See and Do in Washington DC
There are plenty of iconic sights and must-see attractions for expats living in Washington DC. While expats living in DC on a more permanent basis will become immune to the grandeur of statues and public buildings that rightfully impress tourists, the world-class museums of Washington DC are worth repeat visits for as long as one lives here.
Key sites include well worth a visit include the National Mall, where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol building.
The Lincoln Memorial is also impressive, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum is a moving tribute to the horrible genocide. Culture vultures will love the National Gallery of Art and kids of all ages will love the International Spy Museum. Finally, don’t miss the Smithsonian Institute and National Gallery of Arts - the two most popular museums in North America.
Those expats planning on a sightseeing blitz over a short period of time should get a Washington DC Power Pass, or VisiTicket, which entitles the bearer to admission to many of the top Washington DC attractions. It is available in one, two, three or five-day permutations and costs upward from $27 per day.
Key sites include well worth a visit include the National Mall, where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol building.
The Lincoln Memorial is also impressive, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum is a moving tribute to the horrible genocide. Culture vultures will love the National Gallery of Art and kids of all ages will love the International Spy Museum. Finally, don’t miss the Smithsonian Institute and National Gallery of Arts - the two most popular museums in North America.
Those expats planning on a sightseeing blitz over a short period of time should get a Washington DC Power Pass, or VisiTicket, which entitles the bearer to admission to many of the top Washington DC attractions. It is available in one, two, three or five-day permutations and costs upward from $27 per day.
Recommended sightseeing in Washington DC
National Mall
This the heart of the city, a tree-line strip stretching two miles (3km) from the US Capitol to the Potomac River, linking many of DC key attractions.
www.nps.gov/nama
Tel: (202) 426 6841 (Visitor information)
US Capitol Building
The US Capitol Building is the city’s most popular landmark and home to the US government. The giant white dome is visible from all over the city, and acts as a constant reminder of what this city is all about. It contains the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world.
www.aoc.gov
Tel: (202) 226 8000
White House
Look out for an American flag over the White House - if it’s flying, the president is home. The White House has been the residence and administrative headquarters for every President of the United States since 1800. Tours are available and provide a fascinating insight into the House’s previous inhabitants.
www.whitehouse.gov
Tel: (202) 456 7041 (24-hour Hotline)
Washington Monument
This tributary obelisk is the tallest freestanding masonry structure in the world, and offers great views of the city from the gallery, accessible via a free elevator.
www.nps.gov/wamo
Tel: (202) 426 6841
Lincoln Memorial
Built in a Greek style as a nod to the fathers of democracy, the Lincoln Memorial salutes the 16th US president Abraham Lincoln. Several important marches and speech have taken place here, including Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
www.nps.gov/linc
Tel: (202) 426 6841
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The J Edgar Hoover FBI Building is home to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the government body in charge of domestic security. Tours are no longer running for security reasons; visit the nearby International Spy Museum to your fix until tours restart.
www.fbi.gov
Tel: (202) 324 3000
International Spy Museum
Washington's newest museum is home to the single biggest collection of international spy gear in the world. It houses contributions and considers advice from ex-officials of the CIA, FBI and the KGB.
www.spymuseum.org
Tel: (202) 303 7798
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is made up of 19 museums and galleries of unparalleled quality, and a zoo, in various locations over Washington DC, New York, Virginia and Panama. Other museums include the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Asian Art, the African Art Museum, the American Indian Museum, the Arts and Industries Building hosting changing exhibitions, the Hirshborn collection of modern art, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Postal Museum.
www.si.edu
Tel: (202) 633 1000
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art is the most popular art museum in North America, and houses one of the world’s leading collections of Western paintings, graphics and sculptures from the past 450 years.
www.nga.gov
Tel: (202) 737 4215
US Holocaust Memorial Museum
An important and excellent museum, rated as one of the city’s best. It brings to life and commemorates the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis on European Jews from 1933 to 1945.
www.ushmm.org
Tel: (202) 488 0400
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