97 Best Sights in Washington, D.C., USA

During azalea season (mid-April through May), this 451-acre oasis operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is a blaze of color. In early summer, clematis, peonies, rhododendrons, and roses bloom. At any time of year, the 22 original Corinthian columns from the U.S. Capitol, re-erected here in 1990, are striking. All 50 states are represented by a state tree in the Grove of State Trees. Since 2014, a pair of American bald eagles have made a home near the azaleas, and the nest can be seen via an unobstructed viewing scope. The arboretum has guided hikes throughout the year, including a Forest Bathing Walk, and dogs are allowed on the grounds as long as they're on a leash at all times. Check the website for schedules and to register. Don't miss the Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

The top of the Washington Monument is perhaps the best, most breathtaking place to see the city and get a good idea of its layout.

The 555-foot, 5⅛-inch monument, which punctuates the capital like a huge exclamation point, was part of Pierre L'Enfant's plan for Washington, but his intended location proved to be so marshy that the structure was moved 100 yards southeast. Construction began in 1848 and continued until 1884. Upon completion, the monument was the world's tallest structure and weighed more than 81,000 tons. Six years into construction, members of the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing Party stole and smashed a block of marble donated by Pope Pius IX. This action, combined with funding shortages and the onset of the Civil War, brought construction to a halt. After the war, building finally resumed, and though the new marble came from the same Maryland quarry as the old, it was taken from a different stratum with a slightly different shade. Inserted into the walls of the monument are 193 memorial stones from around the world. The monument reopened in spring 2019 after an elevator modernization project. Up to six tickets can be requested for just $1 per person at  recreation.gov.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing has printed paper money since 1914 when the bureau relocated from the redbrick-towered Auditors Building at the corner of 14th Street and Independence Avenue. They also print military certificates and presidential invitations. Unfortunately, visits are impossible as the building canceled tours in 2020 and has no definite date to resume them. Check the website for updates on the reopening of tours.

George Washington was one of the first to advance the idea of a canal linking the Potomac with the Ohio River across the Appalachians. Work started on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in 1828. When it opened in 1850, its 74 locks linked Georgetown with Cumberland, Maryland, 185 miles to the northwest (still short of its intended destination). Lumber, coal, iron, wheat, and flour moved up and down the canal, but it was never as successful as its planners had hoped, due to damaging floods and competition from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Today the canal is part of the National Park System; walkers and cyclists follow the towpath once used by mules, while canoeists paddle the canal's calm waters. During the summer months, visitors can go on a boat tour of the canal at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center (a 30-minute drive from Georgetown), where tour guides share the canal's history and operate the canal locks and boat just as they would have in the 1870s. Tours are free, but visitors must reserve one hour beforehand.

This imposing marble edifice, its bronze entryway topped by a massive eagle, was designed by Folger Shakespeare Library architect Paul Cret. Its appearance seems to say, "Your money's safe with us." Even so, there's no money here, as the Fed's mission is to set interest rates and keep the economy on track. The stately facade belies a friendlier interior, with a varied collection of art and several special art exhibitions every year. Tours of the building are available for groups of 10 or more, all aged 18 years or older; they must be booked at least two weeks in advance via email.

At the west end of the National Mall, this memorial to the 5.8 million United States men and women who served in the Korean War (1950–53) highlights the cost of freedom. Often referred to as the "forgotten war," nearly 37,000 Americans died on the Korean peninsula, 8,000 were missing in action, and more than 103,000 were wounded. The privately funded memorial was dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice.

In the Field of Service, 19 oversize stainless-steel soldiers trudge through rugged terrain toward an American flag; look beneath the helmets to see their weary faces. The reflection in the black granite wall to their right doubles their number to 38, symbolic of the 38th parallel, the latitude established as the border between North and South Korea in 1953, as well as the 38 months of the war.

Unlike many memorials, this one contains few words. The 164-foot-long granite wall etched with the faces of 2,400 unnamed servicemen and servicewomen says, "Freedom is not free." The plaque at the flagpole base reads, "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." The only other words are the names of 22 countries that volunteered forces or medical support, including Great Britain, France, Greece, and Turkey. The adjacent circular Pool of Remembrance honors all who were killed, captured, wounded, or lost in action; it's a quiet spot for contemplation.

