Washington D.C. Attractions

Adams Morgan

District of Columbia Arts Center
The District of Columbia Arts Center is one of the newest art galleries and theaters in the city. Local and national poets, painters, sculptors, and actors have performed here. The District of Columbia Arts Center art gallery is open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays. The theater is open when there are performances. You can call (202) 462-7833 for show times and admission prices. The District of Columbia Arts Center is located at 2438 18th St. N.W.

Anacostia

Anacostia Park
This park, which is run by the National Parks Service, sits on more than 1,200 acres. Anacostia Park is also one of the city’s largest and most important recreation sites. The park, which is east of the Anacostia River, features wildlife, various ball fields, tennis courts, and a golf course. It is open every day except on major holidays. Admission is free. The park is located near the westernmost end of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue Northeast, which is just off of Kenilworth Avenue.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Frederick Douglass was one of the most vocal abolitionists during the 19th century. This attraction is the former slave’s Gothic-Revival home, which has been preserved on its original site at 1411 W St. S.E. Tour guides tell stories about Douglass’ life as visitors tour the home. The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 per person.

Fort Dupont Park
Admission is free to Fort Dupont Park. This site was once the home of more than 64 forts that protected Washington, D.C. from Confederate troops during the Civil War. Fort Dupont is now a 400-acre wooded park with trails, tennis and basketball courts, and softball fields. It is located on Randall Circle Southeast. The National Park Service also sponsors performing arts events here.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has five greenhouses and 12 acres of ponds. It is the only national park in the country that prominently features aquatic plants. The best time to visit Kenilworth is in the summer when the water lilies are in bloom. Admission is free. The gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is located at Anacostia Avenue and Douglas Street Northeast.

Brookland

Dance Place
Dance Place is the center of dance activity in Washington, D.C. It sponsors DanceAfrica, America, which is a two-day festival that features traditional and contemporary African dances. Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 7 p.m. on Sundays. Visitors must call (202) 269-1600 for more information about performances and ticket prices. Dance Place is located at 3225 8th St. N.E.

The U.S. National Arboretum
The U.S. National Arboretum is the largest in the country. The arboretum breeds plants, conducts research, and educates the public. It has several exhibits featuring azaleas, landscaped gardens, bonsai trees, horticultural specimens, aquatic plants, and a Chinese art pavilion. The arboretum is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The arboretum is between Bladensburg Road and R Street Northeast.

Capitol Hill

Eastern Market
Eastern Market visitors can enjoy a variety of foods in a 19th-century setting. Eastern Market is the only 19th-century public market that still exists in Washington, D.C. Regular guests say everyone should try the crab cakes. Farmers and local artists also display their products on the market’s sidewalks on Saturday. The market is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. It is located between 7th and C streets southeast.

Folger Shakespeare Library
This library has the world’s largest collection of William Shakespeare’s works – more than 280,000 volumes of his written works and 27,000 paintings, drawings, and engravings. Shakespeare Gallery, located at 201 E. Capitol St. S.E., has a multimedia exhibit that gives guests a glimpse of the playwright’s life. Tourists can also enjoy performances of Shakespeare’s plays in a theater that is located in the library. The reading rooms, which are normally closed to the public, are opened in April to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday. The library is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is free, but visitors may want to call the box office at (202) 544-7077 for details about events.

Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is a neighborhood that is full of 19th-century Victorian homes. It also has a children’s playground, a promenade, and walking areas. Several sculptures also sit in Lincoln Park. The Emancipation Monument shows former President Abraham Lincoln freeing a slave. The second monument is the Bethune Statue, which shows late educator Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune passing her knowledge to a new generation of African-Americans. Lincoln Park is on East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th streets.

Union Station
Union Station is a multipurpose site located at 40 Massachusetts Ave. N.E. Inaugural balls and celebrations have been held here, but the site is also a train station. Union Station also appeals to shoppers with its 100 shops. There is an international food court and nine movie theaters located here. The structure itself is also a marvel with its 600-foot façade and its marble, gold leaf, and granite décor. Stores in Union Station are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Downtown

Ford’s Theatre
Ford’s Theatre is still used today, despite its infamous past. This is the site where John Wilkes Booth assassinated former President Abraham Lincoln during a performance of “Our American Cousin” on April 14, 1865. Tours are given here, except during performances. The theater is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests should call the theater at (202) 426-6924 for performance schedules and admission prices. Ford’s Theater is located at 511 10th St. N.E.

GALA Hispanic Theatre
Actors at the GALA Hispanic Theatre have been performing plays and musicals in English and Spanish for nearly 30 years. The troupe presents Hispanic culture through its productions. Performances begin at 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays; Sunday matinees are at 4 p.m. Prices range from $15 to $28. Call (202) 234-7174 for more details. The theater is located at 1021 7th St. N.W.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
This library has art, literature, and exhibits that reflect the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and African-Americans in the United States. Guests will see a mural that illustrates Dr. King’s life and the Civil Rights Movement. The library, located at 901 G St. N.W., holds a large collection of African-American books and history. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, but not during the summer.

National Theatre
This is the nation’s oldest theater. It was built in 1835 and has been renovated six times. Tourists can see Broadway plays and shows here. Prices and performances vary, but guests can call (202) 628-6161 for details. The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

Dupont Circle/Kalorama

Explorers Hall (National Geographic Society)
Tourists can explore the world through photographs, art, and hands-on exhibits at the National Geographic Society’s Explorers Hall. Exhibits can change on a monthly basis, but visitors should call (202) 857-7588 for more information. Admission is free. Explorers Hall is located at 1145 17th St. N.W.

