Washington DC's National Mall: Top 15 Things to Do

September 13, 2011 12:00:00 AM EDT Post a comment

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Photo Credit: Alan Gilbert, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

It could be said that the Mall—the heart of almost every visitor’s trip to Washington—has influenced life in the U.S. more than any other expanse of lawn. People come here from around the globe to tour the illustrious Smithsonian Institution museums, honor our leaders and veterans, celebrate special events, or rally to make the world a better place. Tip: Remember that all the museums, monuments, and memorials on the Mall are free to the public.
Eat, drink, watch, listen, and learn at an outdoor cultural festival.

Photo Credit: Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution

Eat, drink, watch, listen, and learn at an outdoor cultural festival.

Ride the old-fashioned carousel in front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Photo Credit: randomduck / flickr

Ride the old-fashioned carousel in front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Learn More: Smithsonian Institution Building review
See the original <em>Spirit of St. Louis</em>, and learn how things fly at the National Air and Space Museum.

Photo Credit: Eric Long/NASM courtesy Smithsonian Institution

See the original Spirit of St. Louis, and learn how things fly at the National Air and Space Museum.

Learn More: National Air and Space Museum review
Read the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial

Photo Credit: Jason Hawkes / Destination DC

Read the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial

Learn More: Lincoln Memorial Review
Gross out your friends at the Natural History Museum’s Insect Zoo.

Photo Credit: Focus on Nature / iStockPhoto

Gross out your friends at the Natural History Museum’s Insect Zoo.

Learn More: National Museum of Natural History review
View the Washinton Monument—ideally with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Photo Credit: catface3 / flickr

View the Washinton Monument—ideally with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Learn More: Washington Monument review
Gawk at Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat at the American History Museum.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

Gawk at Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat at the American History Museum.

Learn More: National Museum of American History review
Twirl around the ice skating rink in the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden.

Photo Credit: Destination DC

Twirl around the ice skating rink in the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden.

Learn More: National Gallery of Art review
View astonishing wooden masks at the Museum of African Art.

View astonishing wooden masks at the Museum of African Art.

Learn more: National Museum of African Art review
Exercise your First Amendment rights by joining a rally or protest.

Photo Credit: Alex Rinaldi / flickr

Exercise your First Amendment rights by joining a rally or protest.

Taste Native American dishes at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Mitsitam Cafè.

Photo Credit: Renée Comet, Restaurant Associates and Smithsonian Institution

Taste Native American dishes at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Mitsitam Cafè.

Learn More: National Museum of the American Indian review
Pose with sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Pose with sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden.

Learn More: Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden review
View the Jefferson Memorial from a paddle boat in the Tidal Basin—especially if the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Destination DC

View the Jefferson Memorial from a paddle boat in the Tidal Basin—especially if the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Learn More: Thomas Jefferson Memorial review
Follow the lives (and deaths) of the people in Nazi Germany at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Photo Credit: Alan Gilbert, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

Follow the lives (and deaths) of the people in Nazi Germany at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Learn More: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum review
Visit the National Mall's newest addition: the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Photo Credit: courtesy of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. / Johnny Bivera

Visit the National Mall's newest addition: the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Learn More: Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Review

Photo Credit: Alan Gilbert, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

It could be said that the Mall—the heart of almost every visitor’s trip to Washington—has influenced life in the U.S. more than any other expanse of lawn. People come here from around the globe to tour the illustrious Smithsonian Institution museums, honor our leaders and veterans, celebrate special events, or rally to make the world a better place. Tip: Remember that all the museums, monuments, and memorials on the Mall are free to the public.
Eat, drink, watch, listen, and learn at an outdoor cultural festival.

Photo Credit: Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution

Eat, drink, watch, listen, and learn at an outdoor cultural festival.

Ride the old-fashioned carousel in front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Photo Credit: randomduck / flickr

Ride the old-fashioned carousel in front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Learn More: Smithsonian Institution Building review
See the original <em>Spirit of St. Louis</em>, and learn how things fly at the National Air and Space Museum.

Photo Credit: Eric Long/NASM courtesy Smithsonian Institution

See the original Spirit of St. Louis, and learn how things fly at the National Air and Space Museum.

Learn More: National Air and Space Museum review
Read the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial

Photo Credit: Jason Hawkes / Destination DC

Read the Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial

Learn More: Lincoln Memorial Review
Gross out your friends at the Natural History Museum’s Insect Zoo.

Photo Credit: Focus on Nature / iStockPhoto

Gross out your friends at the Natural History Museum’s Insect Zoo.

Learn More: National Museum of Natural History review
View the Washinton Monument—ideally with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Photo Credit: catface3 / flickr

View the Washinton Monument—ideally with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Learn More: Washington Monument review
Gawk at Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat at the American History Museum.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution

Gawk at Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat at the American History Museum.

Learn More: National Museum of American History review
Twirl around the ice skating rink in the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden.

Photo Credit: Destination DC

Twirl around the ice skating rink in the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden.

Learn More: National Gallery of Art review
View astonishing wooden masks at the Museum of African Art.

View astonishing wooden masks at the Museum of African Art.

Learn more: National Museum of African Art review
Exercise your First Amendment rights by joining a rally or protest.

Photo Credit: Alex Rinaldi / flickr

Exercise your First Amendment rights by joining a rally or protest.

Taste Native American dishes at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Mitsitam Cafè.

Photo Credit: Renée Comet, Restaurant Associates and Smithsonian Institution

Taste Native American dishes at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Mitsitam Cafè.

Learn More: National Museum of the American Indian review
Pose with sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Pose with sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden.

Learn More: Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden review
View the Jefferson Memorial from a paddle boat in the Tidal Basin—especially if the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Destination DC

View the Jefferson Memorial from a paddle boat in the Tidal Basin—especially if the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Learn More: Thomas Jefferson Memorial review
Follow the lives (and deaths) of the people in Nazi Germany at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Photo Credit: Alan Gilbert, courtesy of USHMM Photo Archives

Follow the lives (and deaths) of the people in Nazi Germany at the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Learn More: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum review
Visit the National Mall's newest addition: the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Photo Credit: courtesy of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. / Johnny Bivera

Visit the National Mall's newest addition: the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Learn More: Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Review

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