Washington, D.C.
Waldseemüller’s 1507 World Map
This groundbreaking 16th-century map is known as "America's birth certificate."
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Places I've been
Places this traveler has marked as been there.
Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress Card Catalog
A nostalgic bibliographic gem.
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Mint Coin Store
Coins and medals straight from the mint await visitors to this shop in the nation's capital.
Washington, D.C.
Library Of Congress Gutenberg Bible
One of the three perfect vellum copies of this historic book known to exist is on display in a specially-designed case.
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Bollards
The 5.5-mile ring of steel posts around the Capitol Building is one of the largest (and most uniform) of its kind in the world.
Washington, D.C.
Washington Stock Exchange Building
D.C. once had its own tiny rival to the New York Stock Exchange.
Washington, D.C.
National Building Museum
Fittingly, America's museum of architecture is itself a magnificently designed old building.
Washington, D.C.
D.C. War Memorial
An overlooked memorial honoring the local Washington residents who died in World War I.
Washington, D.C.
Senate Corncob Capitals
Corn-inthian columns with a uniquely American take on neoclassical architecture.
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.
Washington, D.C.
Japanese Stone Lantern
A gift from Japan, 17th-century lantern stands among the cherry trees at D.C.'s Tidal Basin.
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Air Conditioning Towers
"Congress may voluntarily remain in session throughout the summer, in order that our Congressmen may be protected from the intolerable discomforts and dangers of the ordinary outdoor weather!”
Washington, D.C.
Rayburn House Office Building
One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."
Washington, D.C.
Japanese Pagoda
A centuries-old stone pagoda from Japan stands among cherry trees beside the National Mall Tidal Basin.
Washington, D.C.
Temperance Fountain
A much-maligned monument to teetotalism.
Washington, D.C.
Old Post Office Tower
The National Park Service’s best-kept secret with views that rival any in D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Grace Hopper's Bug
A computer bug so primitive it was an actual insect.
Washington, D.C.
Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain
A spectacular tribute to statesman and philanthropist Andrew Mellon.
Washington, D.C.
Man Controlling Trade
A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.
Washington, D.C.
Washington Monument Lightning Rod
The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.
Washington, D.C.
National Archives Vault
An atomic bomb-proof strongbox protects the U.S. Constitution from terrorists and thieves.
Washington, D.C.
'Ginevra de’ Benci' Portrait
The only Leonardo Da Vinci painting in the Western Hemisphere.
Washington, D.C.
First Teddy Bear
The story behind this beloved toy—named for Theodore Roosevelt and owned by his grandson—is more complicated than you might guess.
Washington, D.C.
Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.
