Washington, DC (Multi-Day Tour)
This tour can be combined with Baltimore / Annapolis, Civil War Heritage,
Gettysburg, Hampton Roads and Williamsburg travel packages
Tour package includes educational Step-On-Guides

When Pierre Charles L'Enfant gazed northward along the banks of the Potomac River in 1791, he envisioned a ‘pedestal waiting for a monument.’  Since that day, Washington, DC has evolved into a fascinating, lively city combining grand, neoclassical government buildings, monuments, memorials, museums and the National Mall.  Washington, DC, notched out of the state of Maryland at the confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, is a powerful symbol not only of our nation but also of democracy and freedom.  The District of Columbia's neighborhoods, people, history and culture truly embody the American Experience – from Duke Ellington to John Phillip Sousa and from the Civil War to civil rights.  Marvel at the Lincoln Memorial.  Show your students the Star-Spangled Banner.  Explore Jacqueline Kennedy's Washington through a city-wide celebration and discover how her love of the arts and the city transformed Washington.  Discover the trendy and historic neighborhoods, like Georgetown and DuPont Circle.  Washington is a place full of color with its many people, arts, culture and seasons.

The city is not only the proud home of the nation's capital, it is a sophisticated city in its own right.  From its celebrated symbols of patriotism to its undiscovered neighborhoods, the sights and sounds of the nation's capital inspire millions of students every year.  Packed with famous sights, the best in attractions and an endless calendar of special events, Washington, DC offers year-round inspiring experiences.  You will discover common threads and combined histories as well as monuments to the past and aspirations for the future.  All are on display in Washington, DC.

ANACOSTIA MUSEUM

As the Smithsonian Institution's museum of African American history and culture, the Anacostia Community Museum explores American history, society and creative expression from an African American perspective.  The Museum encourages the collection, protection and preservation of materials that reflect the history and traditions of families, organizations, individuals and communities.  The Museum has earned national recognition for its scholarly publications and educational programs and outreach as well as for its exhibitions which include decorative arts, textiles, glassware and anthropological objects.  The Anacostia Museum explores and documents the historical and cultural experiences and forms of expression of people of African decent.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Arlington National Cemetery is an American military cemetery established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee's wife, Mary Anna Custis Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington.  More than 300,000 people are buried here on 624-acres.  Veterans from all the nation's wars are interred in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Pre-Civil War dead were reinterred after 1900.  Your guided tour will include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (changing of the guard), the graves of President John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, the USS Maine memorial and Space Challenger Shuttle Memorial and the graves of President William Howard Taft and Thurgood Marshall.

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the pre-eminent Marian shrine of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States.  This beautiful votive church of pilgrimage, older than some of the states of the Union, honors the Blessed Mother under the title of the Immaculate Conception as the Patroness of the United States.  Built as the medieval cathedrals of Europe without structural steel beams, framework or columns, the Shrine is entirely of stone, brick, tile and mortar.  It is a blending of techniques, both ancient and new, in which architecture mingles with symbol.  Envisioned by its founder, Bishop Thomas J. Shahan (1857-1932) as a ‘monument to artistic truth’ that would speak with ‘divine eloquence,’ the Shrine is home to the largest collection of contemporary ecclesiastical art in the United States.  Amid a rich patina of mosaics, sculptures and artistic renderings, the more than 65 chapels and oratories reflect not only the devotional traditions of the American Church but also the rich ethnic blend of the Universal Church.  In 1990, Pope John Paul II named the National Shrine a minor basilica, the 36th in the United States.  Today the Basilica is the largest church in the Western Hemisphere and seventh largest religious structure in the world.  Your guided tour is conducted by the historical staff of the Basilica.

BUREAU OF PRINTING AND ENGRAVING

The Bureau of Printing and Engraving (BEP) is the largest producer of security documents in the United States.  The BEP prints billions of Federal Reserve Notes for delivery to the Federal Reserve System each year (the BEP does not produce coins – all coinage is minted by the United States Mint).  In addition to United States currency, the BEP produces several other security documents such as portions of United States passports, materials for Homeland Security, military identification cards and Immigration and Naturalization Certificates.  Your guided tour will allow students to see millions of dollars being printed.  The tour features the various steps of currency production beginning with large blank sheets of paper and ending with wallet-ready bills.

