Guide
Explore Washington, D.C.
D.C. is about much more than politics—it's where history continues to be made. Become part of the narrative when you use this guide to wander the city and discover fascinating places that bring little-known stories to life.
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Union Station
So much more than a transportation hub, Union Station is at the very heart of the city. Each day thousands of people pass through the magnificent halls of this National Treasure, now restored to its original appearance.
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Photo By: Todd A. Smith
The President Woodrow Wilson House
Until Barack Obama, Woodrow Wilson was the only President to remain in Washington, D.C., after his term of office. Visitors can experience the home—now a National Trust Historic Site—where he spent his post-presidency years.
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Photo By: Library of Congress
Howard University's Founders Library
Together with Howard University, we're working to ensure a 21st-century solution for the library at this historically black university.
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Photo By: Rodney Bailey
Decatur House
Decatur House—another National Trust Historic Site—is one of the oldest surviving homes in D.C., and one of only three remaining houses in the country designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the father of American architecture.
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Photo By: Erica Abbey/President Lincoln's Cottage
President Lincoln's Cottage
Located on an uplifting hilltop in Northwest Washington, D.C., the Cottage is where Lincoln lived for over a quarter of his presidency and made some of his most critical decisions, including drafting the Emancipation Proclamation.
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Photo By: Brian Thomson/The Ethan James Foundation
Washington National Cathedral
Situated on one of the highest points in the city, the National Cathedral is a landmark for miles around, and fulfills the ideal envisioned by Pierre L’Enfant by providing a place for Americans of all faiths to worship, reflect, celebrate, and mourn.
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Photo By: Wally Gobetz, Flickr
Willard InterContinental Hotel
The historic Willard InterContinental is located in the heart of the nation's capital on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, the Smithsonian museums, and the downtown business and theater districts.
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Photo By: Sam Kittner
National Mall Tidal Basin
Comprising some of our most renowned national monuments, the Tidal Basin includes places of remembrance and reflection that tell the history of our nation. The architecture and open space of this complex, iconic public landscape captures individuals and events that have defined our nation and celebrates cherished American values.
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Photo By: Aimee Custis/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Dunbar High School
Washington, D.C.'s Dunbar High School, named for African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, is a vital stitch in the city’s historic fabric as the country’s first public high school for African-American students.
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Photo By: Architect of the Capitol
U.S. Capitol Building
At 289 feet tall, the dome of the United States Capitol towers over the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., an instantly recognizable symbol of democracy. Learn more about its recent restoration.
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Dumbarton House
The National Trust went behind the scenes during this museum's renovation to see the bones of one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in the U.S.
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Photo By: Pepper Watkins
Congressional Cemetery
At historic Congressional Cemetery, you can ponder the mysteries of death, but you'll quickly be awed by something else: the presence of the living.
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Photo By: John M/Flickr/CC BY SA 2.0
St. Elizabeths Asylum
An asylum that Abraham Lincoln visited, that treated Ezra Pound, and that practiced a new approach to mental health is on its way to becoming new federal offices.
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Photo By: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress
Frederick Douglass House (Cedar Hill)
Thanks to Helen Pitts Douglass (Frederick's wife), Cedar Hill still stands to tell the compelling story behind their family, share the history of the abolitionist movement, and celebrate the many possibilities that come with freedom.