Highlights
Monuments and Memorials
National Mall holds many of the great monuments found within the city and are situated within walking distance of each other. To the Mall’s west end sits Lincoln Memorial, overlooking the beautiful Reflecting Pool and housed in a Neo Classical, Doric-columned, structure. It was also the spot where Martin Luther King Jr gave his distinguished “I have a Dream” speech (look for the engraving on the step on which he stood). Martin Luther King Jr Monument is also fascinating and thought provoking – opened in 2011, it is also the newest. Looming overhead is the hard-to-miss Washington Monument – standing at 555ft, it is the tallest building in the district.
Museums
With such a superb collection of Washington’s museums located along National Mall, their convenience allows tourists to visit many museums in a shot space of time. There is nothing quite like the Smithsonian institution, a collection of 19 fascinating, artefact-rich museums. Along the Mall you will find, The National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History and Freer Sackler Museum of Asian Art – each one is free to visit!
The Three Houses of Government
Visit the three pillars that make up the US government, comprising the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court, for an excellent insight into how US politics is performed. Discover where the country’s laws are written with a complimentary tour of the US Capitol Building or you can obtain tickets for a public tour of the White House, where you will see several rooms in the main residence and the halls of which 45 presidents have graced. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the USA, housed in an impressive pseudo-Greek style structure. Visit the permanent exhibits and the building’s staggering, five-storey, marble and bronze spiral staircase. When court is not in session, you can hear fascinating lectures in the courtroom.
Washington National Cathedral
The striking Washington National Cathedral is run by the Episcopal diocese, but is open to all faiths and creeds. It is the second largest church in the US and the fourth-tallest structure in Washington, boasting a Neo-Gothic design that is modelled on English Gothic style of the late 14th century. Following a President’s inauguration they attend a multi-faith service here. State funerals are also held inside and it was where Martin Luther King Jr gave his last Sunday sermon. Construction began in 1907, when Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone, and it took a staggering 82 years to build.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art boasts a super collection that spans from the Middle Ages to the present. The Neo Classical West Building includes majestic pieces of European art from the early 1900s, such as a da Vinci painting and Impressionist and Post Impressionist pieces that are sure to delight. The contrasting modern East Building, designed by I.M. Pei, displays modern and contemporary art, with notable names on display such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Jackson Pollock.