2339 Best Sights in USA

Daniel Chester French's statue of the seated president gazing out over the Reflecting Pool may be the most iconic on the Mall. The 19-foot-high sculpture is made of 28 pieces of Georgia marble. The surrounding white Colorado-marble memorial was designed by Henry Bacon and completed in 1922. The 36 Doric columns represent the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death; their names appear on the frieze above the columns. Over the frieze are the names of the 48 states in existence when the memorial was dedicated. At night the memorial is illuminated, creating a striking play of light and shadow across Lincoln's face. Photography enthusiasts will find great light during dawn and dusk. Given the afternoon crowds, sunrise may be a great bet. 
Two of Lincoln's great speeches—the second inaugural address and the Gettysburg Address—are carved on the north and south walls. Above each is a Jules Guerin mural: the south wall has an angel of truth freeing an enslaved person; the unity of North and South is opposite.
The memorial's powerful symbolism makes it a popular gathering place. In its shadow, Americans marched for integrated schools in 1958, rallied for an end to the Vietnam War in 1967, and laid wreaths in a ceremony honoring the Iranian hostages in 1979. It may be best known, though, as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Lincoln Park is a wild 275-acre park with windswept cliffs and panoramic views. The Coastal Trail, the park's most dramatic, leads out to Lands End; pick it up west of the Legion of Honor (at the end of El Camino del Mar) or from the parking lot at Point Lobos and El Camino del Mar. Time your hike to hit Mile Rock at low tide, and you might catch a glimpse of two wrecked ships peeking up from their watery graves.

Be careful if you hike here; landslides are frequent, and people have fallen into the sea by standing too close to the edge of a crumbling bluff top.

Lincoln Park's 18-hole golf course ( www.lincolnparkgolfcourse.com) is on land that in the 19th century was the Golden Gate Cemetery. (When digging has to be done in the park, human bones still occasionally surface.) Next door on 33rd Avenue and California Street are the dazzling mosaic Lincoln Park Steps, which rival the 16th Avenue Steps and the Hidden Garden Steps in the Sunset District. They provide a delightful backdrop for contemplation or an Instagram photo op.

At this urban enclave near Lake Michigan, you can watch snow monkeys unwind in the hot springs of the Regenstein Macaque Forest or ogle gorillas and chimpanzees in the sprawling Regenstein Center for African Apes, which has three separate habitats complete with bamboo stands, termite mounds, and 5,000 feet of swinging vines. Brave big cats (separated by a window, of course) outside the Pepper Family Wildlife Center, a 2021 redesign of the zoo’s lion habitat conceived with input from an app that collected data on the star residents’ behavior. Animals both slithery (pythons) and strange (sloths) reside in the glass-domed Regenstein Small Mammal and Reptile House, while the big guys (hippos, giraffes, and black rhinos) are in the Regenstein African Journey.

Bird lovers should make a beeline to the McCormick Bird House, which contains extremely rare species—including the Bali mynah, Guam rail, and Guam Micronesian kingfisher, some of which are extinct in the wild. Families with little ones in tow will also want to see Farm-in-the-Zoo (with its barnyard animals and learning centers), and the Lionel Train Adventure ride. Be sure to leave time for a ride (or two) on the Endangered Species Carousel, featuring a menagerie of 48 rare and endangered animals.

Shutterbugs will want to make a beeline for the Nature Boardwalk at the zoo's southern reaches. In addition to pretty indigenous vegetation, it's home to the Peoples Gas Education Pavilion, a massive honeycomb sculpture that frames the downtown skyline, making for an impressive snapshot. 

Come eye-to-eye with more than 600 animals including desert dwellers like wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, cheetahs, bighorn sheep, golden eagles, warthogs, naked mole rats, and owls at the Living Desert, which showcases the flora and fauna found in arid landscapes. Easy to challenging trails traverse terrain populated with plants of the Mojave, Colorado, and Sonoran deserts. In the African WaTuTu village, you'll find a traditional marketplace, as well as camels, hyenas, and other animals. Wallabies, emus, and kookaburras inhabit the immersive Australian Adventures area.