Foggy Bottom

Arts Club of Washington
Visitors can view the works of local, national, and international artists, and attend free concerts at the Arts Club of Washington. Past performers include opera singers Denyce Graves, Suzannah Lessard, and Dame Joan Sutherland. A literary festival is held at the club, located at 2017 I St. N.W., every May. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The club is closed on Sundays, Mondays, and all of August.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
This is one of the most renowned performing arts centers in the world. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts rests on 17 acres along the Potomac River. It presents more than 3,000 performances to more than 2 million people every year. Guests can also see free, daily performances at the Millennium Stage in Kennedy Center’s grand foyer at 6 p.m. Free tours are given from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

National Academy of Sciences
Free concerts, lectures, and art exhibits are presented on Sunday afternoons at the National Academy of Sciences. The U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and performers with the National Musical Arts Program also play here on the weekends. NAS conducts engineering and scientific research that will further the use of science and technology for the benefit of humankind. It is located at 2101 Constitution Ave. N.W. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Call (202) 334-2000 for event details.

Thompson’s Boat Yard
Take a break from the museums and monuments by canoeing on the Potomac River. Guests can rent a canoe at Thompson’s Boat Yard and row pass Georgetown, the Watergate Complex, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Thompson’s is located at 2900 Virginia Ave. N.W., near the Potomac. Call (202) 333-9543 for hours of operation.

Georgetown

Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks offers respite from the city with its 10-acre garden. It has a historic mansion that features Byzantine and pre-Columbian art. Dumbarton Oaks is open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. The rare book room is open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children and senior citizens. Dumbarton Oaks is located at 1703 32nd St. N.W.

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Martha Custis Peter, built the Tudor Place Historic House and Garden in 1816. It is a National Historic Landmark and one of the most formal estates and mansions in America. It has a temple-style portico, a domed roof, Tuscan columns, and gardens. The home is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays, but it is closed in January. Admission prices range from $2 to $6. Tudor Place is located at 1644 31st St. N.W.

Washington Harbour
Washington Harbour rests on the Potomac River between 31st and K streets northwest. A promenade, a fountain court with restaurants, and a small park surround the harbor. Commercial boat tours are also offered here.

Lafayette Square

Lafayette Park
This seven-acre park is located across the street from the White House at 16th and Pennsylvania avenues northwest. Lafayette Park, also known as Presidents Park, is the staging area for public protests and celebrations.

National Aquarium
This is the first public aquarium in the United States. The National Aquarium has more than 60 tanks that house sea turtles, American alligators, sharks, and piranha. It also houses more than 1,200 other marine life species, including rare and endangered aquatic animals. The aquarium is located in the basement of the U.S. Department of Commerce at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue Northwest. It is open daily (except Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission ranges from $1 to $3.50.

Shaw

Center for the Preservation of Jazz and the Blues
The Center for the Preservation of Jazz and the Blues has an archive that details more than 35 years of jazz history from around the world. The center provides lectures, workshops, and lessons to professional and amateur musicians. World-renowned artists also perform at the center on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Call (202) 667-3700 for details about performances. Admission is $6 for patrons, $5 for members, and $4 for musicians. This attraction is located at 1610 14th St. N.W.

Duke Ellington Mural
The Duke Ellington Mural is located in the neighborhood that was once the late jazz great’s home. G. Bryon Peck painted the mural in 1997 after years of setbacks. The mural is based on a cover photograph from Ellington’s autobiography “Music Is My Mistress.” It is in the center of the Shaw neighborhood at 1214 U St. N.W.

Lincoln Theatre
Tourists can enjoy concerts, dance shows, and performances by comedians at the historic Lincoln Theatre. It was once a vaudeville and movie house that served the African-American community in the 1920s. Visitors should call (202) 328-9177 for information about performance schedules. The theater is at 1215 U St. N.W.

Thurgood Marshall Center and the Shaw Heritage Trust
The Thurgood Marshall Center and the Shaw Heritage Trust is located at the 12th Street/Anthony Bowen YMCA. The site, at 1816 12th St. N.W., was once the gathering place for African-American leaders. Thurgood Marshall drafted his opinion for the Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas Supreme Court case in this building. Other famous blacks, including Dr. Charles A. Drew and Langston Hughes, also frequented this spot. The Shaw Heritage Trust is on the first floor of the center and presents the history of the Shaw neighborhood through exhibits and videos. Admission is free to the center, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Southwest/Waterfront

Arena Stage
Vacationers could see nearly 20 performances at this three-theater complex that seats more than 500 people. This is the first theater outside of New York City to receive a Tony Award for Excellence in Resident Theater and to transfer a production to Broadway. The Arena Stage is located at 1101 6th St. S.W. Visitors should call (202) 488-3300 for tickets and show times.

Benjamin Banneker Park
Benjamin Banneker Park is located between 10th and G streets southwest. It honors Banneker who was the African-American man who surveyed Washington, D.C. Many Washingtonians gather here to eat lunch or relax by the fountain. The park also faces the waterfront.

Fish Wharf
Seafood lovers will enjoy Fish Wharf. The wharf has tantalizing treats, including blue and soft-shell crab. Guests can also buy other foods and products at some of the other stands along the wharf. Fish Wharf is at 1100 Maine Ave. S.W.

Washington Channel Promenade
The Washington Channel Promenade sits at the end of Maine Avenue on the waterfront. Guests can stroll along the promenade’s walkways and view the Titanic Memorial Sculpture, which honors men who died when they gave up their places on lifeboats to women and children.

Upper Northwest

Smithsonian National Zoological Park (National Zoo)
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, often called the National Zoo, is on 163 acres and houses nearly 3,000 animals. The zoo, which has been in existence for more than 100 years, continues to provide family fun. It also has educational programs and research projects that aim to protect the earth’s biological diversity. The zoo is in the heart of the District at 3001 Connecticut Ave. N.W. It is open every day except Christmas. Admission is free.