The most classic route in DC, where most of the must-see attractions are located, is concentrated in the area where two straight lines intersect from Capitol Hill to the Lincoln Memorial and from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial. Today we recommend three classic must-see attractions in Washington.
Must-see attraction 1: The United States Capitol
The Capitol is located in the east of DC, but it is regarded as the center of Washington. The definitions of DC's east, west, south and north are all based on the Capitol. The Capitol is a typical neoclassical building. The Capitol consists of a domed main building and two interconnected south and north wing buildings. The large dome on the central top floor usually appears frequently in TV news, and a bronze statue of the Statue of Liberty stands on the dome. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress will work in this building, with the Senate in the north wing and the House of Representatives in the south wing. When the Senate is in session, the national flag is raised in the north wing of the Capitol; when the House of Representatives is in session, the opposite is true.
Reasons to visit
1. The central rotunda is the heart of the Capitol, with magnificent and exquisite murals and many sculptures of important historical figures;
2. This is an important place for meetings of the U.S. Congress and the Senate and House of Representatives;
3. The Capitol is an important treasure house of American art, and its architectural achievements are also unique.
Basic information
Address: East Capitol St NE & First St SE, Washington, DC 20004, USA.
Cost description: You can visit the Capitol for free, but the number of places per day is limited. You need to book the date and time of the visit online in advance.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30 to 16:30, closed on Sunday. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Presidential Inauguration Day.
Must-visit attraction 2: National Gallery of Art
The gallery is located on the west steps of the Capitol. It consists of two buildings of very different styles. The west building is a neoclassical building in the style of ancient Greece, and the east building is a modernist geometric building designed by the Chinese-American architectural design master I.M. Pei. All exhibits in the gallery are displayed in chronological order. If you have enough time, you can immerse yourself in such an art palace, get to know the masters of famous paintings one by one, and appreciate their masterpieces. It can be regarded as reading a vivid history of Western art.
Reasons to go
1. Here is the treasure of the town, the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the United States: "Portrait of Ginevra de Benci", which is not blocked by railings and glass windows and can be viewed up close;
2. Here you can also appreciate precious paintings by masters such as Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Rembrandt, etc. In addition, there are masterpieces of European classical art masters such as Raphael's Madonna, Van Gogh's self-portrait, and Monet's water lilies.
Basic Information
Address: 6th & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565, USA.
Expense: Free.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00-17:00, Sunday 11:00-18:00. Closed on Christmas and New Year's Day.
Transportation: Take the Yellow Line/Green Line of the subway and get off at Archives Station, which is within walking distance.
Must-see attraction 3: National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History) is a subsidiary museum of the Smithsonian Institution. The collection in the museum truly reflects the social, cultural, scientific and technological traditions of the United States and the evolution of the American state system. With the theme of "Earth", the collection fully reflects the appearance and evolution of human beings and the natural environment. The logo of the African Elephant Specimen Museum is displayed in the lobby on the first floor, and the mineral and gem exhibition hall on the second floor also displays the 45-gram blue diamond "Star of Hope" that appeared in "Titanic".
Reasons to visit
1. The largest national comprehensive history museum in the United States and one of the largest natural history museums in the world;
2. There is a natural food chain that restores the living environment of animals very realistically.
Basic information
Address: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA
Cost description: Free admission, butterfly exhibition hall and IMAX theater are charged, and the butterfly exhibition hall is free every Tuesday. Reservation website***
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00-17:30 (closed on December 25, Christmas); the visiting time may be extended to 19:30 during the implementation time of US daylight saving time and US statutory holidays.
Transportation: Take the Blue Line/Orange Line, arrive at the FederalTriangle subway station, go south from 12th Street to Constitution Avenue (Constitution Ave), and then walk east (away from the Washington Monument) for about 5 minutes to arrive.
Conclusion
There are far more attractions to visit in Washington. The above are only some of them recommended to you. For more, you should try to choose the attractions you want to visit according to your own interests, so that you can have more fun during the trip.