FORD'S THEATRE / PETERSON HOUSE

Theatre entrepreneur John T. Ford leased the First Baptist Church in 1861 and converted it into a music hall.  Ford’s Athenaeum grew in popularity and was poised for tremendous success when the building was destroyed by fire.  Undaunted, the entrepreneur immediately began reconstruction and opened Ford’s ‘New Theatre’ in August 1863.  On the evening of April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, his wife and two guests attended ‘Our American Cousin.’  That night, John Wilkes Booth fired a shot that plunged the nation into mourning and a theatre into darkness.  John Ford tried to reopen the theatre but threats of arson closed its doors.  The government bought the Theatre in 1866 and over the next 90 years it was an office building, warehouse and museum.  Today, the Theatre has been beautifully restored.  In the basement is a museum including objects associated with Lincoln’s early years, his public career and the presidential year.  You will see the clothes the President wore that fateful night, the pistol that ended his life and the flag that draped his coffin.  The Peterson House, located across the street from the Ford’s Theatre, is the boarding house where Lincoln was brought to after he was shot.  This National Historic Landmark allows students to see where on April 15, 1865, at 7:22 AM, a doctor leaned over the President and felt his final breath.

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the most expansive memorials in the nation.  Its shade trees, waterfalls, statuary and quiet alcoves create the feeling of a secluded garden rather than an imposing structure.  Located along the famous Cherry Tree Walk on the western edge of the Tidal Basin near the National Mall, this is a memorial not only to FDR, but also to the era he represents.  The memorial traces 12 years of American history through a sequence of four outdoor galleries, or rooms, each one devoted to one of FDR's terms of office.  The rooms are defined by walls of red South Dakota granite and by ornamental plantings (quotations from FDR are carved into the granite).  Water cascades, quiet pools and sculptures inspired by photographs are present throughout.  Each room conveys in its own way the spirit of this great man.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the most famous 19th century African American.  Frederick Douglass' life spanned nearly 80 years, from the time that slavery was universal in American states to the time it was becoming a memory.  Douglass freed himself from slavery and through decades of tireless efforts he helped to free millions more.  His life was a testament to the courage and persistence that serves as an inspiration to those who struggle in the cause of liberty and justice.  Students who visit the site learn about his efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for the rights of all oppressed people.

INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM

Welcome to the International Spy Museum and the world of espionage.  What interest brings students here?  Is it a love of spy ‘who-done-its’ from film noir and the movies, or spy page-turners from literature?  Perhaps a fascination with history and a desire to learn secrets behind world events?   Or an urgency to understand the complexities of the world today and the need for solid intelligence now, more than ever? No matter what motivates you, leave your preconceptions behind.  Learn about the authentic tradecraft that has been used throughout time and around the world.  Hear spies, in their own words, describe the challenges and the ‘game’ of spying.  Examine over 200 spy gadgets, weapons, bugs, cameras, vehicles and technologies.  Learn about microdots and invisible ink, buttonhole cameras and submarine recording systems, bugs of all sizes and kinds, and ingenious disguise techniques developed by Hollywood for the CIA.  Uncover the stories behind the spycraft, why and how these artifacts were developed, and by whom.  Survey over 50 years of spy technology that is still in use today.

KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL

From 1950 to 1953, the United States joined with United Nations forces in Korea to take a stand against what was deemed a threat to democratic nations worldwide.  At war's end, 1.5 million American veterans returned to a country long reluctant to view the Korean War as something to memorialize.  But to the men and women who served, the Korean War could never be a forgotten war.  The Korean War Veterans Memorial honors those Americans who answered the call, those who worked and fought under the trying of circumstances and those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom.  Nineteen stainless steel sculptures stand silently under the watchful eye of a sea of faces upon a granite wall – reminders of the human cost of defending freedom.  These elements all bear witness to the patriotism, devotion to duty and courage of Korean War veterans.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress.  Today's Library of Congress is an unparalleled world resource.  The collection of more than 130 million items includes more than 29 million cataloged books and other print materials in 460 languages, more than 58 million manuscripts, the largest rare book collection in North America and the world's largest collection of legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings.  Your docent-led tour will discuss the history of the Library as well as the art and architecture of this historic building that opened in 1897.

