Places ieanferdinand Wants to Go

Architecture lovers won’t stop touching the National Gallery's 19.5 degree marble prow.

When it comes to handsignals (and colonialism) rock always beats scissors.

The institution is sitting on a goldmine of 21,000 paints, varnishes, pigments, and primers preserved for posterity.

An easily overlooked memorial to a Ukrainian famine-genocide that killed over 4 million people.

These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.

An overlooked oasis of quiet on the grounds of Washington's monumental basilica.

A fantastic array of trays and cables once whisked books over to the Capitol at 600 feet per minute.

A hoard of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.

They sort through millions of dollars worth of diplomatic gifts on behalf of the government.

The hidden offices underneath Memorial Bridge have been locked up since 1976.

Before Metro, Washington had a robust streetcar network—and you see the remains of this infrastructure if you know where to look.

Legend has it that President Grant’s frequent drinking in the lobby gave rise to the term “lobbyist.”

There’s a hidden military meme engraved on the World War II Memorial.

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.

In the basement of the U.S. Capitol Building is a hidden storage room full of ornate floor tiles leftover from the 1850s.

Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.

"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!”

This poor little statue is the most vandalized memorial in Washington.

Where the U.S. government kept its actual treasure, before Fort Knox.

Seemingly unremarkable items like empty sushi trays, chef hats, and freshness stickers are being preserved so future generations can look back on this beloved cultural import.

An unassuming, powerful monument north of the U.S. Capitol bears witness to the resilience of Japanese Americans during a time of grave injustice.

The most accurate timepiece in the world.

An obscure public service from the U.S. government that redeems burnt, moldy, and soiled old greenbacks.

The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.