Secrets of Washington DC’s Best Museums to Visit During a City Break

Washington, DC offers so much more than just politics. It’s also one of the country’s top destinations for art and culture. Whether your travels bring you here for business or pleasure, you’ll find endless ways to fill every moment of free time with enriching attractions and exhibitions steeped in history and heritage.

Washington D.C. is home to a slew of world-class museums and exhibition spaces — many of them free to the public — and Club Quarters Washington DC keeps you steps away from some of the capital’s top cultural sites and attractions (after all, we are literally steps from the White House). Ready to plan the perfect city break? Here are some of our must-visit spots.

The Renwick Gallery, a branch museum of the Smithsonian, is just a three-minute walk from the hotel. It features a broad collection of contemporary crafts and decorative arts, and is just a few steps from the White House. Its ongoing permanent collection presentation, Connections, celebrates craft as a discipline and approach to unique living. Also nearby is the under-the-radar the Octagon Museum, also known as the Colonel John Tayloe III House. It’s the oldest private residence in the district and hosts rotating programs that showcase the impact of architects and architecture on culture and society.

Just half a mile from Club Quarters DC you’ll find The Lockkeeper’s House. This 350-square-foot abode is the oldest building on the National Mall. Built in 1837, it was used by the canal lock keeper to collect tolls, manage traffic and record commerce. And all visitors interested in history and architecture should visit Pennsylvania Avenue, a National Historic site that’s home to several culturally and historically significant places like the Treasury Building, Ford’s Theater, the Freedom Plaza, the United States Capitol and the Peace Monument. Dubbed “America’s Main Street,” the area is about a mile and a half on foot from Club Quarters D.C. A 25-minute stroll southwest of the hotel will bring you to the iconic and imposing Lincoln Memorial and Lincoln Reflecting Pool.

If you’re interested in learning more about the nation’s past and present, head to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Open Friday through Tuesday, its exhibits cover African American history, Asian Pacific American history, Latino history, women’s history, and even the history of infectious diseases — just to name a few. It’s a 22-minute walk from Club Quarters D.C. Start there, then walk nine minutes east to the National Archives Museum, where you can see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

No visit to D.C. is complete with checking out the White House and Washington Monument.. Fortunately, both are within strolling distance if you stay at Club Quarters D.C. (Our pro tip: visit recreation.gov to book your visit to the 500-foot observation level for a $1 reservation fee). And while you’re in the area, you can explore the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the German-American Friendship Garden and the Haupt Fountains.

If you want to catch a dance or orchestra performance, D.C. abounds with great options. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts always has a wonderful schedule of events — it’s less than a 10-minute cab ride away. But that’s not the only place to settle in for a show-stopping spectacular. Catch all kinds of cultural experiences — from stand-up comedy to Shakespeare —at spots like the Warner Theatre, the National Theatre, the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and more. Insiders know that some off-Broadway hits have gotten their start in the DC theater district; you might just catch the next star turn!

Ready to start planning your visit? Browse our D.C. destinations page or book now.

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