LINCOLN MEMORIAL

‘In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.’  Beneath these words, the 16th President of the United States – the Great Emancipator and preserver of the nation during the Civil War – sits immortalized in marble.  The Memorial, designed by Henry Bacon, after ancient Greek temples, stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide and almost 100 feet high.  It is surrounded by a peristyle of 38 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and two columns in-antis at the entrance behind the colonnade.  The north and south side chambers contain carved inscriptions of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address.  Lying between the north and south chambers is the central hall containing the solitary figure of Lincoln sitting in contemplation.  The statue of Lincoln is 19 feet high and weighs 175 tons.  The original plan was for the statue to be only 10 feet high, but this was changed so that the figure of Lincoln would not be dwarfed by the size of the chamber.  As an enduring symbol of freedom, the Lincoln Memorial attracts anyone who seeks inspiration and hope.

MARIAN KOSHLAND SCIENCE MUSEUM

Opened to the public in April 2004, the Marian Koshland Science Museum uses engaging, interactive exhibits to bring to life the numerous reports conducted by the prestigious National Academies every year.  The mission of the Marian Koshland Science Museum is to engage the general public in current scientific issues that impact their lives.  The Museum’s state-of-the-art exhibits, public programs and educational programs provide information that stimulates discussion and provides insight into how science supports decision-making.  How?  Through interactive displays the Museum illustrates the role of science in forming national policy as well as personal decisions impacting student’s daily lives.  A visit to the Koshland Science Museum is a unique experience for students of all ages.  The Museum is not a collection of artifacts.  Rather, it presents scientific data and explanations so that students can make decisions about vital public policy issues based on the information they acquire.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

MARINE WAR MEMORIAL OF IWO JIMA

The Marine Corps War Memorial stands as a symbol of this grateful nation's esteem for the honored dead of the United States Marine Corps.  While the statue depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II, the Memorial is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in the defense of the United States since 1775.  In 1951, work commenced on creating a cast bronze memorial based on the statue with the figures 32 feet tall and the flagpole 60 feet long.  The location and date of every major Marine Corps engagement up to the present is inscribed around the base of the memorial.  The memorial was officially dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on November 10, 1954, the 179th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps.  In 1961, President John F. Kennedy issued a proclamation that a United States Flag should fly from the memorial 24 hours a day – one of the few official sites where this is permitted.  The current flag, however, is not a factually accurate depiction of the flag which was raised over Mount Suribachi, as two stars have since been added for Alaska and Hawaii.

MOUNT VERNON

Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America.  The estate, gardens and farm of Mount Vernon totaled some 8,000-acres in the 18th century.  Today, roughly 500-acres of this historic estate have been preserved 16 miles south of Washington, DC, on the banks of the Potomac River.  Students can see 20 structures and 50-acres of gardens as they existed in 1799.  The estate also includes a museum, the tombs of George and Martha Washington, Washington's greenhouse, an outdoor exhibit devoted to American agriculture as practiced by Washington, the nation's most important memorial to the accomplishments of 18th century slaves and a collection which features numerous decorative and domestic artifacts.

As our nation’s first president, George Washington is a timeless and inspirational hero to people all around the world.  At Mount Vernon, your group will be welcomed and given special opportunities to visit Washington’s mansion, gardens and grounds in depth.  What better way is there for students to understand the importance of George Washington than to walk in his footsteps at his home?  Your group will arrive with questions about Washington's role in the founding of our country.  They will leave with answers and a memorable experience integral to their Washington, DC journey.

