Washington, D.C.
Temperance Fountain
A much-maligned monument to teetotalism.
Places BryanKnight Wants to Go
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Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
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.
Washington, D.C.
Memorial to Japanese-American Patriotism in World War II
An unassuming, powerful monument north of the U.S. Capitol bears witness to the resilience of Japanese Americans during a time of grave injustice.
Washington, D.C.
Washington Monument Lightning Rod
The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.
Washington, D.C.
Daguerre Monument
Go take a picture with the inventor of the daguerreotype photographic process.
Washington, D.C.
The Cairo
This unacceptably tall building was the real reason for Washington, D.C.'s skyscraper ban.
Washington, D.C.
Sonny Bono Memorial Park
A small triangle of DC grass is the final resting place of one of Sonny and Cher's songs.
Washington, D.C.
Gun Barrel Fence
This robust fence in front of a historic Georgetown home is likely made from hundreds of recycled Revolutionary War firearms.
Washington, D.C.
Historic Elevator at Potbelly
This sandwich shop has a century-old elevator behind a sheet of plexiglass.
Washington, D.C.
Godey Lime Kilns
A historic ruin just 20 feet away from a busy highway onramp.
Washington, D.C.
National Academy of Sciences
For 60 years, the academy had no permanent location until members voted Washington D.C. as its forever home.
Washington, D.C.
Senate Bathtubs
Senators used to relax in the nearly forgotten marble tubs now hidden in the U.S. Capitol Building's basement.
Washington, D.C.
FDR's Bomb Shelter
The first presidential bomb shelter was located in an old vault under the Treasury, connected to the White House via tunnel.
Washington, D.C.
Willard Hotel
Legend has it that President Grant’s frequent drinking in the lobby gave rise to the term “lobbyist.”
Washington, D.C.
The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly
Light bulbs, scrap wood, and tinfoil comprise this homemade throne of the gods.
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Building Tunnel System
Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.
Washington, D.C.
Owney the Postal Dog
A traveling postal dog covered 48 states and more than 140,000 miles, and he lives on as taxidermy, patched up with a rabbit's foot and a pig's ear.
Washington, D.C.
District of Columbia Center Point
A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.
Washington, D.C.
Sweet Home Cafe
This unique museum cafeteria showcases the history and regional diversity of African American cuisine.
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Tile Room
In the basement of the U.S. Capitol Building is a hidden storage room full of ornate floor tiles leftover from the 1850s.
Washington, D.C.
Carousel on the National Mall
Washington's iconic carousel has a nice piece of Civil Rights history.
Washington, D.C.
Treasury Department Cash Vault
Where the U.S. government kept its actual treasure, before Fort Knox.
Washington, D.C.
Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon
The remains of Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, serve as a tool to educate about conservation.
Washington, D.C.
Chinatown Barnes Dance
The unique traffic pattern named for an influential urban planner is also known as the Pedestrian Scramble.
