The National Postal Museum, a Smithsonian Institution museum, is located in the old Post Office building next to Union Station in Washington, D.C. The Museum was created by an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993.

As the Smithsonian Institution's museum of African American history and culture, the Museum explores American history, society, and creative expression from an African American perspective. The museum encourages the collection, protection, and preservation of materials that reflect the history and traditions of families, organizations, individuals, and communities.

Opened to the public in April 2004, the new Marian Koshland Science Museum uses engaging, interactive exhibits to bring to life the numerous reports conducted by the prestigious National Academies every year.

Designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe in 1818 for America's greatest 19th century naval hero, Decatur House was occupied by many of our nation's most important political leaders. As witness to the exciting events of the 19th and early 20th century, Decatur House has a unique and fascinating story to tell.

The Phillips Collection, opened in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. Featuring a renowned permanent collection of nearly 2,500 works by American and European impressionist and modern artists, the Phillips is internationally recognized for both its incomparable art and its intimate atmosphere.

The evening of April 14, 1865, has forever been marked with tragedy. On that night, our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated in Ford’s Theatre by actor John Wilkes Booth. Just days after General Lee’s Confederate troops surrendered at Appomattox, VA, a time of hope and peace in Washington and around the country turned to a period of mourning that America had never seen before.

The mission of the International Spy Museum is to educate the public about espionage in an engaging manner and to provide a dynamic context that fosters understanding of its important role in and impact on current and historic events. The Museum focuses on human intelligence and reveals the role spies have played in world events throughout history.

The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection is an international center for scholarship, providing resources for study and publishing scholarly works in Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Studies. Begun as a private collection by Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss in 1920, and given to Harvard University in 1940, the library and collections include art objects, artifacts, manuscripts, and rare books. The house and collections are currently undergoing renovations and are closed, but the garden remains open to the public.

Activities for Children
Children 0-5: Build with blocks; create art rubbings of saints, angels and nature; ring the bells; play dress up; and watch Bible stories under a tent.
Children 5-8: ring the bells; discover melody selections from Catholic hymnals; and create an electronic stained-glass window. Children 8 & up: participate in a scavenger hunt, available at the Admissions Desk.

Created by an act of Congress in 1980, the National Building Museum is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning.

Generations of remarkable Americans are kept in the company of their fellow citizens at the National Portrait Gallery. The Gallery presents the wonderful diversity of individuals who have left–and are leaving–their mark on our country and our culture. Through the visual and performing arts, we celebrate leaders such as George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., artists such as Mary Cassatt and George Gershwin, activists such as Sequoyah and Rosa Parks, and icons of pop culture such as Babe Ruth and Marilyn Monroe. They all link us to our past, our present, and our future. For anyone fascinated by famous Americans and their stories, the National Portrait Gallery is a must-visit destination.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art stands as a major center of American art, both historic and contemporary. Founded “for the purpose of encouraging American Genius,” the Corcoran’s extensive collection of 18th, 19th, and 20th century American art represents most significant American artists. The Corcoran possesses a fine collection of European art as well. While continuing its efforts to represent historic American works, the gallery also encourages modern European and American artists by showing and purchasing their work, paying particular attention to artists in the Washington area.

The Kreeger Museum is a private, non-profit art museum located in the former residence of David and Carmen Kreeger. Designed by renowned architect Philip Johnson, it showcases the Kreeger's permanent collection of 19th and 20th century paintings and sculptures.

The Textile Museum is dedicated to furthering the understanding of mankind's creative achievements in the textile arts. As a museum, it is committed to its role as a center of excellence in the scholarly research, conservation, interpretation and exhibition of textiles, with particular concern for the artistic, technical and cultural significance of its collections.

National Museum of Women in the Arts, the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country’s memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust.
The Holocaust was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. Jews were the primary victims – six million were murdered; Gypsies, the handicapped and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Millions more, including homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war and political dissidents, also suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi tyranny.
The Museum’s primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy.

Directions by Metrorail - Hillwood is a 20-minute walk from the Van Ness/UDC Metro station on the Red Line. From the Metro exit on the east side of Connecticut Avenue, walk south on Connecticut toward Van Ness Auto Care and turn left onto Upton Street. Turn right onto Linnean Avenue. The entrance to the estate will be on the left.
Directions by Metrobus - Take the L1 or L2 bus to the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Tilden Street. Walk east toward Rock Creek Park on Tilden. Turn left onto Linnean Avenue. The entrance to the estate will be on the right.

The DAR Museum has often been called "the best-kept secret in Washington" and we want that to change. We've been hiding our light under a bushel for too long. We have an amazing collection of objects made or used in America before the Industrial Revolution, many given over the years by DAR members. Because of that association, we have many objects with wonderful family associations, as well as artifacts related to women and women's history.

Learn about the authentic tradecraft that has been used throughout time and around the world. Hear spies, in their own words, describe the challenges and the "game" of spying.