Like other urban downtown
areas, Washington’s city center is filled with shops, hotels,
restaurants, and theaters for every taste. Yet downtown Washington
borders Pennsylvania Avenue – often called “America’s main street.” This
is the direct route between the White House and the Capitol, and is
therefore rich in historic associations. Presidential inauguration
parades sweep down the avenue every four years; citizens protest here;
President Lincoln was shot and died nearby. Washington’s importance to
world culture is reflected in the ease with which local restaurants and
stores cater to an international clientele. Recently revitalized, the
area draws visitors to the attractions of Chinatown, the Verizon Center,
and the feeling of being at the center of the political world.
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When the federal
government moved to the city in 1800, Pennsylvania Avenue was selected
as the “main street” because the area to the south was too muddy after
rains, and the avenue offered a direct route from the President’s House
to the Capitol – the only substantial buildings in town.
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SightsFord’s Theater John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in a balcony box here on April 14, 1865 – a tragic event that has made Ford’s Theater
one of America’s best-known historical sites. A museum contains Booth’s
.44 caliber Derringer pistol and other objects and information giving
insights into Lincoln and the assassination plot. The restored building
also houses theater productions. Directly across 10th Street is Petersen
House, where Lincoln died after being carried from the theater.
Ford’s Theater
Verizon Center While
the Verizon Center is principally a sports arena, it has also become an
unofficial community center. It draws crowds night after night with
college and professional sports events, big-name concerts, circuses,
figure skating performances, and other events . Federal Bureau of Investigation Building The
FBI tour has been a favorite with visitors since it was launched in
1937. Visitors on the one-hour tour learn about the history and goals of
the bureau, pass through working laboratories analyzing forensic
evidence, then watch a demonstration of officers training in the use of
firearms. Although tours by members of the public are no longer allowed
at the time of writing, this situation is expected to change in the
future. If you would like to visit, call ahead to make inquiries.
FBI Building
National Building Museum This
grand structure would be a fabulous place to visit even if it was
empty. Its eight massive interior columns are among the largest in the
world, and its immense interior space has beautiful natural light. The
museum itself is dedicated to documenting and displaying important
themes in the art and craft of building structures. It has permanent
exhibitions on the city of Washington and on art created from tools, and
mounts a stream of temporary exhibitions on topics such as the growth
of urban transit and the development of architectural and construction
methods. Other exhibits highlight the work of individual prominent
architects. 401 F St, NW Open 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, 11am–5pm Sun Dis. access Free, donations appreciated.
Great Hall, National Building Museum
National Museum of Women in the Arts The
collection of works by female artists here is among the world’s best,
ranging from Lavinia Fontana’s Portrait of a Noblewoman (c.1580) to
Brazilian artist Frida Baranek’s bristling 1991 Untitled .
National Museum of Women in the Arts
National Aquarium One
of the oldest aquariums in the world (1873). Sharks, alligators,
piranha, and more than 300 other species are housed here, and there are
preservation programs . 14th St between Pennsylvania & Constitution Aves, NW Open 9am–5pm daily; closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25 Dis. access Adm
Chinatown Chinese
culture abounds here, with an array of restaurants and shops. A Chinese
arch was funded by Beijing and constructed in 1986, with seven
pagoda-style roofs ornamented with 300 dragons.
Archway, Chinatown
Willard Hotel A
glorious center of historic and political Washington. Every US
president, beginning with Franklin Pierce in 1853, has stayed as a guest
or attended functions here. When Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861,
there were already assassination threats. Detective Alan Pinkerton
smuggled him into the Willard, and presidential business was conducted
before the fireplace in the lobby.
Willard Hotel
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library This
handsome building was dedicated in 1972 as a memorial to Martin Luther
King, Jr. and as a public library. In the lobby is a mural by Don Miller
depicting the life of Dr. King and the civil rights movement. US Navy Memorial The
centerpiece of this delightful public space is a granite floor – a huge
map of the world surrounded by fountains. A statue, dubbed “The Lone
Sailor,” overlooks the expanse . A free film shows daily at noon. 7th St & Pennsylvania Ave, NW Open 9:30–5pm Mon–Sat; closed Mon, Nov–Feb Dis. access Free
US Navy Memorial
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