Technology in Washington, D.C.

Discover 16 places to experience unusual technology in Washington, D.C..

Guglielmo Marconi Memorial

Washington, D.C.

Guglielmo Marconi Memorial

Dedicated to the man who created the first radio wave communication system.

The statue.

Washington, D.C.

Philo Farnsworth Statue

This statue of the "father of television" stands prominently in the United States Capitol.

Iron rails from the Incline Plane lay discarded, slowly sinking into the earth.

Washington, D.C.

C&O Boat Elevator Ruins

This forgotten boat elevator was an engineering marvel in its heyday.

The 'electric dynamo' book conveying apparatus.

Washington, D.C.

Library of Congress Book Conveyor Tunnel

A fantastic array of trays and cables once whisked books over to the Capitol at 600 feet per minute.

Washington, D.C.

Legislative Bell System

An ear-piercing buzzer calls lawmakers to a vote with a series of long and short rings to form coded messages.

Permanently Closed

Exterior of Ted Kaczynski's Cabin.

Washington, D.C.

The Unabomber's Cabin

It was once the base for a series of domestic terror attacks.

Washington, D.C.

U.S. Naval Observatory Library

A hoard of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.

Washington, D.C.

Ruins of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site at Reservoir Park

An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand.

Washington, D.C.

Daguerre Monument

Go take a picture with the inventor of the daguerreotype photographic process.

The Chemical Treatment Tower

Washington, D.C.

Washington Aqueduct Chemical Tower

Every drop of D.C. tap water flows through this old waterworks.

Library of Congress Card Catalog

Washington, D.C.

Library of Congress Card Catalog

A nostalgic bibliographic gem.

Alternate view of the pyramidion

Washington, D.C.

Washington Monument Lightning Rod

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.

USNO Master Clock

Washington, D.C.

USNO Master Clock

The most accurate timepiece in the world.

Washington, D.C.

NASA Full Scale Wind Tunnel Propeller

While most wind tunnels test scale models, the "Cave of Winds" was large enough for actual airplanes.

Construction on December 5th, 1961

Washington, D.C.

'Cartwheel' Tower

Washington's top-secret Cold War-era doomsday communications tower is located in a small neighborhood park.

Inside the old model museum

Washington, D.C.

The Old Patent Model Museum

During the Industrial Revolution this “Temple of Invention” was full of intricate miniature machines and gadgets.