Museums in the Capital City Washington
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
General
Washington occupies one of the top places in the world in terms of the quantity and quality of its museums. 13 of the museums dealing with culture, art, history, technology, and industry belong to the Smithsonian Institution, which contains the world's largest network of museums. This institution was founded in 1846 by an act of Congress, but the initiative and funding for its establishment came from a wealthy British scientist named James Smithson. In addition to museums, the institution also includes the Washington Zoo and many research institutions.
♥ Recommended Hotels in WashingtonStaying in Georgetown is particularly recommended: Westin Georgetown, Washington D.C. A 4-star hotel with 267 rooms and suites. The hotel has a pool, gym, and two restaurants. Georgetown Suites A 3-star suite hotel with 217 suites designed for 2-4 people. Some suites have an equipped kitchen. Free breakfast and internet.
Alternatively, it is recommended to live in the "Embassy Row" area:
The Normandy Hotel Embassy Row A modern 3-star hotel with 75 rooms. Free internet. The Churchill Embassy Row A 4-star hotel with 175 rooms. The hotel has a gym and a restaurant.
Rental car owners can stay in the southern suburbs of the city in Arlington or Alexandria: recommended suite hotels: Embassy Suites Alexandria - Old Town A high-quality 4-star Hilton suite hotel with 288 rooms located near Old Town Alexandria close to a metro station. The hotel has a gym and pool, and the room price includes breakfast. Or: SpringHill Suites Alexandria Southwest A Marriott suite hotel with 288 spacious suites offering guests free breakfast, internet, and parking. The hotel has an indoor pool and gym.
|
Guided Tours and Trips in Washington
Guided Tours for booking from the Viator site:
For booking from GetYourGuide.com:
Guided tour inside the Capitol:
Below is a partial list of the leading museums in the city:
National Air and Space Museum:
This is the largest and most famous of all the Smithsonian museums and is loved by people of all ages. Located on Independence Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets SW. Phone: 202-357-2700. Open daily from 10:00-17:30, admission is free. The vast museum building houses a rich display of aircraft from all eras: from hot air balloons to spacecraft. The museum has over twenty exhibitions, among the most interesting: the history of aviation, the American space program, planets, missiles, military aircraft, and more. Children will enjoy entering airplanes and spacecraft and touching interactive exhibits. Several short videos are screened continuously in small theaters, and in addition, IMAX 3D films are screened on a giant screen (admission for a fee). On the second floor of the museum is a sophisticated planetarium.
National Museum of Natural History:
This large and impressive museum also belongs to the Smithsonian Institution and is suitable for all ages. The museum has many exhibitions related to the history of nature and human cultures. The most popular exhibits include the world's largest elephant, the world's largest blue diamond, dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, sea creatures, a tropical coral reef, an insect display, and a mineral display. Children will especially love the "Children’s Discovery Room" which has interesting interactive activities. The museum is open every day between 10:00-17:30 and is located on Constitution Avenue near 10th Street NW. Admission is free.
National Museum of American History:
Another museum of the Smithsonian Institution, located on Constitution Avenue at the corner of 14th Street near the Washington Monument. The museum has displays on technological and scientific development throughout history and life in different periods. For example: the development of nuclear reactors, means of transportation, communication means, agriculture, and more. On the second floor of the museum are exhibitions related to political and social history, which usually do not interest children, so you might want to skip directly to the third floor where money, photography, musical instruments, and military history are displayed. The museum is open daily from 10:00-17:30. Admission is free.
National Gallery of Art:
In this impressive and vast marble structure, there is one of the finest collections of Western art from all periods. The museum consists of two buildings that are works of art themselves. The museum displays the best works of the great painters: Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Raphael. The West Building mainly contains European works from the 13th to the 20th century, and the East Building displays modern art works by European and American artists. The museum also has an interesting sculpture display. The museum is open daily from 10:00-17:00 (Sundays until 18:00) and admission is also free. It stretches along Constitution Avenue over several blocks between 3rd and 7th Streets NW.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden:
A small but recommended museum for modern art, located in a round building with an open inner courtyard, containing about 4,000 American and European paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries and an interesting sculpture garden with 2,000 works by famous artists like Picasso and Rodin. All works were donated by a wealthy industrialist named Joseph Hirshhorn. The museum also displays works by Yaacov Agam. The museum belongs to the Smithsonian Institution and admission is free. Open from 10:00-17:30 except for Saturdays and Sundays when the museum closes at 16:00. The museum is located on Independence Avenue at the corner of 7th Street SW.
Other famous art museums in Washington are:
National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of African Art, National Museum of American Art, Freer Gallery of Art, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Corcoran Gallery of Art.
The White House:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:
This is a memorial site for the victims of the Holocaust murdered by the Nazis in Europe. The museum has three floors of exhibits including photos, artifacts, films, and audio-visual shows. Among the exhibits: a train car used for transporting Jews to extermination camps and a model of a gas chamber. Visiting this place is a rather difficult experience and is not recommended for young children. The museum is located at 14th Street SW and 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place. Entry is not possible without tickets, which can be obtained for free at the ticket office next to the building. The number of tickets is limited, so it is advisable to book tickets in advance (for a service fee) during tourist seasons. The museum is open daily from 10:00-17:30 and is closed on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day.
National Geographic Society, Explorers Hall:
Interesting displays on geographic discoveries and adventures of hundreds of expeditions from all over the world, including the most remote lands. Around the giant globe in the center of the hall, photographs taken during discovery voyages and equipment used by expedition members on the roads are displayed. This is the headquarters of the "National Geographic" magazine. Admission to the museum is free and it is open daily from 9:00-17:00 and on Sundays from 10:00-17:00. The address: 17th Street and M Street NW.
National Aquarium:
Located on the lower floor of the Department of Commerce on Constitution Avenue and 14th Street NW. It is the oldest public aquarium in the US. It displays more than 1,200 fish from 250 species. The site also has an area where you can touch various sea creatures and films about life in the sea. Open daily between 9:00-17:00.
Capital Children's Museum:
A special museum for children with extensive interactive activity suitable especially for ages 2-12. The exhibitions include different countries such as Thailand and Mexico, a cave from the Ice Age, animation, energy sources, and more. Open daily from 10:00-17:00, closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission fee: $6 per person. Address: corner of 3rd and H Streets NE.
Newseum:
A museum dedicated entirely to the past, present, and future of news. Interactive displays allow visitors to create news pages with their personal photo, visit behind the scenes of the news studio control room, and test their skills as investigative reporters. On a wall about 40 meters long, you can watch news broadcasts from around the world. The site also features a display of the front pages of major newspapers from every state in the US. In a theater with 220 seats, you can watch important news moments in history. Adjacent to the museum is "Freedom Park" dedicated to those who struggle for freedom around the world. In the park are sculptures and various exhibits related to the greatest fighters for human freedom.
The museum is located in Arlington on Wilson Blvd. 1101. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 10:00-17:00. Closed on major holidays. Admission is free.
Washington Monument:
