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Washington, DC Museums & exhibitions

Our most recommended Washington, DC Museums & exhibitions

Washington, DC: ARTECHOUSE Immersive Art Experience Ticket

1. Washington, DC: ARTECHOUSE Immersive Art Experience Ticket

Explore ARTECHOUSE DC in Washington, DC with an entry ticket and discover multi-sensory digital art. Immerse yourself in the enchanting exhibits with large-scale installations and choose to indulge with a cocktail at the XR Bar. Make your way to ARTECHOUSE DC, located just off the National Mall and nearby Smithsonian museums. Enter the nation's first multi-sensory innovative art destination with exhibitions that intersect art, science, and technology. Admire large-scale installations and witness creative innovation without limits in unique art spaces designed for curiosity seekers of all ages. Take a break and talk about the art on display at the ARTECHOUSE Extended Reality Bar inside the exhibit space. Choose from a list of exclusive cocktails inspired by the art and brought to life by extended reality. Download the ARTECHOUSE XR App to enrich your experience while exploring the digital playgrounds. Staff is on-hand to explain the uses of the app during your visit. PIXELBLOOM: Timeless Butterflies (March 11 – June 11, 2023): Discover an all-new visual narrative takes visitors through a virtual world of cherry blossoms to experience the ephemeral beauty of butterflies. Enjoy a joyous audio-visual story that pays tribute to nature’s exuberance and the arrival of spring. Explore the various layers of a butterfly's life cycle and its relationship to the environment through a series of interactive installations.

Washington DC: Museum of the Bible General Admission

2. Washington DC: Museum of the Bible General Admission

Steps from the National Mall, the Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, and educational institution with the purpose to invite all people to engage with the Bible. Showcasing rare and fascinating artifacts spanning 3,500 years of history, the museum offers visitors an immersive and personalized experience with the Bible, and its ongoing impact on the world. Admission includes access to 7 floors of informative and interactive displays and exhibits including a 12-minute film immersing viewers in the remarkable story of how the followers of Jesus grew into a thriving community and a 30-minute Hebrew Bible experience, where viewers encounter significant narratives including the stories of Noah's ark, the burning bush, and the Passover. This ticket allows you to explore the museum without the crowds with exclusive early access to the Museum from 9 AM, 1 hour before the Museum is open to the General Public at 10 AM (except on Sundays, when there is no Early Access). You also have the option to upgrade your ticket to include the 6-minute “Washington Revelations” Flight Simulator video. Take a dazzling, multi-sensory tour, "flying" past biblical references in and around Washington, D.C., from the Lincoln Memorial to the Library of Congress. Guests must be at least 42” in height to purchase this option.

Washington DC: Walking Tour and African American Museum

3. Washington DC: Walking Tour and African American Museum

Join a walking tour of Washington and see iconic monuments like Capitol One, Washington Monument, and more with a guide. Later, use your entry tickets to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture at your own pace. Meet your guide at the White House and begin your tour of Washington DC. From the outside, learn about the history of the White House and the people who inhabited it. Your local guide will share stories about America’s history and the influence of African Americans in DC. Next, see Capitol One, one of the most architecturally impressive buildings in the world. Hear about the neoclassical United States Capitol, which is home to the House of Representatives and Senate. Finally, your guide will take you to the Washington Monument. Made of white marble and 550 feet tall, the obelisk is an iconic Washington DC landmark. After the walking tour, use your reserved entry tickets to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Explore the museum on your own at your own pace.

Washington, DC: National Archives - Guided Museum Tour

4. Washington, DC: National Archives - Guided Museum Tour

Your local English speaking guide will not only be an expert on the archives, but will also share a mix of historical & political information, background stories and surprising details with you. Tour highlights: • The National Archives Rotunda to learn about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution while standing in front of the perfectly-preserved documents from the 17th and 18th centuries • The Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers featuring the signatures of world-famous statesmen like Alexander Hamilton • The Public Vaults Exhibits, where letters written by presidents including George Washington and John F. Kennedy are on display • The Emancipation Proclamation, which helped end slavery in the 19th century • A citation issued to civil rights activist Rosa Parks, illustrates how long these racial issues lasted • In the Rubenstein Gallery, examine even older documents like the Magna Carta of 1297 With over half a million artifacts at the National Archives, you’ll be thankful to your passionate, and engaging guide for navigating you, bringing a personal touch to each tour, adding own favorite anecdotes and tips along the way.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Guided Tour

5. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Guided Tour

Let your guide help you navigate through the over 145 million specimens at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on this tour. Discover an extensive collection of human artifacts, dinosaur bones, preserved plants, and animals. Meet your tour guide outside of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and begin your tour. Go directly to the collection highlights without getting lost. Save time and energy by visiting with a guide that knows the museum well. Listen to additional commentary on exhibits from your guide. See the world's most extensive collection of natural history specimens and human artifacts. View dinosaur remains and tools used by early humans. Admire unusual gemstones and ancient mummies.

New York City: Full-Day Washington DC City Highlights Tour

6. New York City: Full-Day Washington DC City Highlights Tour

Discover the political center of the world on a full-day trip to the Capital City of Washington DC. See the iconic buildings of Capitol Hill and visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Depart from central New York and head south to Washington in comfortable air-conditioned buses or minivans. Pass through New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland before arriving in the nation's capital. Visit the Arlington National Cemetery and stand at the Kennedy family gravesite. Continue to Capitol Hill, and see the Capitol, Senate, and White House. Learn about the buildings and their functions in the US government. Arrive at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, before visiting the Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam Memorials. In the late afternoon, embark on a panoramic city tour before your departure back to New York.

