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The Capitol’s design combines ancient tradition and New World innovation, perfectly invoking the spirit of US democracy.

The most elegant and familiar of all the world’s political residences, the White House has witnessed some of the most consequential decisions of modern history .

Reportedly the most visited museum in the world, and with good reason. The artifacts of one of mankind’s greatest quests – flight above and beyond Earth – are rendered even more impressive by the hangarlike architecture.

Cleverly combining the “America’s attic” approach with contemporary interpretive displays, this museum exhibits artifacts ranging from political campaign buttons to early locomotives.

The National Gallery’s vast collection makes it one of the greatest art museums in the world.

The breathtaking interior of the largest library in the world does full justice to its 120 million items, the work fills 530 miles (850 km) of shelves.

Ancient and modern come together in this “national house of prayer,” from the Gothic architecture to the Space Window.

Four million people each year visit these rolling lawns studded with the headstones of America’s war dead. A moving and reflective experience.

George Washington’s estate and mansion is a perfect example of the gentleman-farmer roots of many of America’s founders.

Begin at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on West Basin Drive. A Tourmobile stop (see Tour Bus Lines) is directly in front of the memorial (parking is limited). The sweeping flow of this memorial carries visitors past water-scapes punctuated by engravings of the words of the president and evocative sculptures of his times.

On the left, leaving the memorial, is the little Japanese pagoda given to the city as a gesture of friendship by the mayor of Yokohama in 1958. Graceful Japanese cherry trees line the Tidal Basin bank beyond. Continue east across Inlet Bridge. About five minutes along the walkway stands the brilliant Jefferson Memorial (see Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial), noted for its delicate design in spite of its size. Looking out from the steps here to the city is a wonderful experience.

Continue around the waterfront, cross Outlet Bridge, and bear to the left to the little boathouse, where you can rent a paddleboat for a unique view of the Tidal Basin (Open Mar–Apr: 10am–5pm; May–Oct: 10am–6pm Adm). If you prefer to stay on dry ground, continue north toward the Washington Monument and cross Maine Avenue leading to Raoul Wallenberg Place. On the right is the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Before taking in the exhibits, gird yourself with some kosher fare in the Museum Café (see United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Then spend the afternoon in remembrance of lives tragically lost under the Nazi regime.

Begin at Washington Harbor for its views of the Potomac right on the waterfront. Take a pleasant stroll along the river before heading up Thomas Jefferson Street, NW to the National Park Service Visitor Center for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal . In summer, mule-drawn barge rides are offered, with expert guides painting the historic background of the scenes before you.

Turn right and continue up Thomas Jefferson Street a short block and cross M Street, NW. In front of you is the Old Stone House, which has been lovingly preserved. National Park Service interpreters recreate some of the daily activities that might have taken place in the house in the 18th century.

Reverse direction and return down Thomas Jefferson Street to the canal. Turn right onto the towpath and stroll for two blocks until you reach an opening in the embankment. Follow the steps to the right to Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Cross the street to Grace Church. Enjoy the view of the lovely little church built for the spiritual needs of workers on the canal. The grounds, with their mature trees, make a relaxing rest spot. Recross Wisconsin Avenue and the canal to the shops at Georgetown Park (see The Shops at Georgetown Park).

Before an afternoon of retail therapy, enjoy lunch at Clyde’s of Georgetown on level 3 or snack from the food court on level 1.

A bustling hotel that takes up an entire block. The rooftop restaurant overlooks the Capitol – dazzling at night.

Unquestionably one of the greatest ever political leaders in any nation, Lincoln (1861–5) overcame inexpressible odds in preserving the Union and beginning the process of freeing slaves.

The marble vision dominates Lincoln’s memorial.

A visit to this solemn burial ground brings conflicting emotions – pride in the determination of defenders of freedom, pleasure in the presence of its great beauty, but dismay at the loss of so many lives marked by the arrays of headstones (see Arlington National Cemetery).

Four million people each year visit these rolling lawns studded with the headstones of America’s war dead. A moving and reflective experience.

The market is an appetizing source of picnic provisions any day of the week and a swarming carnival of all kinds of arts and crafts vendors on weekends. The big Eastern Market Flea Market is across 7th Street, SE, on Saturdays. Several shops – notably a vintage clothing store and an antiques dealer – and cafés are also located on the same block. On the Eastern Market side of the street (west side) between the market and Pennsylvania Avenue, SE are several shops selling toys and children’s items, books, art and prints, imported goods from Asia and South America.

John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in a balcony box here on April 14, 1865 – a tragic event that has made Ford’s Theater one of America’s best-known historical sites. A museum contains Booth’s .44 caliber Derringer pistol and other objects and information giving insights into Lincoln and the assassination plot. The restored building also houses theater productions. Directly across 10th Street is Petersen House, where Lincoln died after being carried from the theater.

The tragedy of Lincoln’s assassination here in 1865 kept this theater closed for over 100 years, but now it is the home of a vibrant theater company as well as being a museum and historic landmark. Top-notch performers and directors stage plays expressing human values in a multicultural world.

