Washington D.C. is not just about the incredible history and vibrant city vibes but is also highly underrated for its thriving art scene and electric events. The city boasts of being the political capital with the magnificent White House standing at its center. D.C. is home to some of the most iconic buildings, impressive monuments with a picturesque skyline you won't find anywhere else on the continent. Here are the top ten things to see in this gorgeous city.
1. The White House
One of the most recognizable buildings in the world, the White House needs no introduction, as the world's most iconic presidential building. The official residence for the President of the United States, this impressive structure was first built in 1792. Getting in can be a bit of a pain, there are limited tours for visiting the White House, you'll need to apply in advance usually through the nearest embassy to your city. If you don't manage to get a tour, you can get a view of the building from the barriers outside on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Name: The White House
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
2. United States Capitol
One of the most symbolic buildings across the United States is the House of the Representative and Senate. The architecture features a huge dome and was built between 1793 and 1812. The building includes some gorgeous marble terraces and its interior is exquisite with paintings, adorned with numerous artifacts. The Rotunda under the cast iron dome has a ceiling painting by Constantino Brumidi and many representational drawings depicting events in American history. There are free tours that can be reserved and booked online to see the beautiful exhibition of the history of the building.
Name: United States Capitol
Address: East Capitol St NE & First St SE, Washington, D.C.
Related Site: https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/
3. Lincoln Memorial
The memorial was built as a tribute to honor the first US President, Abraham Lincoln, marked with a 19-foot marble statue of the legendary president. Surrounded by 36 columns, each one represents one particular state that existed at the time of Abraham Lincoln's death. The marble statue was made by noted sculptor Daniel Chester French and is one of his most exquisite works. It's surrounded by beautiful murals on the inside of the walls that were painted by Jules Guerin.
Name: Lincoln Memorial
Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm
4. The Washington Monument
The monument is one of the most iconic sight-seeing places, marked by a 555-foot white obelisk. The structure is extremely picturesque and gorgeous as it reflects beautifully in the long reflecting pool. The obelisk was built to honor the first President of America and its plan was approved in 1783. The project was however interrupted in between due to ongoing civil war but eventually completed in 1885. You can see the three different shades of stone at the front marking its interrupted construction. The inside of the monuments has engraved stone and base is surrounded by 50 American flags.
Name: The Washington Monument
Address: 2 15th St NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://www.nps.gov/wamo/index.htm
5. National Air and Space Museum
This museum is undoubtedly one of the most incredible museums, displaying a huge collection of spacecraft and historical aircraft from throughout US history. One of the most prized possessions of the museum is its 1903 Wright Brothers Flyer and the first plane to fly across Atlantic Ocean, Spirit of St. Louis developed by Charles Lindbergh. Time to time new spacecraft and flights are included in the museum. There are a number of events and exhibitions organized that can teach you about space science and technology.
Name: National Air and Space Museum
Address: 600 Independence Ave, SW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://airandspace.si.edu/
6. National Gallery of Art
For the art lovers among us, this place is exactly what you need to fuel your mind and soul with an exciting collection of exquisite art pieces. The gallery is housed in two independent buildings that are connected with the help of a tunnel. It's one of the premier art museums in the world and displays a huge collection with masterpieces from American and European painters, sculptures along with multiple decorative art work. It has the Freer Gallery of Art which includes around 30,000 amazing pieces of Asian work, sculptures and ancient manuscripts. It also houses the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the National Museum of African Art.
Name: National Gallery of Art
Address: 6th & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, D.C.
Related Site: https://www.nga.gov/
7. Newseum
This place is perfect to get to know about the modern history of America as you take a walk through galleries of newspaper clippings. There are many events that contributed to shaping the history of America immortalized in the form of media. You'll find a number of programs and media elements such as films, recordings and various exhibits and static displays that help people to understand more about the historical events. There are reports about the assassination of President John. F Kennedy, newspaper articles unfolding important events of past, collections of award winning shows and a whole range of other items to engage visitors.
Name: Newseum
Address: 555 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: http://www.newseum.org/
8. National Museum of American History
This is a massive Smithsonian museum that beautifully preserves and reflects the culture of America. It brings forward the political, cultural, scientific, technological and all other types of American history in form of exhibitions and display of information, artifacts and product. There are some important pieces of discovery in the museum which includes Edison’s Light Bulb, national treasures and lot of artifacts used in shows and events throughout American history.
Name: National Museum of American History
Address: 14th St, NW, Constitution Ave, Washington D.C.
Related Site: http://americanhistory.si.edu/
9. Washington National Cathedral
The cathedral is designed in a Neo-Gothic style with gorgeous architecture and design both on the interior and exterior. It's one of the largest cathedrals in the world and was built in 1907 to 1990. It reflects the masonry with its stunning limestone construction and reflects the gorgeous detailing with its precise designs. The cathedral has stained windows along with hand embroidered kneels which honor war heroes and events of historical importance. It is also the burial place of President Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. It has a central tower of 300-feet, one of the highest points in the city.
Name: Washington National Cathedral
Address: Massachusetts & Wisconsin Avenues, NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://cathedral.org/
10. National Zoological Park
An impressive place to explore the flora and fauna of America with nearly 2000 species of animals, birds and reptiles living in spaces that perfectly mimic their natural habitat. Many of the species here are endangered and the zoo does a great job in terms of animal conservation. The initiative of caring and sustainable management was established in 1972. Some of the highlights to see here are the white napped cranes, Sumatran tigers, red pandas, Grevy’s Zebra and much more. The animals can also be watching being fed at certain times throughout the day.
Name: National Zoological Park
Address: 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington D.C.
Related Site: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/
Conclusion
Washington D.C is a delight for history lovers and travelers wanting to engage in understanding the history of Modern America. As the political capital of USA, the city is full of fascinating museums that showcase the events that helped shaped the country into what it is today.