History & Heritage

History & Heritage: The country’s history starts with ours.

Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is located at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW on the National Mall . The four-level museum opened on Sept. 24, 2016, becoming the only national museum solely dedicated to the documentation of African American life,...

Visiting the Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Since its opening in 1993 in the historic City Post Office Building, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum has served to honor and celebrate America’s proud postal history. Located next to Union Station in DC’s NoMa neighborhood , the museum houses a vast collection of stamps, postal artifacts and...

How Can I Tour the White House?

Requesting a tour Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress (find your member of Congress and contact information here ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you'...

Guide to African American History & Culture in Washington, DC

With its Southern connections, Washington, DC has always had a significant African American population. Before the Civil War, the city was home to a growing number of free blacks who worked as skilled craftsmen, hack drivers, businessmen and laborers, and slave auctions were outlawed altogether in...

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial

The experience 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 the Reflecting...

3 Days in Washington, DC for Families

The National Mall is America’s most visited national park, where the past, present and future come together. Morning Start your day at the Willard InterContinental for a historic breakfast in the same building where Abraham Lincoln used to stay and where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. completed hi...

Visiting the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

A visit to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is to be transported to a trying time in American history, an era rife with economic depression and international conflict. The memorial, which honors the 32nd president of the United States, is composed of four “rooms” which represent each of...

10 Reasons to Check Out the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Each summer, the National Mall plays host to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival , a massive, multiple-day celebration of international cultures. The 2017 edition (June 29 – July 4, July 6-9) marks the 50th anniversary of the event, so special programming honoring this milestone is on tap. The...

3 Days of Favorites in the Nation's Capital

Morning The National Mall , home to many of the museums of the Smithsonian Institution , is a great place to start your day. See the magnificent jewels, dinosaurs and mammals on display at the National Museum of Natural History ; the airplanes and interactive flight simulators at the National Air...

17 Kid-Friendly Museums & Hands-On Attractions

DC’s wealth of museums and attractions means there are always magical places where kids are transported from the ho-hum of touring to the “Wow!” of experiencing. Many of these sites feature interactive entertainment to help capture the attention of even the littlest sightseer. And if you're looking...