Wright Brothers as well as the Spirit of St. Louis, the first airplane to make a solo transatlantic crossing from New York to Paris. It also contains historic Mercury and Gemini space capsules, many rocket ships and a lunar landing module. The Smithsonian art collection is spread over four buildings and two parks. The two building complex of the National Museum of American Art is the largest. It contains thousands of American paintings, a collection of Degas sculptures, Renaissance paintings and impressionist masterpieces. The Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture garden focuses on 20th Century art, while the beautiful Freer Museum contains a fine collection of Asian art and the world's most complete collection of Whistler's work. Outside of the National Archives building and beside the National Museum of Natural History is a second lovely sculpture garden that focuses on 20th century art. In addition, the National Museum of African Art is located just behind the Castle. Nearby, the underground and often overlooked Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is devoted to ancient Asian art including some 4,500-year-old bronze vessels. A new museum is presently under construction adjacent to the Air and Space Museum. The National Museum for the American Indian, currently housed in New York City with exhibits in the Arts and Industries building will be located there by 2003. Off The Mall The National Zoological Park on Connecticut Ave. (Metro Station: Woodly Park-Zoo or Cleveland Park) is probably the only free zoo in American and an excellent way to spend an afternoon. Highlights includes the two new pandas from China, the indoor Amazonia Exhibit, the Cheetah Conservation Station and the Great Outdoors Flight Cage where rare birds have a huge area to soar. The National Portrait Gallery on 8th and F Streets (Metro station: Gallery Place-Chinatown) is devoted to making history come alive by putting faces to the famous names. Exhibits include the Hall of Presidents, and a collection of portraits of famous sports and entertainment figures. The National Postal Museum is right outside Union Station (a train station and Metro stop). Besides having a very complete postal collection, the museum also includes planes, buggies and other historical memorabilia relating to postal history. The Renwick Gallery (Metro station: Farrogut North) was the first of Washington's private art museums. Its current exhibits are about contemporary crafts and decorative arts as well as a section on whimsical art. Last but certainly not least is the Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture (Metro station: Anacostia station and a short bus ride). This museum started as a community outreach program and has grown into a mission of documentation, protection, and interpretation of African American culture and heritage. It continues its outreach program through area schools but also contains wonderful exhibits on the black immigrants in Washington DC, special exhibits on African-American leaders in politics, industry and entertainment.

The above material are taken from All Travel Washington DC, USA
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