Washington, D.C.
Carnegie Library of Washington, D.C.
D.C.'s first central library was born out of a chance encounter with the philanthropist whose name it bears.
Places happygrim Wants to Go
1019
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Washington, D.C.
International Temple of the Order of the Eastern Star
Obscure Freemasons still live in D.C.’s largest private residence.
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Naval Observatory Library
A hoard of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.
Washington, D.C.
Alferd Packer Cannibal Plaque
A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.
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.
National Archives Vault
An atomic bomb-proof strongbox protects the U.S. Constitution from terrorists and thieves.
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.
Frederick Douglass’s House, Cedar Hill
The famous abolitionist’s preserved estate is one of Washington's finest monuments to its great Black citizens.
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.
St. Elizabeths Hospital
Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress Card Catalog
A nostalgic bibliographic gem.
Washington, D.C.
Theodore Roosevelt Island
The national park was once a plantation estate.
Washington, D.C.
Ruins of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site at Reservoir Park
An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand.
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.
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.
The Old Patent Model Museum
During the Industrial Revolution this “Temple of Invention” was full of intricate miniature machines and gadgets.
Washington, D.C.
Zero Milestone
A monument in Washington D.C. marks the spot from which all other roads were supposed to stem.
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.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
A lovely aquatic park built by a one-armed Civil War veteran who made a fortune from lotuses.
Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Memorial Undercroft
A cavernous three-story, 43,800-square-foot basement that was forgotten about for 60 years.
Washington, D.C.
International Spy Museum
Home to items never before seen by the public.
Washington, D.C.
Catacombs of Washington, D.C.
Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.
Washington, D.C.
Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.
