Toronto, Ontario
CN Tower Stairs
One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World holds the world's tallest metal staircase.
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Places I've been
Places this traveler has marked as been there.
Toronto, Ontario
Casa Loma
A 98-room castle in the middle of Toronto that bankrupted a 19th century electricity multimillionaire.
Washington, D.C.
Spirit of Justice Park
A secret greenspace hides atop a Capitol parking garage.
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Bollards
The 5.5-mile ring of steel posts around the Capitol Building is one of the largest (and most uniform) of its kind in the world.
Washington, D.C.
Ben's Chili Bowl Mural
A gorgeous mural outside a beloved D.C. restaurant pays homage to famous Black Americans.
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.
Legislative Bell System
An ear-piercing buzzer calls lawmakers to a vote with a series of long and short rings to form coded messages.
Washington, D.C.
Rayburn House Office Building
One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."
Washington, D.C.
Vigilant Firehouse
‘Bush the old fire dog died of poison July 5th, 1869. RIP.’
Washington, D.C.
Russian Ambassador's Residence
Was there a small "backpack nuke" hidden in the attic? JFK apparently thought so.
Washington, D.C.
Watergate Gas Station
This seemingly out-of-place gas station by the Watergate hotel was once described as the most expensive gas station in the world.
Washington, D.C.
Man Controlling Trade
A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.
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.
Georgetown Waterfront
The little-known, 300-year history of the area includes former lives as a bustling tobacco port, parking lot, and industrial dump.
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.
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.
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.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Largest Roman Catholic church in North America.
Washington, D.C.
Dumbarton Oaks
The Byzantine, pre-Columbian, and medieval art at this stately mansion are some of the most under-appreciated collections in D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress Card Catalog
A nostalgic bibliographic gem.
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.
Inside the Capitol Dome
The walls of the iconic dome are hollow and have a secret stairway.
Washington, D.C.
National Building Museum
Fittingly, America's museum of architecture is itself a magnificently designed old building.
Washington, D.C.
The Exorcist Stairs
The site of the climactic scene from the classic horror film is now a historic landmark.