NATIONAL AIR & SPACE MUSEUM & IMAX THEATRE

The Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world including the Wright 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module, Columbia and a Lunar rock sample that students can touch.  It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial Geology and Geophysics.  The Museum offers 22 exhibition galleries, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, flight simulators, a three level museum shop and a food-court-style restaurant.  Docent tours and daily free educational programs and activities are also available.

NATIONAL ARBORETUM

Established in 1927 by an act of Congress, the National Arboretum is 446-acres in size and acts as a major center of botanical research.  Start your tour with a 35-minute non-stop tram ride.  You will hear an informative narrative about the Arboretum, its history, mission and research, and the display gardens and collections.  Next, enjoy a guided walking tour.  Get up close with a personal view of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, the National Herb Garden, the Administration Building terrace and pool and the Friendship Garden.  During both tours, you will learn about the National Arboretum’s history, collections and research.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

The National Archives Building, known informally as Archives I, opened at its original headquarters in 1935.  It holds the original copies of the three main formative documents of the United States and its government: (i) the Declaration of Independence, (ii) the Constitution and (iii) the Bill of Rights, as well as a copy of the 1297 issue of the Magna Carta.  The National Archives Building also exhibits other important American historical documents such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Emancipation Proclamation, as well as collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts.  A new exhibit called the Public Vaults displays over 1,000 fascinating records (originals and reproductions) from the National Archives holdings.

NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM

Created by an act of Congress in 1980, the National Building Museum is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction and urban planning.  The Museum welcomes students from around the world to its exhibitions which offer insight into the history and future of the world we create for ourselves.  Exhibition subjects range from the poetic use of concrete to visions for affordable housing and contemporary ideas for building sustainable residences.  Education for all ages is a cornerstone of Museum activity.  As a national forum for discussion and debate, there are hundreds of events and activities for professionals to exchange ideas from planning to engineering and design to best practices.  The Museum partners with the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and other federal, state, local and private agencies to develop, test and deploy design curricula for school-aged children as a hands-on way of enhancing Math, Science, and Art skills simultaneously.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

The National Gallery of Art was created in 1937 for the people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of Congress, accepting the gift of financier and art collector Andrew W. Mellon.  The West Building has an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures by European masters from the medieval period through the late 19th century as well as pre-20th century works by American artists.  Highlights of the collection include many paintings by Jan Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Western Hemisphere.  The East Building focuses on modern and contemporary art with a collection including works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Alexander Calder. Guided or self-guided tours are available.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

The National Museum of American History dedicates its collections and scholarship to inspiring a broader understanding of our nation and its many peoples.  They create learning opportunities, stimulate imaginations and present challenging ideas about our countries past.  The Museum collects and preserves more than three million artifacts.  They take care of everything from the original Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat to Dizzy Gillespie’s angled trumpet and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.  Their collections form a vast and fascinating mosaic of American life.  Exhibitions explore major themes in American history and culture, from the War of Independence to the present day.  The Museum’s latest permanent exhibition, The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, surveys the history of United States military conflicts and examines ways in which wars have been defining episodes in American history.  America on the Move immerses students in the sights, sounds and sensations of transportation in the United States from 1870 to the present.  Other popular exhibitions that have drawn literally tens of millions of students to the Museum over many years include The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden, Within These Walls…, First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image and Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration 1915-1940.  An array of temporary and traveling exhibitions offer students something new every visit.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

