Washington D.C. Museums

Planet Word: This museum is a HIT with bibliophiles. It’s less of a museum and more like an immersive language experience. In fact, it’s the world’s first voice-activated museum! It celebrates language and communication in a whole new way that the entire family will enjoy celebrating libraries, poetry, multiculturalism and more, with 21st-century technology. Please note: Closed on Tuesdays.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Okay, not technically a museum, but hear me out. When The Kennedy Center was established in 1971, a number of foreign countries pledged 'gifts', and a lot of those gifts were and are works of art and architecture throughout the Center. And in 2022, the Center opened a new, highly interactive exhibit dedicated to the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy. AND you can walk up and get a guided tour of it all from a volunteer docent… without any reservation at all! When you’re done, you can watch the Potomac River flow from the Terrace level, admire the view of Georgetown and maybe even take in a Broadway touring show. Please note: Tours not given after 12:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Mansion on O Street: It’s a museum…. no, it’s an antique shop…. no, it’s a hotel…. no, it’s an artists’ retreat? This eccentric 19th-century building just off Dupont Circle offers incredible scavenger-hunt style tours that take you through the twists and turns of this former residence of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, which has also served as a hotel for a number of high-profile Washingtonites. Don’t forget to look up at the impeccably detailed ceiling on the ground floor, and count the different doors you walk through!

International Spy Museum: Fancy yourself a James Bond? Try getting through this multi-level and experiential museum of espionage. In addition to its rotating exhibits, this museum challenges you to learn what it means to be a successful spy, as well as the history of the industry, its gadgets and its strategies.

United States Holocaust Museum: This museum, with beautiful and moving tributes mourning the atrocities of The Holocaust, integrates more modern political statements into its regular activities alongside its historic content. While the traveling exhibitions often focus on Nazi-era Europe, the museum’s events and educational programs work to dismantle racism, antisemitism and prejudice across the globe. Absolutely check out the online lesson plans and visitor guides for a comprehensive experience at this museum.

Artechouse: Celebrate the intersection of art and technology with a visit to this experiential museum with a hip cocktail bar — open late every night! The rotating exhibits incorporating architecture, design, programming and other forms of storytelling are some of the most unique in the District. This one is sure to be a hit with the kids.

The Phillips Collection: Just off Dupont Circle, in a nineteenth-century Georgian Revival house, is America’s first modern art museum. This collection houses works by Winslow Homer, Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, Georgia O’Keefe and more. Don’t miss the institution’s central piece — Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-August Renoir. Please note: Closed on Mondays.

Ford’s Theatre Society: Known primarily as the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theatre is not just a theater, but a living, breathing memorial to President Lincoln and a thriving regional theater that celebrates the American experience. The beautifully preserved performance space houses new and old works of drama and musical theater and comes complete with costumed interpreters providing walking tours of detailing the circumstances surrounding Lincoln’s death. Be sure to visit the museum that details Lincoln’s final hours, funeral and the trial of the assassination conspirators.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens: Tucked in the northwest quadrant of the city are 13 acres of gardens, art and architecture commissioned by former resident Marjorie Merriweather Post in the middle of the twentieth century. The Fabergé eggs on display inside the house are a delight, and botanists will particularly delight in the orchid collection. The real draw is the impeccably designed gardens that lead you over bridges, through a pet cemetery and more. Please note: Closed Mondays, national holidays and several weeks at the end of January.