These 3-foot-high walls bear the names of more than 21,000 American police officers killed in the line of duty since 1791. On the third line of Panel 13W are the names of six officers killed by William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid. J.D. Tippit, the Dallas policeman killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, is honored on the ninth line of Panel 63E. Other names include the 72 officers who died due to the events of 9/11. Directories here allow you to look up officers by name, date of death, state, and department. Call to arrange for a free tour. A National Law Enforcement Museum is in the works; until then, a small visitor center ( 400 7th St.) has a computer for looking up names, a display on the history of law enforcement, and a small gift shop.

The original home of the Smithsonian Institution is an excellent first stop on the Mall to help you get your bearings and plan your exploration of the museums. Built of red sandstone, this Medieval Revival–style building, better known as the "Castle," was designed by James Renwick Jr., the architect of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Although British scientist and founder James Smithson never visited America, his will stipulated that, should his nephew, Henry James Hungerford, die without an heir, Smithson's entire fortune would go to the United States, "to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." The museums on the Mall are the Smithsonian's most visible example of this ideal, but the organization also sponsors traveling exhibitions and maintains research posts in the Chesapeake Bay area and the tropics of Panama.

A 10-minute video gives an overview of the museums and the National Zoo, and The Smithsonian Institution: America's Treasure Chest exhibition features objects representing all the museums, revealing the breadth and depth of the collections. James Smithson's crypt is in a small chapel-like room here. The Castle also has Views from the Tall Tower—an exhibit demonstrating how the Washington skyline has changed since 1863—a good café, brochures in several languages, and a museum store. Kids appreciate the historic carousel at the north entrance; at the south entrance, you'll find the beautifully manicured Haupt Garden and copper-domed kiosk called the S. Dillon Ripley Center, which houses the Discovery Theater (delightful and affordable live, family-oriented shows on selected weekday mornings—usually geared for kids 2–12—are held here).

America's most famous house was designed in 1792 by Irish architect James Hoban. It was known officially as the Executive Mansion until 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt renamed it the White House, long its informal name. The house has undergone many structural changes: Andrew Jackson installed running water; James Garfield put in the first elevator; Harry Truman had the entire structure gutted and restored, adding a second-story porch to the south portico; and Richard Nixon installed a one-lane bowling alley in 1969.

To see the White House you need to contact your U.S. representative or senator (or embassy if you aren't a U.S. citizen). Requests can be made up to three months in advance (especially for spring, summer, or December tour requests) and no less than 21 days in advance. You'll be asked for the names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers of everyone in your group. On the morning of your tour, call the White House Visitors Office information line for any updates; tours are subject to last-minute cancellations. Arrive 15 minutes early. Your group will be asked to line up in alphabetical order. Everyone 18 years and older must present government-issued photo ID, and no purses, backpacks, or bags are allowed on the tour (and no storage lockers are provided so leave them in your hotel room). There are no public restrooms, and you're allowed to take photos only with a smartphone or small compact camera. The security process will probably last as long as the tour itself, 20–25 minutes.

The self-guided tour includes rooms on the ground floor (including the White House Family Theater), but the State Floor has the highlights. The East Room is the largest room in the White House, the site of ceremonies and press conferences; this is also where Theodore Roosevelt's children roller-skated and one of Abraham Lincoln's sons harnessed a pet goat to a chair and went for a ride. The portrait of George Washington that Dolley Madison saved from torch-carrying British soldiers in 1814 hangs in the room, and the White House Christmas tree stands here every winter. The only president to get married in the White House, Grover Cleveland, was wed in the Blue Room. Esther, the second daughter of President Cleveland and First Lady Frances, holds the distinction of being the only child born in the White House. The Red Room, decorated in early-19th-century American Empire style, has been a favorite of first ladies. Mary Todd Lincoln had her coffee and read the morning paper here. In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy undertook an extensive restoration of the White House to preserve and showcase the historical and architectural significance of the home and its contents. The East Garden, which now bears her name, honors her contributions. Michelle Obama installed a vegetable-and-herb garden to promote healthy eating, as well as an apiary and pollinator garden for bees and other insects.

Your tour of the White House will be enhanced by visiting the White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, featuring displays, photos, and a 30-minute video about the White House.