The National Museum of Natural History is part of the Smithsonian Institution.  The Museum is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovering and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions and educational outreach programs.  Opened in 1910, the green-domed Museum on the National Mall was among the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to house the national collections and research facilities.  The Museum has developed a variety of activities, programs and printed materials designed to enrich students.  Whether looking at the history and cultures of Africa, describing our earliest Mammalian ancestor or primate, studying diversity around the world, examining ancient life forms including the ever popular dinosaurs or exploring the beauty of rare gemstones such as uniquely colored diamonds, the Museum’s temporary and permanent exhibitions serve to educate, enlighten and entertain millions of students each year.  The building contains 1.5 million square feet of space including 325,000 square feet of exhibition and public space; altogether the Museum is the size of 18 football fields.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is an institution of living cultures dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history and arts of the native peoples of the Western Hemisphere; the Museum was established in 1989 through an Act of Congress.  Take a journey through time and back again.  Go to far off lands and native villages from the Arctic tundra to steamy tropical rainforests.  Follow a footpath to the deep canyon floor and push through lush green woodlands.  Visit with people whose communities ring with celebrations of song, dance, feasting and honor…it is all here.  Come, take part in the many exciting activities, events and programs offered, including films by and about native people, cultural demonstrations, dance performances, storytelling, doll making, woodcarving and much more.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Generations of remarkable Americans are kept in the company of their fellow citizens at the National Portrait Gallery.  The Gallery presents the wonderful diversity of individuals who have left – and are leaving – their mark on our country and our culture.  Through the visual and performing arts, they celebrate leaders such as George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., artists such as Mary Cassatt and George Gershwin, activists such as Sequoyah and Rosa Parks, and icons of pop culture such as Babe Ruth and Marilyn Monroe.  They all link us to our past, our present and our future.  As the nation's only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House, the ‘America's Presidents’ exhibition lies at the heart of the Portrait Gallery's mission to tell the country's history through the individuals who have shaped it.  For students fascinated by famous Americans and their stories, the National Portrait Gallery is a must visit destination.

NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM

The National Postal Museum, a Smithsonian Institution museum, was created by an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993.  The Museum houses many interactive displays about the history of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world.  Also on display is a vast collection of stamps.  The Museum houses a gift shop and a separate stamp shop, along with exhibits on the Pony Express, the use of railroads with the mail and even an exhibit on direct marketing entitled What's in the Mail for You, which produces a souvenir envelope with your name printed on it.

NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

The Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died and the millions who supported the war effort from home.  Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th century, the National World War II Memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation, and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world.  It will inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their appreciation of what the World War II generation accomplished in securing freedom and democracy.  Above all, the Memorial stands as an important symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause.  The Second World War is the only 20th century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis.

NATIONAL ZOO

The National Zoological Park is part of the Smithsonian Institution.  The words ‘National Zoo’ represent a large, complex and diverse organization with a multifaceted mission: provide leadership in animal care, science, education and sustainability.  The Zoo is a 163-acre zoological park set amid Rock Creek Park in the heart of Washington, DC.  It is home to 2,000 individual animals of nearly 400 different species featuring their giant pandas.  The National Zoo is a place where students can marvel at wonderful animals and learn about wildlife and conservation.

NEWSEUM

Opened to the public in October 2007, the Newseum – a 250,000 square foot museum of news – offers students an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.  The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74 foot high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which students are able to watch the Museum fulfilling its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other.  The Newseum features seven levels of galleries, theaters and retail spaces.  It offers a unique environment that takes student’s behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

PENTAGON

The Pentagon – a building, institution and symbol – was conceived at the request of Brigadier General Brehon B. Sommervell on a weekend in mid July 1941.  The purpose was to provide a temporary solution to the War Department's critical shortage of space.  Completed on January 15, 1943, the Pentagon serves as headquarters for the United States Department of Defense and the nerve center for command and control.  The Pentagon presently houses approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel dedicated to protecting our national interests.  Your guided tour will be conducted by military men and women volunteers assigned to the five armed services' ceremonial units.  After undergoing special training, these active duty Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen conduct all tours in ceremonial dress uniforms.

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM

The Smithsonian American Art Museum is America's first federal art collection, dedicated to the enjoyment and understanding of American art.  The Museum celebrates the extraordinary creativity of our country's artists, whose works are windows on the American experience.  The Museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States.  Among the significant artists represented in its collection are Nam June Paik, David Hockney, Georgia O'Keeffe, John Singer Sargent, Albert Bierstadt, Edmonia Lewis, Thomas Moran, Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

SPIRIT OF WASHINGTON

Looking for a great time with a different point of view?  Step aboard the Spirit of Washington cruise for a morning, afternoon or evening of unparalleled cruising fun on the mighty Potomac River.  Enjoy this luxurious Washington cruise ship while you dine, dance and enjoy splendid views of our nation’s capital.  Dining options include breakfast or dinner or try a student buffet lunch with a DJ.  Quite simply, a Spirit cruise is the perfect event for students.  This is the ultimate Washington experience.