Get your bearings with a 30-minute shuttle tour. Pet domesticated creatures, including Nigerian dwarf goats, in a "petting kraal," attend zookeeper talks throughout the day. Crawl and climb all over the Gecko Gulch playground, ride a carousel, and check out a hall that holds ancient Pleistocene animal bones.  Time your visit to begin in the early morning to beat the heat and feed the giraffes.

The block-long "Crookedest Street in the World" makes eight switchbacks down the east face of Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets. Join the line of cars waiting to drive down the steep hill, or avoid the whole mess and walk down the steps on either side of Lombard. You take in super views of North Beach and Coit Tower either way—though if you're the one behind the wheel, you'd better keep your eye on the road lest you become yet another of the many folks who ram the garden barriers.  Can't stand the traffic? Thrill seekers of a different stripe may want to head two blocks south of Lombard to Filbert Street. At a gradient of 31.5%, the hair-raising descent between Hyde and Leavenworth streets is one of the city's steepest. Go slowly!

San Francisco has no shortage of impressive, grand homes, but Macondray Lane is the quintessential hidden garden. Enter under a lovely wooden trellis and proceed down a quiet, cobbled pedestrian lane lined with Edwardian cottages and flowering plants and trees. A flight of steep wooden stairs at the end of the lane leads to Taylor Street—on the way down you can't miss the bay views. If you've read any of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City books, you may find the lane vaguely familiar; it's the thinly disguised setting for parts of the series.

Michigan Avenue, or Mag Mile as some call it, is a potpourri of historic buildings, upscale boutiques, department stores, and posh hotels. (It is also the city's most popular place for people-watching.) Among its jewels are the Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center), the Drake Hotel, and the Historic Water Tower.

This 2-mile stretch of coast, with its sand dunes, limestone hills, sinkholes, and the Makauwahi Cave, is unlike any other on Kauai. Remains of a large ancient settlement, evidence of great battles, and the discovery of a now-underwater petroglyph field indicate that Hawaiians lived in this area as early as AD 700. Mahaulepu's coastline is unprotected and rocky, which makes venturing into the ocean hazardous. There are three beach areas with bits of sandy-bottom swimming; however, the best way to experience Mahaulepu is simply to roam, on foot or horseback along the sand or trails. Pack water and sun protection. Access to this beach is via private property. Before driving or hiking here, check current gate hours and conditions as the unpaved road can be closed due to weather, grading, or movie filming. Access is during daylight hours only, so be sure to depart before sunset or risk getting locked in for the night. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunrise; walking.

Aquamarine water sparkles off the shore of this 3,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide stretch of deep golden sand. Indeed, Big Beach—whose more-proper, Native Hawaiian name is Oneloa—is so beautiful that locals lobbied for the creation of a state park to protect it. For a dramatic, sun-drenched beach vista, climb Puu Olai, the steep cinder cone near the first entrance you pass if you're driving south. About the only time the view here is obscured is in the early afternoon, when the so-called Makena cloud rolls in.  Swim with caution here: the shore drop-off is steep, and swells can be big.

On the other side of the cinder cone is Little Beach, which attracts bodysurfers and other free spirits, some of whom believe that clothing is optional, even though this is technically illegal. Skimboarders catch air at Makena's third entrance, which is a little tricky to find (it's just a dirt path with street parking). Access to all the beaches here requires paid parking and an entrance fee for non-resident visitors. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

The majestic Maroon Bells, twin peaks more than 14,000 feet high, are so colorful, thanks to mineral streaking, that you'd swear they were blanketed with primrose and Indian paintbrush. It's one of the most photographed spots in the country, which is why reservations are required to ensure the view. Before 8 am and after 5 pm in the summer, cars can drive all the way up to Maroon Lake (though vehicles with children in car seats or people with disabilities are allowed to do so at any time). Otherwise, parking is available at the Aspen Highlands garage, where guided bus tours and shuttles leave regularly in summer months.

