Things to do in Washington DC, District of Columbia (DC): The Best Historic Sites

This home of Frederick Douglass contains original furnishings.

Hillwood, the grand estate of Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, sits on 25 acres overlooking Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington DC. Along with a world renowned collection of Russian and French decorative arts, Hillwood also features extensive gardens and special exhibitions.

The Woodrow Wilson House is open! We welcome visitors back for a variety of Covid friendly activities and for private events including weddings and corporate receptions, seven days a week. Don’t miss your chance to visit the Suffrage Outside exhibition, the only fully outdoor history exhibit in DC, on display in the Wilson House garden through November 30th. Reserve your visiting time on our website www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org. Also available are two walking tours: "If these walls could talk! A Waddy Wood Walking Tour" and the "Kalorama Audio Tour". Once you’ve downloaded the map, take the tour at your leisure. The giftshop and bathroom are open during business hours.

A model of Federal-period architecture in the nation’s capital, Tudor Place was home to six generations of Martha Washington’s descendants from 1805 to 1983 and the enslaved workers and servants who lived and worked here. With over 18,000 decorative objects, including the largest Washington Collection outside of Mount Vernon, Tudor Place sits on 5 ½ acres in the heart of Georgetown.

Right across from the White House, this is one of the oldest surviving homes in Washington DC and was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe.

Explore the Society of the Cincinnati's historic headquarters, Anderson House, a National Historic Landmark that has been the Society's home since 1938. The Society and its American Revolution Institute work to honor the men and women who won American independence in the Revolutionary War by supporting advanced study, presenting exhibitions and other public programs, advocating preservation, and providing resources to teachers and students. Tours of Anderson House reveal the history of the Society of the Cincinnati, the significance of the American Revolution, and the lives and collections of the home's first owners, Larz and Isabel Anderson. The mansion was completed in 1905 for the Andersons, a wealthy couple who devoted their lives to public service, travel, entertaining, collecting, and philanthropy-interests and activities that are reflected in Anderson House, where much of the couple's art collection and furnishings are still on display. Guided tours begin at 15 minutes past each hour. Anderson House also offers a changing exhibition gallery, a research library, and an active calendar of public programs.

The National Woman's Party at the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument is the only museum in the nation's Capitol that tells the inspiring and ongoing story of women's quest for equality. The Sewall House has stood strong on Capitol Hill for over two hundred years. Early occupants of the house participated in the formulation of Congress and witnessed the construction of the US Capitol and the Supreme Court. In 1929, the National Woman's Party (NWP) purchased the house, and it soon evolved into a center for feminist education and social change. For over sixty years, the trail-blazing NWP utilized the strategic location of the house to lobby for women's political, social, and economic equality.Today, the National Woman's Party tells the compelling story of a community of women who dedicated their lives to the fight for women's rights. The innovative tactics and strategies these women devised became the blueprint for women's progress throughout the twentieth century. The Museum exhibits highlight the tactics and strategies used during the 20th century women's rights movement. Artifacts from the NWP collection bring the story to life. Public Programs showcase the Museum's commitment to continuing conversations on women's progress while examining the ongoing national and international quest for women's equality.The site was dedicated as a National Monument for its significance to the history of the United States.

Known as the "Cradle of the Emancipation Proclamation," President Lincoln's Cottage is Abraham Lincoln's summer residence where he lived and worked for over a quarter of his presidency and made some of his most important decisions, including developing the Emancipation Proclamation. Located on a picturesque hilltop in Northwest Washington, DC on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, the Cottage is open for tours 362 days a year. Guided tours offer visitors an intimate view of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and private life. Visitors are also invited to browse exhibits in the adjacent Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center. Tickets are required for entry to the Cottage, and advanced ticket purchase is strongly recommended.