Washington, D.C.
The Big Chair
A super-sized promotional trick that is now a D.C. landmark.
Places Annie Oortman Wants to Go
1964
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Washington, D.C.
Holt House
There's a crumbling old mansion inside the Smithsonian National Zoo.
Washington, D.C.
The Mutilated Currency Division
An obscure public service from the U.S. government that redeems burnt, moldy, and soiled old greenbacks.
Washington, D.C.
National Archives Vault
An atomic bomb-proof strongbox protects the U.S. Constitution from terrorists and thieves.
Washington, D.C.
The Mary Surratt Boarding House
The house where John Wilkes Booth conspired with his co-conspirators.
Washington, D.C.
Theodore Roosevelt Island
The national park was once a plantation estate.
Washington, D.C.
St. Elizabeths Hospital
Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
Washington, D.C.
The Cuban Embassy's Hemingway Bar
When it opened during the final years of the embargo, all the drinks and cigars were free.
Permanently Closed
Washington, D.C.
The Unabomber's Cabin
It was once the base for a series of domestic terror attacks.
Washington, D.C.
Starship Enterprise NCC-1701
The actual model from the original "Star Trek" series is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum.
Washington, D.C.
House of the Temple
This imposing Masonic temple a mile from the White House was the first public library in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Book Tower
A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.
Washington, D.C.
Rockefeller Mansion in Rock Creek Park
This leafy estate is worth $18 million and is so grand it has two mailing addresses.
Washington, D.C.
Mount Zion Cemetery's Underground Railroad Shelter
People escaping slavery may have hidden inside a corpse vault.
Washington, D.C.
Fort DeRussy
A Civil War fort in the middle of Washington, D.C. has been swallowed by a forest.
Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress Card Catalog
A nostalgic bibliographic gem.
Washington, D.C.
Inside the Capitol Dome
The walls of the iconic dome are hollow and have a secret stairway.
Washington, D.C.
Albert Einstein Bronze Statue
The beloved statue at the National Academy of Sciences is oh so inviting to sit on.
Washington, D.C.
Tudor Place
A historic estate packed with George Washington's heirlooms, and its own nuclear bunker.
Washington, D.C.
Titanic Memorial
This lonely waterfront memorial to the men of the Titanic was erected by the "Women of America."
Washington, D.C.
East Potomac Park Mini Golf
The country's oldest continually-operated mini golf course lies hidden in plain sight, eclipsed by one of D.C.'s most popular tourist attractions.
Washington, D.C.
Secret Entrance to the White House
The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.
Washington, D.C.
National Building Museum
Fittingly, America's museum of architecture is itself a magnificently designed old building.
Washington, D.C.
Foundry Branch Trolley Trestle Ruins
A derelict bit of transportation infrastructure hidden in the woods.