This 34-acre warren of streets is tightly packed with more than 300 gaily painted Carpenter Gothic Victorian cottages with wedding-cake trim; they date mainly to the 1860s and '70s, when visitors coming for Methodist revivalist services began to lease lots and build houses for summer use. As you wander through this fairy-tale setting, imagine it on a balmy summer evening, lighted by the warm glow of paper lanterns hung from every cottage porch. This describes the scene on Illumination Night at the end of the Camp Meeting season, which is attended these days by some fourth- and fifth-generation cottagers—and newcomers: some houses do change hands, and some are rented. Attendees mark the occasion as they have for more than a century, with lights, song, and open houses for families and friends. Ninety-minute tours of the area are conducted at 11 am on Tuesday and Thursday in July and August; the Friday night Sunset Concert Series on Tabernacle Green is always festive.

One of the most iconic American figures, Martin Luther King Jr., stands among the presidents on the National Mall. For his dedication on October 16, 2011, President Barack Obama said, "This is a day that would not be denied." The memorial opened on August 22, 2011, 15 years after Congress approved it in 1996 and 82 years after the famed civil rights leader was born in 1929. Located strategically between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and adjacent to the FDR Memorial, the crescent-shaped King Memorial sits on a 4-acre site on the curved bank of the Tidal Basin. There are two main ways to enter the memorial. From West Basin Drive, walk through a center walkway cut out of a huge boulder, the Mountain of Despair. From the Tidal Basin entrance, a 28-foot-tall granite structure shows a likeness of King looking out toward Jefferson's statue. 
King's words explain the symbolism of the mountain and stone: "With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope." Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin carved the centerpiece stone; his design won the commission among more than 900 entries in an international competition. Fittingly, Yixin first read about King's "I Have a Dream" speech at age 10 while visiting the Lincoln Memorial.
The themes of democracy, justice, hope, and love are reflected through quotes on the south and north walls and the Stone of Hope. The quotes reflect King's speeches, sermons, and writings from 1955 through 1968. Waterfalls in the memorial reflect King's use of the biblical quote: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."

Formerly the home of the Sprague Electrical Company, the nation's largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts is one of the finest such facilities in the world, a major draw for its art shows, large music festivals, dance presentations, and film screenings. Expansion in 2017 nearly doubled the amount of gallery space, bringing the total to a quarter million square feet, which includes the wall drawings of Sol LeWitt, an immersive light-based exhibit by James Turrell, and a large room in the main gallery that allows for massive exhibits that wouldn't fit anywhere else. A Kidspace, studios, cafés, shops, and festivals and other special events round out the offerings.

Perched on a wooded hill in Fort Tryon Park, near Manhattan's northwestern tip, the Cloisters museum and gardens houses part of the medieval collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is a scenic destination in its own right. Colonnaded walks connect authentic French and Spanish monastic cloisters, a French Romanesque chapel, a 12th-century chapter house, and a Romanesque apse. One room is devoted to the 15th- and 16th-century Unicorn Tapestries, which date from 1500 and are must-see masterpieces of medieval mythology and craftsmanship. The tomb effigies are another highlight, as is the Reliquary containing silver and gold religious objects. Two of the three enclosed gardens shelter more than 250 species of plants similar to those grown during the Middle Ages, including flowers, herbs, and medicinals; the third is an ornamental garden.

Concerts of medieval music are held regularly, and there are holiday concerts in December. Concert tickets include same-day admission to the museum, and tickets to either the main Met on 5th Avenue or to the Met Cloisters include same-day admission to the other. The outdoor Trie Café is open during museum hours, rain or shine, April through October, with a light menu of sandwiches, desserts, and coffee.

 If Manhattan had no museums other than the colossal Metropolitan Museum of Art, you could still occupy yourself for days—even a week—roaming its labyrinthine corridors. It is the largest museum in the western hemisphere, with more than 1.5 million works of art representing 5,000 years of world history, so plan ahead and be selective. The famous Egyptian Art collection (including the Temple of Dendur) is reason enough to visit. Other don't-miss sections include the renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, the extensive European Paintings galleries, the magnificent Islamic Art galleries, the vibrant collection of Impressionist paintings, the American Wing, the Anna Wintour Costume Institute (named for the celebratedVogue editor-in-chief, and known for hosting the annual star-studded Met Gala), and tons (literally) of ancient Greek and Roman statues. Kids will love the Arms and Armor displays. 

