The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened at long last in September 2016 and immediately became one of the most popular attractions on the National Mall. About 2.5 million people visited the museum in its first year. So what is there to see inside the museum—and why should you visit? […]
Washington, D.C. during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, was a city in the midst of transition. And anyone who walks D.C.’s streets today can come across powerful reminders of how this beloved American president—and the Civil War that defined his life—transformed the nation’s capital forever. […]
The Pentagon is one of the most iconic buildings in the Washington, D.C. area. On September 11, 2001, this grand military complex—the headquarters of the Department of Defense—was the site of a devastating terrorist attack. How did the Pentagon memorialize this traumatic national event? […]
The L’Enfant Plan put Congress on the tallest hill in the federal core of the city. The came the hard part: designing the Capitol Building itself. […]
Washington, D.C. is indebted to the vision of a French war veteran named Pierre Charles L’Enfant. Here’s the story of L’Enfant’s plans for America’s federal city—and its many subsequent revisions. […]
Today, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a landmark feature of the nation’s capital and a must-see spot for visitors from around the world wishing to honor the fallen soldiers from a contentious 20th-century war. But the story of how this iconic Washington, D.C. memorial came to be is a tale of trauma, solidarity—and controversy. […]
For those of us outside the legal profession, the judicial branch may be the most opaque branch of the U.S. government—and the least understood. But it is by no means the least important. Here’s why it’s worth your time to come see the Supreme Court in action. […]
On Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939 African American contralto Marian Anderson performed an unprecedented open-air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. What she wore on that day illustrated that, despite stereotypes and obstacles, an African American woman could transcend entrenched social and cultural barriers to achieve fame, fortune, and success. […]
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