The national headquarters for the American Red Cross, a National Historic Landmark since 1965, is composed of three buildings. Guided tours show off the oldest, a Beaux Arts structure of blinding-white marble built in 1917 to commemorate women who cared for the wounded on both sides during the Civil War. Three stained glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany illustrate the values of the Red Cross: faith, hope, love, and charity. Other holdings you'll see on the 60-minute tour include an original N.C. Wyeth painting, sculptures, and artifacts that belonged to Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross. Weather permitting, the tour includes a visit to the memorial garden. The management recommends booking your tour 2–3 weeks in advance. Reservations are required for the free tour, offered at 10 am and 2 pm on Wednesday and Friday; schedule via email at  [email protected].

Located on a 2.4-acre tract adjacent to the National Mall and within full view of the U.S. Capitol, this memorial illustrates the journey of veterans with disabilities, from injury and healing to rediscovery of purpose. The plaza, with a star-shaped fountain and low triangular reflecting pool, features bronze sculptures, glass panels, and granite walls engraved with quotations from 18 veterans describing their experiences. With its single ceremonial flame, the fountain is the focal point, a powerful icon expressing water's healing, cleansing properties and the enlightenment, power, and eternal nature of fire. The needs of those with disabilities are front and center in the memorial's design. The low fountain can easily be surveyed by someone in a wheelchair, numerous benches in front of text panels, and hidden metal bars placed strategically to help visitors who need assistance to sit or stand. Designed by Michael Vergason Landscape Architects, of Alexandria, Virginia, the memorial is a fitting reminder of the cost of human conflict.

The palatial, Gilded Age Anderson House is the headquarters of the Society of the Cincinnati, the nation's oldest historical organization promoting knowledge and appreciation of America's independence. The society was founded by Revolutionary War veterans in 1783—George Washington was its first president general—and this has been its home since 1938. Guided tours of the first and second floors reveal the history of the society, the significance of the American Revolution, and the lives and collections of the home's first owners, Larz and Isabel Anderson. Built in 1905, the home was the Andersons' winter residence and retains much of its original contents—an eclectic mix of furniture, tapestries, paintings, sculpture, and Asian art. Larz, a U.S. diplomat from 1891 to 1913, and his wife, Isabel, an author and benefactress, assembled their collection as they traveled the world during diplomatic postings. Today, the house also features an exhibition gallery, open every day except Monday, and a research library that you can visit by appointment.

Located on 18th Street, just steps from the National Mall, the Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) is still considered by many a hidden gem. With its rotating exhibitions from prominent Latin American and Caribbean artists, there's always something new to experience at the museum. Take a break from the D.C. crowds and learn about the exhibitions, walk around the picturesque blue-tile corridor, and go for a walk along its serene garden. Admission is free.

Standing strong on Capitol Hill for more than 200 years, this house witnessed the construction of the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, and its early occupants participated in the formation of Congress. In 1929, the National Woman's Party (NWP), founded by Alice Paul, an outspoken suffragist and feminist, purchased the house, and it soon evolved into a center for feminist education and social change. For more than 60 years, the trailblazing NWP utilized its strategic location, steps from the U.S. Capitol and its congressional offices, to lobby for women's political, social, and economic equality. Today an expansive collection of artifacts from the suffrage and equal rights campaigns brings the story of the women's rights movement to life. The innovative tactics and strategies these women devised became the blueprint for women's progress throughout the 20th century. In 2016, President Obama designated the home as a national monument.

The monument is closed for renovations through mid- to late 2023.

After then-President Trump held up a Bible on June 1, 2020, for a photo op in front of historic St. John's Church, calling out the National Guard to waylay peaceful protestors for his safe passage, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser had the words "Black Lives Matter" painted in yellow, 35-foot-long capital letters along a two-block-long section of 16th Street NW, in front of the church and within plain view of the White House several days after the incident. Since then, Black Lives Matter Plaza has become a community gathering spot featuring performances, yoga, and even weddings. In October 2021, it became a permanent installation.