STEVEN UDVAR-HAZY CENTER AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM & IMAX THEATRE

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall.  The building opened in 2003 and provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on the National Mall.  The Center was named in honor of its major donor and features the large Boeing Aviation Hangar in which aircraft are displayed on three levels.  Students can walk among aircraft and small artifacts in display cases located on the floor and view aircraft hanging from the arched ceiling on elevated skywalks.  Many engines, helicopters and experimental flying machines are on display in a museum setting for the first time.  Among the aviation artifacts on exhibit are the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world; the Boeing Dash 80, the prototype of the 707; the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay; and the deHavilland Chipmunk aerobatic airplane.  When you’re done, kick back and enjoy a movie on the IMAX Theatre giant screen.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL

The words of Thomas Jefferson, some written more than 200 years ago, have shaped American ideals.  Today many of these impressive, stirring words adorn the interior walls of his Memorial.  The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, modeled after the Pantheon of Rome, is America's foremost memorial to our third President.  As an original adaptation of neoclassical architecture, it is a key landmark in the monumental core of Washington.  The circular, colonnaded structure in the classic style was introduced to this country by Thomas Jefferson.  Architect John Russell Pope used Jefferson's own architectural tastes in the design of the Memorial.  His intention was to synthesize Jefferson's contribution as a statesman, architect, President, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, adviser of the Constitution and founder of the University of Virginia.  Architects Daniel P. Higgins and Otto R. Eggers took over construction upon the untimely death of Pope in August 1937.  On November 15, 1939, a ceremony was held in which President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Memorial.  Few major changes have been made to the Memorial since its dedication in 1943.  The most important change to note is the replacement of the plaster model statue of Thomas Jefferson by the bronze statue after the World War II restrictions on the use of metals were lifted.  The Thomas Jefferson Memorial stands as a symbol of liberty and endures as a site for reflection and inspiration.

UNION STATION

For over 90 years Union Station has welcomed people to the most important city in the world.  This magnificent building has even played host to 17 Presidents and countless foreign dignitaries.  What may be most impressive is the fact that Union Station's marble floors echo with the footsteps of over 32 million people each year, making it the most visited site in all of Washington, DC.  Union Station is the most exciting and dynamic shopping destination in the country.  The quality and diversity of its stores have made it the choice of Presidents as well as millions of busy commuters and wide-eyed tourists each year.  There are two levels of concourses, each lined with stores whose names you're sure to recognize.  You will find specialty boutiques, fashion and gift stores, shops offering Washington souvenirs, and much more.  For a tasteful break from shopping, enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants throughout the Station or visit the food court on the lower level with hundreds of delicious choices.

UNITED STATES CAPITOL

The United States Capitol is among the most symbolically important and architecturally impressive buildings in the nation.  It has housed the meeting chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate for two centuries.  The Capitol, which was started in 1793, has been through many construction phases.  It stands today as a monument to the American people and their government.  The Capitol covers a ground area of 175,170 square feet and has a floor area of about 16-acres.  In addition to its use by Congress the Capitol is a museum of American art and history.  It stands as a focal point of the government's legislative branch and as a centerpiece of Capitol Hill and the National Mall.

UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum stimulates students to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity and strengthen democracy.  With unique power and authenticity, the Museum teaches students about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide.  The Museum encourages students to act, cultivating a sense of moral responsibility among our citizens so that they will respond to the monumental challenges that confront our world.  Nearly 25 million people have come here, a place that is both a memorial to the past and a reminder of our obligations to each other in today’s world.  Here students can explore Holocaust history, remember the victims and learn ways to confront hatred and help prevent genocide.  Guided or self-guided tours are available.

