Sightseeing Highlights from A to Z

Corcoran Gallery of Art
Washington's oldest art collection features Dutch and Flemish masterpieces, French Impressionists and post-Impressionists, and American art from colonial times to the present. Every year, the Corcoran presents a diverse program of special exhibitions.

Dumbarton House and Garden (Museum and Shop closed until 2007 for renovations)
Located in Georgetown, this Federal-style house museum features 18th- and 19th-century American furniture and fine arts. The enchanting gardens incorporate elements of traditional French, English, and Italian gardens.

FDR Memorial
A 7.5-acre site near the Jefferson Memorial, this memorial depicts the 12 pivotal years of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency through a series of four outdoor gallery rooms.

Folger Shakespeare Library
Private, non-profit research library with one of the world's finest collections of Shakespeare and Renaissance materials.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens
In the heart of Washington DC, Marjorie Merriweather Post, founder of Hillwood, features an estate housing an extensive collection of imperial Russian and 18th-century French decorative arts. Formal gardens include French Parterre, Rose Garden, Lunar, Lawn, Japanese-style Garden, etc.

Holocaust Museum
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum depicts the events and history of the Nazi rule of Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Jefferson Memorial
Beneath the marble rotunda, the 19-foot statue of the third US president is surrounded by passages from the Declaration of Independence and other famous Jefferson writings.

John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Six magnificent theaters present the best of drama, dance, ballet, music, comedy, films and commissioned works. Home of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington Opera and the American Film Institute.

Lincoln Memorial
This grand monument is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865).

National Air and Space Museum
The world's most visited museum houses the Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis, the Apollo 11 lunar command module and an incredible collection of aviation and space technology treasures. Samuel P Langley Theater shows spectacular IMAX films daily (admission). Albert Einstein Planetarium presents several programs daily (admission).

National Arboretum
More than 400 acres of trees, shrubs, flowering plants, picnic grounds, herb gardens and the famous bonsai collection.

National Gallery of Art
One of the finest collections in the world, illustrating major achievements in painting, sculpture, and graphic arts from the Middle Ages to the present, plus changing exhibitions from around the world.

National Geographic Society
Explorers Hall features "Geographica", an interactive exhibit about the earth and the fragile balance among its inhabitants.

National Mall
A splendid green park area extending approximately two miles from the US Capitol to the Washington Monument. Lining either side of the park near the Capitol are 200-year-old American elm trees, several of the Smithsonian Institution museums, National Archives, National Gallery of Art and US Botanic Gardens.

National Museum of the American Indian
The most recent of the Smithsonian Museums, The National Museum of the American Indian showcases various aspects of the Natives art, history, and language.

The Phillips Collection
America's first museum of modern art features Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party, and works by Cézanne, Bonnard, Braque, Daumier, Dove, El Greco, Manet, Matisse, O'Keefe and Picasso. Classical music program every Sunday (September through May).

The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
One of Washington's newest attractions and home to the new Visitor Information Center. A food court, fine dining restaurant, cafes, and impressive works of art dot this official World Trade Center.

Rock Creek Park
Rustic expanse of 1754 acres surrounding the picturesque valley of Rock Creek, with riding stables, tennis courts, picnic areas, golf course, nature center and trails.

Theodore Roosevelt Island
This serene island is a wildlife refuge with nearly two miles of trails. A 17-foot bronze statue of President Theodore Roosevelt, early champion of wildlife and nature conservation, can be seen in the Statuary Garden.

Smithsonian Institution
Washington is home to the world's most famous museum complex. Encompassing more than a dozen different buildings, such as the Arthur M Sackler Gallery, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Air and Space Museum, as well as the National Zoological Park.

Union Station
This beautifully restored train station houses more than 125 stores, restaurants, a food court and a nine-screen cinema complex.

US Capitol
Under the magnificent white dome, senators and representatives meet to shape US legislative policy.

Washington Monument
One of the tallest masonry structures in the world, this majestic obelisk was dedicated in 1885 to the memory of the first US president.

Washington National Cathedral
A 14th-century-style Gothic cathedral, garden and shops set on 57 acres at the city's highest point. Observation gallery offers a magnificent view of Washington and surrounding area.

White House
Home of every US president except George Washington.

World War II Memorial
The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. It is the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during the World War II.