One of the country's top-grossing sports and entertainment venues, the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena averages more than 200 events each year and has helped to turn the surrounding area into the most vibrant part of Downtown, where you'll find several of the city's best restaurants. Many restaurants nearby offer pre-theater menus and happy hour offerings before a big event. Sporting events include hockey featuring the Stanley Cup champion, Washington Capitals; basketball with the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Georgetown Hoyas; and figure-skating events. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, U2, and Lady Gaga have performed there. Outside, street musicians of all kinds and styles add to the experience. The Metro station is directly below the arena.

Established in 1807 "for all denominations of people," this cemetery is the final resting place for such notables as U.S. Capitol architect William Thornton, Marine Corps march composer John Philip Sousa, Civil War photographer Mathew Brady, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, and many members of Congress. Air Force veteran and gay rights activist Leonard Matlovich is also buried here under a tombstone that reads "When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men, and a discharge for loving one." The cemetery is about a 20-minute walk from the Capitol. You can take a self-guided tour year-round during daylight hours; pick up a map at the gatehouse or download one from the cemetery website. On Saturdays and some Sundays from April through October, you can join a one-hour docent-led tour at 11 am. Check the website for all kinds of themed tours and other events, including film screenings during the summer. 

Many ideas were proposed to develop this 52-acre site near the Reflecting Pool and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Winding paths along tree groves and a 1-acre island on the lake pay tribute to the signers of the Declaration of Independence, with all of their 56 signatures carved into a low stone wall. This spot is charming in the fall, with vibrant red colors, and it's a quieter part of the Mall for picnics. You can get hot dogs, potato chips, candy bars, and soft drinks at the circular snack bar just west of the lake.

The Corcoran School, a prestigious art school since 1878, is now in partnership with George Washington University. Throughout the year, the school features events and performances by the students and other artists. The iconic, beautifully restored Beaux Arts Flagg Building, which started life as the historic Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1890, shuttered its doors in 2014. Don't miss the first-floor Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, which showcases temporary exhibits by renowned artists. Check the website for events like Friday @5, featuring live music and popular amongst young D.C. professionals.

The Beaux Arts Memorial Continental Hall, built in 1929 as the headquarters for the Daughters of the Revolution (DAR), is home to Washington, D.C.'s only decorative arts museum. The enormous collection encompasses furniture, textiles, quilts, silver, china, porcelain, stoneware, earthenware, glass, and other items made and used in the daily lives of Americans from the Colonial era through the early 20th century. Thirty-one period rooms reflect more than two centuries of American interiors, including a 1690s New England hall, an 1860s Texas bedroom, and a 1920s Ohio parlor. Two galleries feature changing exhibitions of decorative arts, and a study gallery allows researchers close access to the collection. Docent tours of the period rooms are available on weekdays, depending on docent availability. You can also take a self-guided tour. The museum also hosts special events for children and adults; check the website for details.

If you love street art, take a stroll along the DC Alley Museum, funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Public Art Building Communities Program. Local artists take turns creating art in the many garages surrounding Blagden Alley in Shaw. The murals take on local issues, social justice, and women's rights. The museum is open-air, and you can go whenever you choose as there are no admission charges. You can find more details about the artists and the art on the website.

Decatur House was built in 1818–19 on Lafayette Square, just across from the White House, for naval hero Stephen Decatur and his wife, Susan. Designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the country's first professional architect, it's one of Washington's oldest surviving homes. But Decatur didn't have long to enjoy it, since he died tragically 14 months later, after a duel with Commodore James Barron. Wealthy hotel and tavern owner John Gadsby purchased the distinguished Federal-style house as a retirement home in 1836. The large two-story dependency was used as quarters for numerous enslaved individuals in his household—Washington's only extant slave quarters. Tours—offered Monday at 10:30 am and 1 pm—feature these historic quarters and the house's first and second floors, much of which represent the taste of a later owner, Marie Beale, beloved for her salons with ambassadors and politicians. The White House Historical Society operates one of its three retail shops here, and you'll find an excellent selection of White House history–themed products, including the annual Christmas ornament.

Despite its location and age, visitors often overlook this memorial on the National Mall, though it's a favorite with locals for wedding and engagement photos. President Herbert Hoover dedicated this monument in 1931, and unlike the neighboring memorials on the Mall, this relatively small structure isn't a national memorial. The 47-foot-high, circular, domed, columned temple is dedicated to the 26,000 residents from Washington, D.C. who served in the Great War and the 499 men and women (military and civilian) who died in service. Unofficially referred to as the "World War I Memorial" in the District, its marble structure was restored through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and maintained by the National Park Service.