Washington DC: Full-Day Tour of Washington DC Monuments

7. Washington DC: Full-Day Tour of Washington DC Monuments

Hop onboard a climate-controlled bus that will take you around Washington D.C. — perfect for first-time visitors or those who want to make the most of their day. Throughout the tour, your guide will enlighten you about what life in D.C. is like now and in its exciting historic past. Enjoy photo stops at the U.S. Capitol and White House. Explore the World War II Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, and more. From the bus or boat, see the National Archives, the National Mall, numerous Smithsonian Museums, the Jefferson Memorial, the Pentagon, the Kennedy Center and so much more.  Break up your day with a lunch stop at the DC Wharf or Georgetown in the colder months, or the Potomac River Cruise in the warmer months.

Washington, DC: African American History Tour

8. Washington, DC: African American History Tour

Travel back in time to some of the most iconic moments from the civil rights movement on an African American history tour of Washington DC. You will pass by the famous Emancipation Statue, the National Council of Negro Women, and more while learning about the history of the city from your guide.  Get picked up at the U.S. Navy Memorial and head to monuments such as the Emancipation Statue, Howard Theatre, and vibrant local black communities. Stand where Martin Luther King stood when he gave his famous "I have a dream" address and feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. After taking a glimpse into the past at the Home of Frederick Douglas, proceed to Howard University - one of the oldest black universities in the United States. On the way to Howard University, you will drive by Lincoln Park to visit the statue of educator, activist, and founder of the National Council of Negro Women - Mary McLeod Bethune. Following your visit to the beautiful Howard University campus, drive through Le Droit Park, Shaw Neighborhood, and Historic “U” Street. Home to the largest urban African American community in the United States in the early 1900s, it created its own “Black Broadway” - a home to entertainment legends from the past and present.  Next, see the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum to discover how the course of the Civil War was impacted by these disenfranchised soldiers. You will then take a journey into downtown DC to the sites of the national headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue, the White House, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Once downtown, enter the Logan Circle historic district to see the historic Metropolitan AME Church and the Mary McLeod Bethune Council house. Finish the tour at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Enter inside and explore the absorbing artifacts and exhibits at your leisure.

Washington DC: African American History Museum Family Tour

9. Washington DC: African American History Museum Family Tour

Give your family a fantastic taste of African American History and Culture with a professional tour guide. Learn how before the creation of the National Mall and the nation’s capital, much of the land that is now Washington, D.C. was worked by enslaved Africans, your tour guide will take you then for a private tour at The National Museum of African American History and Culture. Your tour guide will focus on important highlights to keep children engaged and stop them from becoming overwhelmed and losing interest. During the tour, see how the stories, histories, and cultures of African Americans are shaped and informed by global influences. With your family, explore what it means to be an American and discover how American values like resiliency, optimism, and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture.

From NYC: Guided Day Trip to Washington DC by Van or Bus

10. From NYC: Guided Day Trip to Washington DC by Van or Bus

Journey from NYC to Washington on a full-day trip to see the sights of the nation’s capital with a Spanish-speaking guide. Visit the most important monuments, memorials and buildings like the White House and the Washington Monument. Head down South from NYC in a comfortable air-conditioned bus, passing through New Jersey and Delaware, with a stop in Delaware to stretch your legs and use the restrooms. Continue on past Maryland until Arlington, Virginia. The tour starts properly at Arlington National Ceremony, where the tour guide will take you to Kennedy’s grave and explore with you the lush grounds. Then, head to the Iwo Jima memorial, with time to take photos. During the whole journey, your guide will tell you interesting facts about the city.   Next, head to Washington DC across the Potomac River. Pass along Constitution Avenue where you’ll see the State Department, the Institute of Peace, and the Albert Einstein Memorial. Go to the National Mall and walk with your guide to places that have been featured in movies and TV series. See the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam War Memorial. You’ll recognize the Reflecting Pool from Forrest Gump. You’ll also see the most-visited monument in the city, the World War II Memorial.   Back on the bus, you’ll continue to view offices of important organizations such as the Organization of American States, the American Red Cross, and the Treasury Department until you finally reach the White House. Take some time to take pictures in the gardens before continuing on to see the FBI buildings, the National Archives, and more. Your final stop will be the National Mall, where you’ll have some free time to visit the exhibits, have lunch, and take photos of the Capitol Building. On the way back to NYC, you’ll be treated to a night-time panoramic view of NYC from New Jersey. 

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What people are saying about Washington, DC

The tour visits a number of the major tourists (i.e. phototaking) sites in DC. The guide was super friendly and helpful. Schedule was a bit too tight because of traffic from NYC to DC. Next time I may consider a 2 day tour so as to have more time to visit the museums.

Fantastic trip! Although it was a long drive our guide made it interesting and also gave us time for a nap as it was a very early start!

Enjoyed this with my tour guide Robert. He was very knowledgeable and fun and I leaned a lot from him

Harold was our guide. Great trip, je tools is a lot of tips about History. I recommend this

Nur was an excellent guide! Friendly, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable.