The Great Tours: Washington DC

Witness the impact of the Civil Rights movement on Washington, D.C., beginning with the life and work of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and visit the historic site of his home. As the focus of this lecture, take an in-depth tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, its major galleries, and 36,000 artifacts that tell the nation’s story through the lens of the black experience. […]

Study the background of the extraordinary Holocaust Museum, its mission to preserve the history of Nazi atrocities against Jews and other persecuted groups, and the movement to memorialize these events through a museum and education center. Observe how the museum poignantly evokes pre-war Jewish experience, the horror of the Holocaust, and its aftermath and legacy, through images, personal objects, and oral histories. […]

In a panoramic overview of the Smithsonian Institution, begin at the National Museum of American History, and its collection of historical treasures. Continue with the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the phenomenal collections of the National Air and Space Museum. Conclude with the wealth of art museums on the National Mall. […]

Delve into the history of political scandals in Washington and how the nation has come to terms with them. Learn first about the 19th-century Burr Conspiracy, focusing on former Vice President Aaron Burr. Then take stock of the scandals under President Ulysses S. Grant, the infamous Teapot Dome scandal, and finally the Watergate scandal, finishing at the Newseum, a media history museum. […]

Within Washington’s hotbed of live entertainment, visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with its multiple performance spaces. Then learn about the National Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, and Folger Theatre, D.C.’s outstanding regional theaters, and music offerings from the National Symphony Orchestra to venues featuring jazz, rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, and alternative music. […]

D.C.’s Northwest quadrant is home to some of the city’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods. Take in the beautiful architecture of Embassy Row, and that of two magnificent nearby mansions. Visit the Dupont Circle neighborhood and its extraordinary museums, as well as those of The George Washington University. Finish with a first look at the history and cultural richness of Georgetown. […]

Washington’s private homes provide a fascinating window on the city’s history. Begin at the pre-Revolutionary Old Stone House, which shows how early D.C. citizens lived, followed by three grand and storied mansions in Upper Georgetown. Then visit the remarkable Octagon House, the Hillwood estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, and Woodlawn, a plantation operated by free African Americans. […]

Take account of the plethora of religious institutions in Washington, D.C., and consider the role of faith in the city’s history. Stop first at St. John’s Episcopal Church, closely associated with the presidency, and D.C.’s architecturally rich Catholic churches. Visit Jewish and Muslim houses of worship, and finally take in the historic and artistic treasures of the Washington National Cathedral. […]

Trace the history and mission of the National Zoo, a Smithsonian Institution now housing 300 animal species. Learn about the Zoo’s remarkable exhibits of zoological rarities, from the clouded leopard to the giant panda. Take note of the zoo’s approach to recreating natural habitats, and the institution’s deep involvement with animal research and conservation of endangered species. […]