Information About Visiting Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is a historic city that is filled with many sites you may want to visit on your trip. Many of these attractions do not require advanced tickets, allowing you to plan your visit around your schedule. Additionally, many attractions are free, including the famed museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

Below, please find some information on some of the city’s main attractions. Please note that this information is provided to help you plan your trip, and is subject to change.

Attractions Offering Tours | Museums, Monuments and Other Points of Interest | Additional Washington, DC Links

Attractions Offering Tours

U.S. Botanical Garden

Enjoy this beautiful garden on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, which is divided into separate rooms to simulate different habitats.

Open daily during the Fall and Winter from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and during the summer months from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Home to the world’s largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials and to major collections of other rare Renaissance books, manuscripts, and works of art.

Open Monday through Saturday (except federal holidays) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Library of Congress

Enjoy the largest library in the world, which has millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.

Tours run Monday through Friday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

National Archives

Houses countless documents from our nation’s history, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Open for self-guided tours, from Labor Day through March 14, Monday through Friday 10:15 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., and from March 15 through Labor Day, Monday through Friday 10:15 a.m. through 5:30 p.m.

Museums, Monuments, and other Points of Interest

Arlington National Cemetery

Visit the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the Curtis-Lee Mansion, and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Open daily October through March from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and April through September from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Ford’s Theater National Historic Site

A memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated in the theater in 1865.

Ford's Theatre and Museum are currently closed for renovations. The Theatre is due to open on Feburary 12, 2009 with the museum due to open later in the spring of 2009.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Located along the famous Cherry Tree Walk near the National Mall, this memorial has four outdoor rooms containing shade trees, waterfalls, statuary, and quiet alcoves.

Open 24 hours daily.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Dedicated by Congress as a national memorial to the Holocaust.

Open daily from 10:00 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. From March through August, timed entry passes are required and can be attained at the museum or, for a small fee, in advance.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

View this memorial to those who fought in the Korean War from 1950-1953.

Open 24 hours daily.

Lincoln Memorial

Visit the memorial to one of our nation’s most beloved presidents, immortalized in a replica of the Parthenon with his most famous words etched alongside.

Open 24 hours daily.

Mount Vernon Estate

Walk the estate and gardens of the nation’s first president, George Washington.

Open daily April through August, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., March, September and October 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., and November through February, 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m.

National Zoo

View animals of all kinds at our national zoo.

Open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from April to October, and 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from November to March.

Smithsonian Institution

Visit the nation’s most extensive museum collection, which includes:
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Freer Gallery of Art
National Air and Space Museum
National Gallery of Art
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of American Art
National Museum of American History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of Natural History
National Portrait Gallery
Renwick Gallery

Hours vary by museum.

Jefferson Memorial

View this beautiful memorial of the nation’s third president.

Open 24 hours daily.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The memorial honors all Americans who served in the Vietnam War and, as a special tribute to those who did not return, the names of the more than 58,000 who gave their lives or who remain missing are inscribed on the Memorial’s walls.

Open 24 hours daily.

Washington Monument

Take an elevator ride to the top of this 555 foot structure honoring our nation’s first president.

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. and same day tickets for timed entry may be picked up starting at 8:30 a.m. Tickets may also be purchased for a small fee in advance.

World War II Memorial

This memorial honors the 16 million people who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all those who supported the war effort from home.

Open 24 hours daily.

Additional Washington, DC Links

Tourist Information from the U.S. House of Representatives
Destination DC
Public Transportation
Local Weather Forecast