Decades before the scandal, this staircase on the river was a literal "water gate."

Fittingly, America's museum of architecture is itself a magnificently designed old building.

This unique museum cafeteria showcases the history and regional diversity of African American cuisine.

This mysterious structure by the Washington Monument is a flood barrier designed to protect the White House against rising waters.

A derelict bit of infrastructure from the canal that once ran through D.C. is landlocked in the heart of the city.

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

For 60 years, the academy had no permanent location until members voted Washington D.C. as its forever home.

A portal into the bricked up canal that runs through the heart of Washington D.C.

A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.

Before Nixon, "watergate" meant canals.

The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.

This robust fence in front of a historic Georgetown home is likely made from hundreds of recycled Revolutionary War firearms.

The first memorial dedicated solely to the Black troops who fought for the Union.

D.C. once had its own tiny rival to the New York Stock Exchange.

You could be standing at the site of one of D.C.'s most fatal tragedies and not even know it.

A line of blue paint marks the route of the inaugural parade.

A gorgeous mural outside a beloved D.C. restaurant pays homage to famous Black Americans.

The first purpose-built art gallery in the United States is once again open as a center of craft arts.

The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.

With over 100 jam-packed rooms to explore plus elaborate tea services and events, the Mansion on O Street is a hidden treasure.

This imposing Masonic temple a mile from the White House was the first public library in Washington, D.C.

A small triangle of DC grass is the final resting place of one of Sonny and Cher's songs.

Obscure Freemasons still live in D.C.’s largest private residence.

This unacceptably tall building was the real reason for Washington, D.C.'s skyscraper ban.