Be aware of ongoing renovations. A rebuild of the Ancient Near Eastern and Cypriot Art galleries will continue into early 2026; check the website and museum map to plan your visit around gallery closures. In between exhibits, take a break at the Cantor Roof Garden, open late April through late October, or at one of five cafés and lounges offering light bites and cocktails. Or book a reservation for The Met Dining Room, an upscale restaurant with Central Park views and a seasonal menu. Admission includes same-day entry to The Met Cloisters, a combination of medieval European art, architecture, and gardens in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan. Make the most of your visit by downloading a free digital or audio guide from The Met's website or take advantage of guided tours available in 10 different languages.

With Anish Kapoor's giant, polished-steel Cloud Gate sculpture (affectionately known as "The Bean"), the fun fountains, and a Disney-esque music pavilion, this park quickly stole the hearts of Chicagoans and visitors alike when it opened in 2004. The showstopper is Frank Gehry's stunning Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Dramatic ribbons of stainless steel stretching 40 feet into the sky look like petals wrapping the music stage. The 1,525-seat Harris Theater for Music and Dance provides an indoor alternative for fans of the performing arts.

In the park's southwest corner, the Crown Fountain features dozens of Chicagoans' faces rotating through on two 50-foot-high glass block–tower fountains. When a face purses its lips, water shoots out its "mouth." Kids love it, and adults feel like kids watching it. More conventional park perks include the lovely Lurie Garden (a four-season delight) and the seasonal McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, which opens for public skating each winter.

A two-square-block microcosm of life in the district, Mission Dolores Park is one of San Francisco's liveliest green spaces: dog lovers and their pampered pups congregate, kids play at the extravagant playground, and hipsters hold court, drinking beer and rosé cans on sunny days. (Fair warning: if it's over 70°F, the place can get packed like traffic at rush hour for picnic-blanket space.) During the summer, Dolores Park hosts movie nights, performances by the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and pop-up events and impromptu parties. Spend a warm day here—maybe sitting at the top of the park with a view of the city and the Bay Bridge—surrounded by locals and that laid-back, still-abundant San Francisco energy, and you may well find yourself plotting your move to the city. The best views are in the southwest corner, near the historic Golden Fire Hydrant that saved the neighborhood after the 1906 earthquake.

Site of the first Christian church in the Hawaiian Islands, this solid lava-rock structure, completed in 1837, is mortared with burned lime, coral, and kukui (candlenut) oil and topped by an impressive 112-foot steeple. The ceiling and interior were crafted of timbers harvested from a forest on Hualalai and are held together with wooden pegs, not nails. Inside, behind a panel of gleaming koa wood, rests a model of the brig Thaddeus as well as a koa-wood table crafted by Henry Boshard, pastor for 43 years. The sanctuary is still undergoing renovations, but if you attend Sunday services, they are glad to give you a tour.

A pioneer in the "alternative-space" movement, MoMA PS1 rose from the ruins of an abandoned school in 1976 as a sort of community arts center for the future, focusing on the work of currently active experimental and innovative artists. Long-term installations include work by Sol LeWitt, James Turrell, and Pipilotti Rist. Every available corner of the enormous building is used; discover art not only in former classrooms–turned–galleries, but also in the boiler room, and even in some bathrooms.

For the most breathtaking (and recognizable) views of the iconic West, this is the place. The soaring red buttes, eroded mesas, deep canyons, and naturally sculpted rock formations found here are an easy 21-mile drive south of Mexican Hat on U.S. 163 across Navajo land. Monument Valley is a small part of the more-than-7-million acre Navajo Reservation and is sacred to the Navajo Nation, or Diné (pronounced din-eh, which means "the people"), as they refer to themselves. For generations, the Navajo have grown crops and herded sheep in Monument Valley, considered to be one of the most scenic and mesmerizing destinations in the Navajo Nation. Director John Ford made this fantasy land of buttes, towering rock formations, and mesas popular when he filmed Stagecoach here in 1938.

