Music by Moonlight

Each Thursday evening in the summer, the National Zoo (natzoo.si.edu) comes to life with Sunset Serenades on Lion/Tiger Hill. Enjoy a picnic under the stars and listen to live blues, jazz, folk and rock sounds.

For free jazz concerts, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden (nga.gov) is the place to be. Top local and regional artists take the stage for “Jazz in the Garden” each Friday evening (May 22-Sept. 11) from 5-8:30 PM. You can also enjoy free concerts on Sunday nights at the gallery all year long, performances begin at 6:30 PM.

You can also catch free evening concerts by the U.S. Army Band, U.S. Navy Band, U.S. Air Force Band and U.S. Marine Corps Band at patriotic places like the U.S. Capitol, the Air Force Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Navy Memorial all summer long.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (kennedy-center.org) entertains culture-lovers with free performances nightly at 6 PM on its Millennium Stage.

The first Thursday of every month at the Decatur House (decaturhouse.org), you can enjoy the sounds of local musicians like Theo Croker and Yvonne Johnson Trio during its event Jazz on Jackson Place.

Evening tours of Washington’s only Presidential museum can be found at the Woodrow Wilson House Afterhours tour on Tuesdays (by appointment only). A perfect opportunity for groups to explore the home of our 28th President. woodrowwilsonhouse.org

Or, you can watch theatre, music and other performances under the stars at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, located outside of DC in Vienna, VA. This summer, the National Symphony Orchestra plays music from The Wizard of Oz, Broadway musicals and even video games, and theatre-lovers can watch Disney’s High School Musical and 42nd Street.