Free Attractions

Explore DC’s museums, memorials and other attractions without breaking the bank. There are more than 100 free things to do in Washington, DC.

Free Things to Do: International Experiences in Washington, DC

As the nation’s capital, DC is, by nature, an international city. Through free events, festivals, museums and activities, DC shows its global side. So, during your family trip to Washington, DC, make sure to check out all the wonderful international things to do that we’ve detailed below.

8 Reasons to Attend The REACH Opening Festival at the Kennedy Center

The REACH , the new expansion at Washington, DC’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , will officially open on Sept. 7. To celebrate, the Kennedy Center is hosting 16 days’ worth of free programming, including concerts, workshops, film screenings, dance performances and so much more...

Visiting the National Archives Building & Museum in Washington, DC

What and where is the National Archives Building & Museum? The National Archives & Records Administration Building and Museum is located on Constitution Avenue NW, between 7th and 9th Streets, just north of the National Mall . The building houses both a museum and the National Archives and...

Visiting the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC

Where and what is the Jefferson Memorial? The location and architecture of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial make it stand out among DC’s amazing array of monuments and memorials . Designed by John Russell Pope in 1925, the memorial resembles the Pantheon in Rome, an adaptation of Neoclassical...

Free Things to Do: Theater & Performing Arts in Washington, DC

There is no shortage of free theater in Washington, DC, from shows with no admission charge to events and concerts. Some of the city’s most prestigious venues offer free opportunities, including the Kennedy Center (most notably, its Millennium Stage), the National Theatre, Ford’s Theatre,...

Visiting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing in Washington, DC

What and where is the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing? The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing , founded in 1862, produces Federal Reserve Notes (also known as paper money, or U.S. dollars) for the Federal Reserve, our country’s central bank (note that coins are made by the United States...

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC

Experiencing the Lincoln Memorial The grand Lincoln Memorial towers over the Reflecting Pool, anchoring the western end of the National Mall . The best way to approach the memorial is from the east, by the Washington Monument and the National World War II Memorial . This will put you at the edge of...

Visiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC

What is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and where is it? The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is situated on a four-acre site along the National Mall's Tidal Basin, adjacent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memoria l and shares a direct line of sight between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials...

Visiting the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC

What is the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and where is it? The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden displays some of the most unique artworks in modern and contemporary art, including painting, sculpture and photography. Located at the corner of 7th Street and Independence...

Guide to the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC

Nothing signifies the arrival of spring in the nation's capital quite like the blooming of the cherry blossom trees and the three-week-long National Cherry Blossom Festival to celebrate the occasion. More than 1.5 million visitors descend upon Washington, DC each year to admire the 3,000-plus trees...