Best Washington DC Hidden Gem Attractions
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- Hidden Gems
Nature & Parks
United States Botanic Garden
2,777 reviews
"Besides the Children's garden, which has some cool metal dandelion sculptures, there are very cool plant-fashionable plantings in the front of the building and other grounds.""There are couches outside to sit on and the exhibits in the building have warm and cool areas depending upon the plant life."
Museums
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
1,251 reviews
"Along with a 1920s neo-Georgian house are a comprehensive collection of Russian Imperial Art including Fabergé eggs and 18th century French decorative arts along with landscaped gardens and woodlands.""The greenhouse filled with fragrant orchids was beautiful, the extensive collection of French & Russian art (including Faberge eggs and glittering necklaces) was fabulous, and the manicured gardens were beautiful!"
Sights & Landmarks
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
1,890 reviews
"Mass at the Crypt church is extraordinary, Mass at the Upper Church will expand your Spirit, reconciliation will reunite you to God and you might even be blessed enough to get some spiritual direction!""Easy to get to, I took the metro (red line) to Brookland CUA, with shops to eat and rest your feet along the way."
Nature & Parks
U.S. National Arboretum
666 reviews
"Although interesting to visit in any season, it is spectacular when the azaleas are blooming, Also, if you are wondering how a tree or bush you're considering planting will look when t's mature, you can find almos...""... a visit for anyone with the means to get there when visiting Washington DC, particularly for the Bonsai exhibit featuring nearly 100 specimens focused on everything from traditional Japanese styles to American..."
Sights & Landmarks
Old Post Office Pavilion
599 reviews
"This little gem gave us phenomenal views of DC and it was free!! It's located in the Trump Hotel and you get a small glimpse of the interior as you go up the glass elevator, the building/decor looked beautiful ins...""We appreciated the informative talk on the history of the Tower given by a National Park Ranger, and appreciated the Rangers’ availability and willingness to answer questions while up on the observation deck."
Museums
National Postal Museum
1,115 reviews
"Worth a visit, especially since Metro it is around the corner and the Circulator stop is right across the street in front of the museum.""The first floor is certainly dedicated to the history of post and the postal system and you can see lots of stamps but, go downstairs and the museum expands to accommodate a stage coach, truck and planes."
Museums
The Phillips Collection
1,390 reviews
"From Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party to O'Keefe, Rothko and the Migration series, this is another very special place in our nation's capital.""Located in the wonderful Dupont Circle area and away from the crowded press of the museums along the Mall, the Phillips is a house museum in the best sense of the term with an amazing collection of contemporary ar..."
Museums
Smithsonian Institution Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
719 reviews
"Elsewhere, the Japanese screens are absolutely stunning and, along with the famed Peacock Room, are the highlights of a museum where everything on view is a masterpiece.""This museum is most certainly worth a visit when in Washington, as it holds a wonderful collection of Asian art from all across Asia, from the Islamic world to Japan and Indonesia."
Museums
President Lincoln's Cottage
544 reviews
"The home is on the grounds of what, in the past, was referred to as the Old Soldier’s home and the grounds include a cemetery that predates Arlington Cemetery and where some soldiers in the Civil War now rest.""The Lincoln family lived here several summers, and the cottage played an important role in Lincoln’s drafting of the Emancipation Proclamation."
Museums
Anderson House
157 reviews
"The fabulous Gilded Age "Winter Home" mansion is amazing in itself and the tour guide conveys lots of fun and interesting information along the tour.""If you're walking Embassy Row to see the beauty of the street, this is one of the few places where you can go inside and experience the opulence of the interior of these mansions."
Sights & Landmarks
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
189 reviews
"Anna, his first wife was married to him for 44 years and they purchased Cedar Hill for $6,700 at the time.""As the park ranger explained on the tour, Douglass' second wife saw the potential of the house as a living testament to Frederick Douglass' achievements, and so held on to things that would be valuable as part of..."
Museums
National Museum of Women in the Arts
368 reviews
"We enjoyed the selections from the permanent collection as well as the special photography exhibit.""On the ground floor “Women Artists of the Dutch Golden Age”, a stunning jewel box of a show, featuring names to conjure with: Judith Leyster, Clara Peeters, Rachel Ruysch, Maria Sibylla Merian, Maria Schalken, Ann..."
Nature & Parks
Tudor Place
153 reviews
"What a lovely historic home, then you find out the George and Martha Washington connection wonderful items relating to the Washingtons and incredible history of the four owners and six generations of occupancy.""Fall, there are still several roses still in bloom and filling the air with a glorious aroma unlike many other rose gardens I've been to before."
Museums
National Museum of the United States Navy
129 reviews
"If you are staying near Nat Stadium you can walk along the river and pop out right at O ave and visitor center.""... growing up in Washington DC and it has matured wonderfully over the decades with attractive display cabinets and huge static exhibits of US Navy historical artifacts some dating back to the Revolutionary War."
Museums
National Building Museum
653 reviews
"Built in 1887 to be the Pension Building is has 15,000,000 bricks, a soaring Great Hall with gorgeous fountain, colossal 75' tall 8' diameter Corinthian columns, and a 1,200-foot terra cotta frieze on the exterior.""Even the display on the communities of the Manhattan Project was captivating, although I didn’t really expect to spend much time on it."
Nature & Parks
Enid A. Haupt Garden
104 reviews
"When we departed we picked up rental scooters that we cruised around the adjacent National Mall and capped it off with a sushi dinner within scooting distance :) We created wonderful memories and I hope to return...""It's a good sized area with a brick walk path that takes you thru the flower beds and fountains with plenty of benches to rest on if you want to relax."
Museums
Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument House and Museum
53 reviews
"I really enjoyed my guided tour at this national monument and learned a lot about the early history of the women's rights movement.""While this is a historic home featuring historic figures like Alice Paul and Susan B. Anthony, it remains highly relevant today as the women’s rights movement continues."
Museums
Octagon Museum
33 reviews
"Architecture formed the cornerstone of the North American Political Arena.... the historic residential typology that housed the American Institute of Architects before they formally shifted to their new home in 1973""They explain what life was like for the inhabitants and when James and Dolley Madison stayed there after the White House burned down."
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