Not to be confused with the Dumbarton Oaks museum, a beautiful garden and research center a few blocks away, this circa-1799 brick mansion was once the home of the first U.S. Register of the Treasury, Joseph Nourse. Today it's the headquarters for The Colonial Dames of America. Visitors can tour the antiques-filled Federalist home, which often hosts concerts, theatrical performances, and other community events. Docent-led tours are available on the weekend, and the house is open for self-guided tours from Friday to Sunday. Timed tickets are required.

This 328-acre finger of land extends south of the Jefferson Memorial from the Tidal Basin, between the Washington Channel and the new Southwest Waterfront redevelopment neighborhood to the east and the Potomac River to the west. Locals consider the park a retreat with playgrounds, picnic tables, tennis courts, swimming pools, a driving range, one 18-hole and two 9-hole golf courses, and miniature golf. There's also a scenic riverfront trail that winds around the park's perimeter. It's a fantastic spot for bird-watching, with more than 250 species identified at the park. If you're lucky, you may spot a bald eagle. Double-blossoming Japanese cherry trees line Ohio Drive and bloom about two weeks after the single-blossoming variety that attracts crowds to the Tidal Basin each spring.

This Elizabethan monument, a white-marble art deco building decorated with sculpted bas-relief scenes from the Bard's plays, was designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret and dedicated in 1932. Inside, the design is Tudor England with oak paneling, high plaster ceilings, and ornamental floor tiles. Henry Clay Folger, the library's founder, personally selected the inscriptions by and about Shakespeare that are found throughout the property. Rare items and interactive displays fill two stunning exhibition halls spanning the length of the building, including a gallery displaying all 82 of the library's Shakespeare First Folios. Terra-cotta floor tiles feature titles of Shakespeare's plays and the masks of comedy and tragedy. A First Folio of Shakespeare is always on view and may be thumbed through here digitally.

Visitors are greeted at the entrance to the Elizabethan theater with a marble statue of Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream. With its overhead canopy representing the sky, wooden balconies, and oak columns, the theater is a reproduction of a 16th-century inn-yard playhouse. This is the site for performances of Shakespearean plays, chamber music, readings, lectures, and family programs; check the website for a calendar of events. Understandably, the collection of works by and about Shakespeare and his times is second to none, and the historic Reading Room is devoted to scholarly research. A manicured Elizabethan garden at the building's east end is open to the public, and the gift shop contains many collectibles featuring the Bard and English theater.

The library is closed for renovation, with plans to reopen in late fall 2023. Performances and other events will take place at other venues in Washington, D.C.

At 429 feet above sea level, the highest point in Washington has been used in different eras as a Civil War fort, the site of telegraph and radio towers, and a reservoir. In 1864, outnumbered Union troops defended the capital from a formidable Confederate advance led by General Early, in the only battle to take place in the capital. Today, the park is enjoyed by soccer players, dog-park regulars, and picnickers. Most of the Civil War–era earthworks are gone, and two curious faux-medieval towers, built in 1929, mark the reservoir site, which is not accessible to the public. Nonetheless, the park has an appealing city view and plenty of room to run around. A popular, free outdoor concert series takes place every summer featuring many of the area's most esteemed indie-rock acts, from The Owners to SleepMarks to My Sonic Daydream.

This 7½-acre memorial to the 32nd president, on the west side of the Tidal Basin, includes waterfalls and reflecting pools, four outdoor gallery rooms—one for each of Roosevelt's presidential terms (1933 to 1945)—and 10 bronze sculptures. You can find some of Roosevelt's famous statements, including "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," engraved on the granite megaliths connecting the galleries. A bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stands in front of the United Nations symbol in the fourth room. She was a vocal spokesperson for human rights and one of the most influential women of her time. Considering Roosevelt's disability, this was the first memorial designed to be wheelchair-accessible, and several pillars include Braille lettering. The memorial was dedicated in 1997, but it wasn't until 2001 that a statue of a wheelchair-bound Roosevelt was added near the entrance after years of debate about whether to portray Roosevelt realistically or to honor his desire not to display his disability, as had been done throughout his presidency.