The United States’ first president George Washington (1789–97) was never greater than when he refused to interpret the position of president as equivalent to “king.”

Probably the most famous shopping area in the city, partly because of the hundreds of shops but also for the pervasive sense of style. Fashion shops are especially numerous, but antiques, art, books, records, electronics, wine, and other products are found here. The main area is between K and T and 27th and 38th streets, NW, especially on Wisconsin Avenue, NW, and M Street, NW.

One of Jefferson’s favorite Classical designs, the Pantheon in Rome, inspired this graceful monument. Dedicated in 1943 on the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth, it houses a 19-ft (6-m) bronze statue of the president by Rudolph Evans. It is especially enchanting when floodlit at night.

Kennedy (1961–3) brought an unprecedented style and flair to the presidency and can be credited with possibly the most important action of the 20th century – the prevention of nuclear war over Soviet missiles placed in Cuba. His assassination cut short his pursuit of a plan for progressive social programs, including more freedom and justice for African-Americans.

The movie screen at the Museum of Natural History is 66 ft high and 90 ft wide (20 m x 28 m), and some of the films shown are 3-D using polarized glasses. Most film subjects are hits with children (see National Museum of Natural History).

A memorial to President John F. Kennedy, this huge performance complex – the largest in the country – presents the best expressions of the artistic culture he loved so well. National and international stars perform opera, concerts, musical comedy, drama, jazz, dance, and ballet, and even experimental multimedia productions. Located overlooking the Potomac, its terraces and rooftop restaurant have dazzling views.

The majestic monument to the president who preserved America’s unity and began the long process of ending slavery is built in the form of a Greek temple. Daniel Chester French designed the enormous statue of a seated Abraham Lincoln in 1915, and it is among America’s most inspiring sites, especially for its association with African-Americans’ struggle for equality and opportunity.

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 memorial touches the hearts of all African-Americans because of Lincoln’s steadfastness in ending slavery in the US. It was here that Martin Luther King, Jr. made his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Kids’ dreams are founded on and inspired by these ravishing soaring devices and spectacular rockets, while their parents and grandparents can reminisce over the early days of aviation and see how far we’ve come. End the visit by treating children to a scoop of the freeze-dried ice cream.

The 20th century’s love affair with flight, from its intrepid beginnings to the mastery of space travel, is explored in this wonderful museum.

Reportedly the most visited museum in the world, and with good reason. The artifacts of one of mankind’s greatest quests – flight above and beyond Earth – are rendered even more impressive by the hangarlike architecture.

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 star attraction for children here is the 2pm feedings: sharks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, piranha on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and alligators on Fridays. The aquarium houses about 300 specimens in its glass tanks, and provides easy-to-understand informative material about freshwater habitats and the oceans and the marine life they support. Inquisitive little visitors always surround the touch tank. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful, and children’s questions are handled with aplomb.

One of the oldest aquariums in the world (1873). Sharks, alligators, piranha, and nearly 300 other species are housed here, and there are preservation programs that help other fish in the wild.

This interesting museum runs regular programs for families, where children and parents can learn about various methods of construction, architecture, and design. Together, families can build edible houses, learn about different construction materials, or solve a city’s transport problem. The permanent and visiting exhibitions will also appeal.

In this cavernous interior, displays examine architecture, engineering, design, and city planning.

This grand structure would be a fabulous place to visit even if it was empty. Its eight massive interior columns are among the largest in the world, and its immense interior space has beautiful natural light. The museum itself is dedicated to documenting and displaying important themes in the art and craft of building structures. It has permanent exhibitions on the city of Washington and on art created from tools, and mounts a stream of temporary exhibitions on topics such as the growth of urban transit and the development of architectural and construction methods. Other exhibits highlight the work of individual prominent architects.

The decorations are joyous.

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 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

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.

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).

The most elegant and familiar of all the world’s political residences, the White House has witnessed some of the most consequential decisions of modern history .

Beautiful from any angle and still glowing from its repainting in the 1990s, the White House is a symbol of US political power and of democracy throughout the world.

An ingeniously symbolic building houses documents depicting the Holocaust in Europe before and during World War II, grimly detailing the surveillance and the loss of individual rights faced by Jews, political objectors, gypsies, homosexuals, and the handicapped. Moving eyewitness accounts, photographs, and artifacts tell the story, from “Nazi Assault,” to “Last Chapter”.

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.

Symbolizing both government power and the control of that power by the people, the Capitol crowns the east end of the National Mall (see Events in the US Capitol’s History).

The view from the 555 ft high (170 m) monument (see Jefferson Memorial) is spectacular. The ride in the elevator is interesting because high-tech windows become transparent or opaque in a wink.

This spire is the dominant feature on the city skyline, 555 ft (170 m) high and gleaming in its marble cladding. One of the tallest freestanding masonry constructions in the world, built between 1848 and 1884, it offers stunning views from the observation platform.

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.