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court Building, constructed between 1932-1935, was designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert who is best known as the architect for the Woolworth Building in New York City.  The first session of the Supreme Court was convened on February 1, 1790, but it took 145 years for the Supreme Court to find a permanent residence.  The Supreme Court offers a variety of educational programs.  Your self-guided tour includes several exhibits, which are changed periodically and a theater where a film on the Supreme Court history and legacy is shown.

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

Deliberately setting aside the controversies of the war, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served when their nation called upon them.  The designer, Maya Lin, felt that ‘the politics had eclipsed the veterans, their service and their lives.’  She kept the design elegantly simple to ‘allow everyone to respond and remember.’  The Vietnam Veterans Memorial consists of three main elements.  The Wall, the first part of the memorial to be erected, was dedicated November 13, 1982.  Today 58,249 names are inscribed on the wall.  The wall includes the names of deceased and missing.  Some initial reaction to the Wall included opinions that it did not appropriately honor the veterans of Vietnam.  As result of this debate a compromise was reached and in the fall of 1984 the Three Servicemen Statue, by Fredrick Hart, was placed near the wall.  The Vietnam Women's Memorial rounds out the memorial.  Designed by Glenna Goodacre, the statue honors all women who served in Vietnam.  The Women's Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day, 1993.

The newest addition to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commemorative Plaque also known as the In Memory Plaque.  Located in the northeast corner of the Three Servicemen Statue Plaza, this plaque honors those service members who died after the war as a direct result of injuries suffered while in Vietnam but that do not fall within the Department of Defense guidelines.  The In Memory Plaque was dedicated November 10, 2004 to honor the service of these men and women.

WASHINGTON MONUMENT

The Washington Monument is the most prominent attractions in Washington, DC.  It is a United States Presidential Memorial constructed for George Washington.  The Monument is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet in height and made of marble, granite and sandstone.  The actual construction of the Monument began in 1848 but was not completed until 1884.  This hiatus in construction was because of a lack of funds and the intervention of the American Civil War.  A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet up, clearly delineates the initial construction from its resumption in 1876.  Its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848, the capstone was set on December 6, 1884 and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885.  Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure and held that distinction until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was finished in Paris.  The Washington Monument reflection can be seen in the aptly named Reflecting Pool, a rectangular pool extending to the west, towards the Lincoln Memorial.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, known as the Washington National Cathedral, is an Episcopal cathedral.  It is a listed monument on the National Register of Historic Places and the designated ‘National House of Prayer’ of the United States.  Your guided tour will explore the ‘must see’ details of the Cathedral’s dramatic art and Gothic architecture, sparkling stained glass (including the Space Window), intricate wrought iron, soaring arches and colorful needlework.  Through the Cathedral’s soaring walls and exquisite carvings your tour explores the Gothic style and its unique characteristics, purposes and building methods.  The Washington National Cathedral is unique among the great cathedrals in that it tells stories from American history.

WHITE HOUSE & VISITOR CENTER

Construction on this hallowed residence began in 1792 and ended amongst much patriotic fanfare in 1800.  Though never inhabited by George Washington himself, the White House was nevertheless conceived by the Father of Our Nation as a ‘holy fortress’ from which to guard against the tyranny of ‘big government’ and ‘social programs’ while tirelessly promoting the essential freedom of completely unregulated commercial enterprise.  Many of our nations greatest have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue where they have steered our country away from Godless anarchy and into the rainbow-hued horizon of steadfast social morality.  From the magnificent Andrew Jackson who liberated the Indians from themselves to Grant whose administration was the very definition of moral character to Dwight Eisenhower who single-handedly defeated Nazism.  All of these great men called one place home and sanctuary: the White House.  Your tour will begin at the White House Visitor Center.  The Center features many aspects of the White House including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events and relations with the press and world leaders as well as a 30-minute introductory video.  Next you will take a brief guided walking tour around the White House and grounds – all the while learning the unique history of the most important house in the United States.

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