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

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 site of the April 14, 1865, assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, Ford's Theatre is a working theatre, historical monument, world-class museum and learning center. The theatre produces musicals and plays reflecting the unique, diverse character of American life. With its inspiring theatrical productions, live historic interpretation, and rich collection of artifacts, Ford’s is the premier destination in the nation’s capital to explore and celebrate the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. A daytime visit can include the museum, theatre, Petersen House (the house where Lincoln died) and Aftermath Exhibits at the Center for Education and Leadership. Advance tickets are required (convenience fee). From September to May, Ford’s presents evening and matinee productions of renowned plays, vibrant musicals, and newly commissioned works that captivate and entertain while examining political and social issues related to Lincoln’s life and legacy.

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.

Honoring the most famous African-American, this National Historic Site consists of Douglass' home and a visitor center and is dedicated to preserving his legacy of work on behalf of African Americans.

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.

Historic Dupont Circle home of German immigrant and brewmaster Christian Heurich (1842-1945) and family The mansion was built from 1892-94 by German immigrant, local brewer, and philanthropist Christian Heurich (1842-1945). He and his family lived in their Dupont Circle home from its completion in 1894 until his wife's death in 1956. Recognized as Washington, DC's most successful brewer, he ran the Chr. Heurich Brewing Co., the city's longest-operating brewery (1873-1956), until his death at 102. The mansion is notable for its fireproof construction, original interiors, and family collections. The museum, located at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue in Dupont Circle, is open for regular public events and guided tours Thursday through Saturday at 11:30 am, 1:00 and 2:30 pm. Private tours and event rentals are also available.