The 90,000-acre Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park lies within Monument Valley. A 17-mile self-guided driving tour on a dirt road (there's only one road, so you can't get lost) passes the memorable Mittens and Totem Pole formations, among others. Drive slowly, and be sure to walk (15 minutes round-trip) from North Window around the end of Cly Butte for the views. Call ahead for road conditions in winter. The Monument Valley visitor center has a small crafts shop and exhibits devoted to ancient and modern Native American history. Most of the independent guided tours here use enclosed vans and you will usually be approached in the parking lot; you can find about a dozen approved Navajo Native American guides in the center. They will escort you to places you are not allowed to visit on your own. This surreal landscape constantly changes with the rising and setting sun.

The treasures inside this museum and research center, gathered by financier John Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913), are exceptional: medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, Old Master drawings and prints, and autographed literary and musical manuscripts. Some of the library's crowning achievements on paper include letters penned by John Keats and Thomas Jefferson; a summary of the theory of relativity in Einstein's own elegant handwriting; three Gutenberg Bibles; drawings by Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens, Blake, and Rembrandt; the only known manuscript fragment of Milton's Paradise Lost; Thoreau's journals; and original manuscripts and letters by Charlotte Brontë, Jane Austen, Thomas Pynchon, and many others. Rotating exhibits highlight works from the collection and other arts and cultural subjects. Additionally, the museum recognizes the importance of its inaugural director, Belle da Costa Greene.

This 1902 mansion with myriad classical influences was the summer home of novelist Edith Wharton. The 42-room house and 3 acres of formal gardens were designed by Wharton, who is considered by many to have set the standard for 20th-century interior decoration. In designing the Mount, she followed the principles set forth in her book The Decoration of Houses (1897), creating a calm and well-ordered home. Summer is a fine time to enjoy the informal café and occasional free concerts on the terrace. Guided tours take place during regular hours, the private "ghost tour" after hours, and noteworthy authors make regular visits to discuss their latest books.

A group of art patrons who felt the great Art Institute was unresponsive to modern work founded the MCA in 1967, and it has remained a renegade art museum ever since. It doesn't have any permanent exhibits; this lends a feeling of freshness but also makes it impossible to predict what will be on display at any given time. Special exhibits are devoted mostly to original shows you can't see anywhere else.

Located atop Museum Hill, this museum delights visitors of all ages with its permanent collection of more than 130,000 objects from about 100 countries. In the Girard Wing, you'll find thousands of amazingly inventive handmade objects such as a tin Madonna, a devil made from bread dough, dolls from around the world, and miniature village scenes. The Hispanic Heritage Wing rotates exhibitions of art from throughout Latin America, dating from New Mexico's Spanish-colonial period (1598–1821) to the present. The exhibits in the Neutrogena Wing rotate, showing subjects ranging from outsider art to the magnificent quilts of Gee's Bend. Lloyd's Treasure Chest, the wing's innovative basement section, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the museum's permanent collection and explores the question of what exactly constitutes folk art. The innovative Gallery of Conscience explores topics at the intersection of folk art and social justice. Each exhibition also includes educational activities for both kids and adults. Allow time to visit the outstanding gift shop and bookstore.

Housing one of the world's finest collections of modern art, MoMA is renowned for its permanent collection, which includes masterpieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Kahlo, Warhol, and Dalí, as well as its first-rate multimedia exhibitions. MoMA completed a $450 million renovation and expansion in 2019, and the building now features walkways between old and new galleries, each organized to showcase familiar masters alongside great, but lesser-known, artists—many of them women and people of color. Contemporary works and those of varied media also are strategically exhibited beside familiar classics. The displays breathe new life into the institution's curatorial experience.

MoMA spans six levels, and it's helpful to explore from top to bottom. See the most famous works on Floors 4 and 5; installations on 6; and galleries of photography, drawings, architecture projects, and special exhibitions on the lower floors. Level 1 remains home to the delightful Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. Within the museum, dine at high-end The Modern; snack at cafés on Floor 2; and enjoy outdoor views from the Terrace café on Floor 6. The cellar-level cinema screens international films and theme series (museum entry is a discounted $14 with your film ticket). Browse at the famous MoMA Store and MoMA Design Store (across 53rd Street). Entry is free for NYC residents the first Friday of each month, 4–8 pm. The first-floor galleries are always free and open to the public.

