Top Things to do in Downtown / Chinatown
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The 5 Best Specialty Museums in Downtown / Chinatown, District of Columbia (DC)
Washington DC is a hub for American politics and history. Attracting as many school field trips as it does travelers the district offers a peek into the country’s democratic origin. There are plenty of free museums to take advantage of but the real draw here is the memorials and monuments dedicated to great American leaders. Spend some contemplative time at the Reflecting Pool within the National Mall, among the most patriotic places in the country.
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1. National Museum of Women in the Arts
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 369 reviews
Founded in 1981 and opened in 1987, the National Museum of Women in the Arts is the only museum solely dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women in the visual, performing and literary arts. The museum's collection features 4,500 works from the 16th century to the present created by more than 1,000 artists, including Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, Alma Thomas, Lee Krasner, Louise Bourgeois, Chakaia Booker and Nan Goldin, along with special collections of 18th-century silver tableware and botanical prints. NMWA is located at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., In a landmark building near the White House.
Reviewed By jaseaton - Silver Spring, United States
We love this museum. They have a small but sensational gift shop which celebrates a mix of beautiful art objects and tstotchkes with liberal feminist attitude and humor (two things that don’t always go together). They had a special exhibit of Judy Chicago’s work on meditations about her own (and the planet’s) death. Not my favorite show of hers, but always worth seeing. The staff are friendly and helpful. The displays are easy to take in in an afternoon. And they have special events such as Sunday brunches once a month and weddings many weekends.
2. United States Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 194 reviews
A statue of The Lone Sailor peers over this memorial, which consists of a plaza bearing a granite world map flanked by waterfalls and fountains. The heritage center contains exhibits on naval history.
Reviewed By daff0dil74 - Saint Louis, United States
This Navy Memorial honors everyone who served in a US naval capacity. I entered my submariner husband in the Navy Log there so that his grandchildren, great grandchildren and those who come after will be able to connect with him and who he was, in years ahead. Registration was easy to do: just need a photo, with time and location noted, and basic information ( name, rank, serial number, etc). . Once entered in this archive the information can be brought up on computer’s there, and on your computer devices at home, anytime, anywhere. If you’ve been a Navy family the two statues there will be an emotional tug. The Lone Sailor and his Seabag stands outside on the Seven Seas plaza; and the “ Homecomig” statue of sailor, wife and child is inside in the archives area. Have a tissue in your pocket if they are a poingnant reminder of ‘ been there, done that’.
3. International Spy Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 5,391 reviews
The new International Spy Museum at L'Enfant Plaza is now open! With interactive exhibitions and installations, the foremost collection of spy artifacts in the world, and first-person accounts from top intelligence officers and experts, the reimagined Spy Museum offers interactive experiences for adults and children alike to step into the shoes of a spy and test their skills!
Reviewed By dennishD1728BC
Took our kids and grandkids to Washington, DC for two weeks. We got advance tickets on line for this attraction, and did the Mission as well as the Museum. The staff make the Mission a lot of fun, and the museum is really well done with displays and story boards. At the end, there is a special room where clips of James Bond movies are shown. Very entertaining.
4. Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 3 reviews
Built in 1876 and restored and rededicated in 1970, the historic synagogue is now stewarded by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. It is open for educational tours, programs, and life-cycle events. Our exhibitions are displayed in venues throughout the region to preserve the authentic feel of the historic space. Contact us to book a tour or rent the sanctuary! The historic synagogue, the oldest in the Washington area, is home to the Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum. Built by Adas Israel Congregation, President Ulysses S. Grant attended the synagogue's dedication in 1876. The congregation outgrew the building in a few decades and sold the building.It stood at Sixth & G Streets, NW, for more than 90 years before being slated for demolition. The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington helped save the building from the wrecking ball, and in 1969, it was moved three blocks to its present site. Community contributions and a gift from Lillian and Albert Small helped restore the synagogue.
5. DC History Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 10 reviews
The DC History Center is owned and operated by the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., which collects, interprets, and shares the history of our nation's capital. Founded in 1894, the Historical Society presents exhibitions, programs, and events in the DC History Center to celebrate the city's heritage and maintains thousands of historical materials accessible to the public through the Kiplinger Research Library. The DC History Center is located in the historic Carnegie Library, Washington's former public library. The Beaux Arts building is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sunday, 12:00 - 5:00 pm, closed on Mondays. Guided group tours are available on request.
Reviewed By carolyne406 - Norwalk, United States
This museum had a lot of photos and a mural showing dates that events took place in Washington, D. C. from when it was first settled to present. There is no admission and no guided tours, but it is worth checking out.
