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!”
Places alaskanmoss Wants to Go
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Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Washington, D.C.
Overthrust Fault
A surprising, but overlooked example of geology in the middle of the nation’s capital.
Washington, D.C.
The Sun Building
This nine-story building is the oldest standing skyscraper in D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Man Controlling Trade
A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.
Washington, D.C.
Embassy Gulf Service Center
Behind an abandoned storefront is an example of pioneering 1930s gas station architecture.
Washington, D.C.
Baptist Alley
This unassuming passageway played a key role in one of the most important events in U.S. history.
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.
Washington, D.C.
African-American Civil War Memorial
The first memorial dedicated solely to the Black troops who fought for the Union.
Washington, D.C.
State Department Protocol Gift Office
They sort through millions of dollars worth of diplomatic gifts on behalf of the government.
Washington, D.C.
Volta Laboratory & Bureau
Helen Keller once broke ground on this historic center for the study of technologies to benefit the hearing impaired.
Washington, D.C.
Eritrean Cultural Civic Center
Daily lunch spot for many of Washington, D.C.'s cab drivers.
Washington, D.C.
The Blessing of the Fleets Ceremony
The fountains of the U.S. Navy Memorial are annually salted with water from the Seven Seas as part of a nautical ritual.
Washington, D.C.
The Highest Court In the Land
There just so happens to be a court even higher than the U.S Supreme Court: a basketball court in the building itself.
Washington, D.C.
Defense Intelligence Agency Museum
Amid the sprawling Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters is one of Washington's least accessible museums.
Washington, D.C.
Civil War Nurses Memorial
A bas relief commemorates the "Nuns of the Battlefield" who cared for soldiers on both sides of the conflict.
Washington, D.C.
Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum
Before founding the American Red Cross, Clara Barton had a tremendous humanitarian impact by locating thousands of missing soldiers.
Washington, D.C.
Cuban-American Friendship Urn
The only National Monument ever to go missing for nearly 50 years then resurface in a dump.
Washington, D.C.
Steam Tunnels Under Capitol Hill
100 years later, they're still down there.
Washington, D.C.
Jefferson Pier Marker
A tiny monument to the unsuccessful attempt by Thomas Jefferson to place the prime meridian in Washington.
Washington, D.C.
Churchill and Mandela Call and Response
When it comes to handsignals (and colonialism) rock always beats scissors.
Washington, D.C.
FDR's Swimming Pool
There's an old indoor swimming pool hidden directly underneath the White House Press Briefing Room.
Washington, D.C.
C&O Boat Elevator Ruins
This forgotten boat elevator was an engineering marvel in its heyday.
Washington, D.C.
Tivoli's Astounding Magic Supply
The district's only illusionarium supports free writing programs for local students with every purchase.
Washington, D.C.
The Preamble in License Plates
The preamble to the U.S. Constitution written entirely from vanity license plates hangs in the Smithsonian museum.