Joyce and Ed Doty's love for plants and art spans the 240 acres here and includes many different gardens, a hardwood plantation, an ahupuaa (a Hawaiian land division), a re-created Navajo compound, an Athabascan village, a Japanese teahouse, a hedge maze, a waterfall, and access to a sandy beach. Throughout the grounds are more than 200 bronze sculptures, one of the nation's largest collections. One popular feature is a children's garden with a 16-foot-tall Jack and the Beanstalk bronze sculpture, gecko maze, tree house, kid-size train, and, of course, a tropical jungle. Located in a residential neighborhood and hoping to maintain good neighborly relations, the nonprofit organization limits tours. Tour lengths vary from 1½ to 5 hours. Reservations are required for all tours, including the self-guided stroll.

Surrounded by sleepy condos, this round bay is a turtle-filled pool lined with a sparkling white crescent of sand. Sunbathers love this beach, which is also a terrific sunset spot. The shore break is steep but gentle, so it's great for bodyboarding and bodysurfing. It's easy to keep an eye on kids here as the entire bay is visible from everywhere. The beach is right outside the Napili Kai Beach Resort, a popular local-style resort for honeymooners and families, only a few miles south of Kapalua. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; snorkeling.

Gorgeous and undeveloped, this area in the state historical park offers extraordinary vistas and protected swimming. The shoreline is rocky, but the area is surrounded by high green cliffs, creating calm conditions for superb swimming, snorkeling, and diving (beware of jellyfish). Protected Hawaiian spinner dolphins come to rest and escape predators during the day. Captain James Cook first landed in Hawaii here in 1778, but a year later he was killed in a skirmish with Hawaiians, now marked by a monument on the bay's north end. Rocky but walkable trails lead to Hikiau Heiau, a sacred place for the Hawaiian people. Please proceed respectfully and do not walk on it or enter it. Parking is very limited. Be aware of the off-limits area (in case of rockfalls) marked by orange buoys. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The most-visited attraction in Maryland has nearly 20,000 fish, sharks, dolphins, and amphibians dwelling in 2 million gallons of water. The Blacktip Reef exhibit mimics a coral reef in the Indo-Pacific waters. It features pufferfish, stingrays, and more unusual creatures, such as the tasselled wobbegong, a carpet shark. In the Living Seashore exhibit, visitors can touch live stingrays. The aquarium also features reptiles, birds, plants, and mammals in its rain-forest environment, housed inside a glass pyramid 64 feet high. Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are part of several entertaining presentations that highlight their agility and intelligence. The aquarium's famed shark tank and Atlantic coral reef exhibits are spectacular. Arrive early to ensure admission, which is by timed intervals; by noon, the wait is often two to three hours, especially on weekends and holidays.

Monument, museum, and the nation's memory, the National Archives, headquartered in a grand marble edifice on Constitution Avenue, preserves more than 13 billion paper records dating from as far back as 1774, more than 40 million photographs, and billions of recent electronic records. The National Archives and Records Administration is charged with preserving and archiving the most historically significant U.S. government records at its centers nationwide and in presidential libraries. Admission is free, but reservations are recommended during the busy summer months and cost a nonrefundable $1. Head to recreation.gov at least six weeks in advance of your visit.

Charters of Freedom—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—are the star attractions. They are housed in the archives' cathedral-like rotunda, each on a marble platform and surrounded by argon gas within cases that have gold-plated titanium frames and bulletproof protective glass.

On display at the entrance to the David M. Rubenstein Gallery's Records of Rights exhibit is a 1297 Magna Carta, the document of English common law whose language inspired the Constitution. This Magna Carta, one of four remaining originals, sets the stage for interactive exhibits that trace the civil rights struggles of African Americans, women, and immigrants. Highlights include the discharge papers of an enslaved person who fought in the Revolutionary War to gain his freedom; the mark-up copy of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; and letters to the president from children who questioned segregation.

The Public Vaults convey the sense of going deep into the stacks. You can find records that give a glimpse into federal investigations, from the Lincoln assassination to Watergate. Watch films of flying saucers, used as evidence in congressional UFO hearings, and listen to the Nuremberg trials or Congress debating Prohibition. Reservations to visit the archives are highly recommended; those for guided tours or timed-visit entries should be made at least six weeks in advance.