It would take a herculean effort to catalogue the number of historical sites found in Washington, D.C. A living museum of government in action, D.C. holds hardly a place you can go and not see something that represents the building of the United States.
For starters, there’s the symbol of democracy, the U.S. Capitol Building. Tour operators can request free tickets for a public tour, or if their group is made up of students, they can request admittance to special seminars on government and how it works.
In addition to its function as an incubator of the political process, the building is known for its art and for Benjamin Latrobe’s architecture, and tours can be geared to that aspect as well.
Most visitors come for the monuments and memorials, honoring Americans from presidents to veterans to Native Peoples. A popular option for tour operators is a nighttime viewing of the Jefferson Tidal Basin, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial bathed in moonlight.
Washington is more than its majestic memorials and monuments, as visitors find out. You can book a tour at the National Cathedral and marvel at the leering gargoyles or arrange for a special tea in the Cathedral garden.
Groups also can visit the Library of Congress with its 158 million items, including books, maps, photographs, manuscripts and films.
And of course, there’s an incomparable collection of museums awaiting your exploration, from the Smithsonian’s iconic collection of attractions to niche museums, such as the International Spy Museum, Newseum, the Museum of the Bible and the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum—all NTA members.
Finally, for a special evening, book a tour and performance at Ford’s Theatre, the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and still an operating theater.
For a rundown on all that the capital city offers, contact Destination DC’s Lindsay Hill or visit washington.org.
Top photo: Library of Congress
Photo by washington.org
