Washington D.C. Things to Do Tips by b1bob

The Archives building is located north of the National Mall on Constitution Avenue opened as its original headquarters in the mid 1930s. It holds the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These are displayed to the public in the main chamber of the National Archives, which is called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. There are no queues at the National Archives, and visitors may walk between the documents as you like. The only restriction is no flash photography. The Archives also exhibits other historical documents like the Louisiana Purchase, the Emancipation Proclamation, and much more.

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Phone: (202) 501-5404
Address: 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Directions: Located between 7th and 9th Streets.
Website: www.archives.gov

Located just two miles from the White House, you'll find the somewhat funky Adams Morgan neighbourhood. The crossroads of 18th Street and Columbia Road, NW, marks the vibrant centre of the city's most diverse neighbourhood and the heart of the Latino community.

This area boasts the largest display of expressive art in the city. It'll be a hoot to discover these colourful and symbolic murals, as you walk the streets of this lively district.

In addition, this bustling neighbourhood of international sights, sounds, and aromas, offers a multi-cultural bazaar of one-of-a-kind shopping and dining opportunities, along with wonderful examples of late 19th and early 20th century row houses and apartment buildings.

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Here unique specialty shops, used bookstores, and art galleries coexist with more than 35 restaurants, bars, and nightclubs that cover almost every international flavour – from nearly all points in Africa; Chinese and Vietnamese; French, Italian, Hispanic, Mediterranean, and even Caribbean, Mexican and Peruvian. There are also American specialties that cover all points of the American culinary spectrum. It may seem odd to those who know me that I like these quirky neighbourhoods. Notice the lights on the poles. Some are in the shape of musical notes, others like slippers, and still others are shaped like martini glasses.

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The bridge crosses Rock Creek Park, a vast spread of urban park and woods, offering an amazing vista of the creek among the trees. On a normal day, you can probably see the tiny figures jogging in the park below, but it was so cold that morning, only a polar bear or a penguin would be out for a jog. It is named for Duke Ellington, a famous musician who lived 1899-1974.

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Until the early 1900s, Senators and Representatives had their Washington, DC offices inside the Capitol building. It was very convenient to get to the House and Senate floor for votes, but it got crowded in the Capitol building. Congress authorised the construction of buildings nearby, but outside of the Capitol to relieve overcrowding. Now there are a total of 6 congressional office buildings- 3 for the Senate and 3 for the House of Representatives. In the House, they are named for former Speakers Cannon (for Illinois), Longworth (for Ohio), and Rayburn (for Texas). In the Senate, they are named for prominent former Senators Russell (for Georgia), Dirksen (for Illinois), and Hart (for Michigan). Of course, office space, like everything else on Capitol Hill, is determined by party and seniority. The senior members choose the newest, most modern buildings (Rayburn for the House, Hart for the Senate). The odd thing is, when a senior member dies in or otherwise leaves office midterm, the newbie who replaces him gets his posh office digs until the next election when he has to move down to office space more in line with his limited seniority.

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The Library of Congress was originally founded as a research library for the United States Congress in 1800, its original collection were the books of the 3d U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. It used to be that all authors seeking American copyright had to submit two copies of the work to the Library. They don't do that anymore, but copies of many books published in the U.S. still arrive at the Library regularly. It contains many important books and collections, such as a Gutenberg Bible.

The library itself is in three buildings in Washington, DC. With over 115 million items, it is one of the largest libraries in the history of the world. Only the British Library, which contains over 150 million items, has more stuff.

The library is open to the general public for academic research, and runs tours for visitors. Only people with a permit can enter the reading room and access the collection.

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Phone: (202) 707-8000
Address: 10 First Street, SE
Directions: Metro: Capitol South. Next to the Supreme Court, just behind the Capitol Building.
Website: http://www.loc.gov

To my friends from overseas, no, this isn't some decadent three-storey shopping centre replete with Benettons, Victoria's Secrets and Banana Republics with parking as far as the eye can see.

The National Mall is green space in between many of Washington, DC's major must see activities. It forms the shape of a cross. Starting in the east is the Capitol Building. As we go west there is the Washington Monument. At its westernmost point, there is the Lincoln Memorial. Directly south of the Washington Monument is the Jefferson Memorial. Completing the cross is the northernmost point which is the White House. In between on either side of the Mall are the museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

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Address: Downtown Washington D.C.
Directions: Metro Stop: Smithsonian

When one thinks of the Museum of Natural History, dinosaur skeletons are the first thing to come to mind. That delights the kids, but there are also plantlife, geological, and other animal life exhibits. This and the Air and Space Museum are probably the most popular Smithsonian museums visited by school groups. I remember coming up here after my 8th birthday and they had a life-sized likeness of a Triceratops, a three-horned, quadriped herbivore in the Cretaceous period. It was so big that most of a school group could ride on its back and that was a medium-sized dinosaur.

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Phone: (202) 357-2700
Address: 10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW
Directions: Metro Stop: Federal Triangle
Website: http://www.mnh.si.edu

The Smithsonian's first building, known as the Castle, houses the Institution’s administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. The original Smithsonian Institution Building was designed by the same guy who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and finished in the mid 1850s. It's old-world architectural style stands out like a watermelon in a bowl full of chick peas amid more modern buildings of the Smithsonian and the monuments on the edges of the mall.

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Phone: (202) 357-2700
Address: 1000 Jefferson Drive S.W.
Directions: Metro Stop: Smithsonian Station.(Mall Exit)
Website: www.si.edu

Amid such great buildings and monuments it struck me as odd to have a roundabout in the National Mall. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The little nippers have to have some fun too! It is right over there by the Smithsonian Castle and tickets are a steep $2 a pop, but, hey, the Smithsonian, the Capitol and just about all the museums in DC are free.

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