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This fascinating museum enshrines 10,000 years of Native American life and culture, and acknowledges the contributions native peoples have made to the history of the Americas. The collection includes over 800,000 items, 7,000 of which are on display. Exhibits include pre-Columbian gold figurines, beadwork, textiles, and pottery from the Arctic to Patagonia. The building itself has been designed in harmony with Native American cultural beliefs. The entrance faces east to meet the morning sun, and light spills in reflecting the importance of the sun within Amerindian culture.

It’s fun just strolling through this grand building surrounded by illustrious artworks dating from before the Renaissance to the current day. The sculpture garden is a hit with visitors for its outdoor setting, summer jazz concerts, and inviting café.

The story of flight, one of the most stirring in human history, is dramatically depicted in this favorite museum, renowned for its collection of precious artifacts of the challenging experience of flying.

The story of the United States of America, from its often troubled beginnings to the present day, is told here, both through public icons and through examinations of the daily lives of ordinary people. The much-acclaimed “The American Presidency” exhibit displays engaging personal belongings of the presidents in a patriotic setting. “America on the Move” draws on the museum’s unparalleled collections and looks at all the modes of transportation from 1876 to the present. There are also interactive experiences.

National Museum of American History

The only public gallery in the city with the sole focus on modern and up-and-coming art, this museum’s holdings and exhibitions of contemporary international works are exceptional. The unusual circular building, designed by Gordon Bunschaft and completed in 1974, provides a striking setting for outdoor sculpture in the surrounding plaza. Another fine sculpture garden across Jefferson Drive displays more than 60 pieces of large-scale contemporary work.

A favorite with children, yet filled with fascinating displays and artifacts that appeal to everyone, the vast halls of this Smithsonian museum have everything from the tiny bones of a snake to a giant ritual statue from Easter Island. Other exhibits include vast Mammal Hall, Pacific island canoes, fabulous gemstones, a giant squid, a scene from a Chinese opera, and an Egyptian mummy case (see National Museum of Natural History& National Museum of Natural History).

Among the city’s most challenging sites, this museum is both a working study center for issues relating to the Holocaust and a national memorial for the millions murdered by the World War II Nazi government. The museum is solemn and respectful while engrossing and highly informative. Free timed passes are required to view the three-story permanent exhibition; special exhibitions, including the child-oriented “Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story” can be seen without passes.

The plain Egyptian design of this radiant spire was largely the result of congressional cost-cutting, but now it seems an inspired choice. At 555 ft (165 m), the monument, built to honor the first president of the United States, towers over everything in the neighborhood. The view from the observation platform at the top, reached by a 72-second elevator ride, is unforgettable. The new elevator on the descending trip allows visitors see some of the many commemorative stones that have been laid in the masonry walls.

This imposing marble memorial honors the US president who carried the country through its most difficult era. Designed by Henry Bacon (1866–1924) and featuring a monumental 19-ft (6-m) high statue of the seated Lincoln by Daniel Chester French (1850–1931), the memorial was dedicated in 1922. The Greek architecture reflects the ideals of its time.

This stark remembrance features a black polished wall on which are carved the names of those who died during the Vietnam War. Controversial when it opened, because of its minimalism and because it failed to glorify the war, the memorial has become one of the world’s most popular. Its creator, Maya Lin, was a 21-year-old Chinese-American student when she completed the design. More traditional statues were added in 1984.