Delve into a globe-spanning literary ramble with the world's best travel books. » Click Here
Free D.C.! Reported by Benay Brotman Photo by Karen Ballard
The National Museum of the American Indian highlights history and traditions.
An ongoing urban renaissance has jazzed up Washington, D.C., with a blend of fresh venues, a new memorial, and a new museum, many of which are free to explore.
n the April issue of Traveler, Luba Vangelova explores three D.C.-area neighborhoods "On Foot." Among the trendy restaurants and shops are plenty of free memorials and museums to visit. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find even more activities and sites that don't cost a thing. Following are some ideas to get you started.
Admittance to the National Gallery of Art Sunday Concerts, ranging from classical music to African-American spirituals, is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating begins at 6 p.m.; concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings.
Rest your eyes and relax to Wednesday Jazz at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Local musicians perform jazz concerts on the first and third Wednesdays of every month 12:30-1:30 p.m. Also, gallery admission is pay-as-you-wish Thursdays 5-9 p.m.
Explore Mexican culture and art at the Mexican Cultural Institute, a mansion-turned-art gallery. Open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
During the week, admission to the permanent collection at the Phillips Collection is by donation only (Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.). Artful Evenings, an extended-hours program on Thursday evenings featuring gallery talks and other programs, is free with the cost of admission to the exhibition. (Thursday extended hours 5-8:30 p.m.; gallery talks at 6 and 7 p.m.)
On Fridays, present a same-night Johnson IMAX Theater film ticket stub and gain free admission to the Smithsonian Jazz Café in the atrium of the National Museum of Natural History, 6-10 p.m.
From 6 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, the 21 Galleries of Dupont Circle hold informal open houses.
On the third Friday of each month, Galleries 1054, located in Georgetown's Canal Square, host opening receptions from approximately 6 to 8 p.m.Although the receptions occur every month, those held April through June and September through November offer an added bonus: catering by Georgetown's Sea Catch Restaurant. The Galleries 1054 include the Anne C. Fisher Gallery, the MOCA DC Gallery, the Parish Gallery, the Alla Rogers Gallery, and the newly opened Cross Mackenzie Ceramic Arts.
Seasonal Art/Music
Monday Night at the National Theater features local actors, comedians, musicians, singers, and dancers in free performances each Monday evening at 6 and 7:30. Tickets are required and are distributed one half-hour prior to each performance. The Monday Night program runs from about October to April, switching to the Summer Cinema film series during the summer. Sunday Concerts at the Phillips Collection, featuring mainly classical chamber music, are free with the price of museum admission. Concerts begin at 5 p.m., but visitors should arrive between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m., as seating is unreserved. October-May.
During the summer, the Jazz in the Garden program offers free, live jazz concerts on Friday evenings in the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden.
Each Thursday evening, throughout the summer, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the National Zoo presents Sunset Serenades—musical performances of every genre—on Lion/Tiger Hill.
The National Building Museum, acclaimed for its architectural splendor, celebrates the history and methods of architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning through exhibitions and hands-on activities. Opening hours are Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free tours are offered Mon.-Wed. 12:30 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 11:30 a.m., 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.; and Sunday 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. Every weekend, docents roll out Discovery Carts to teach families about elements of construction. Saturday's program, "Bridging the Gap," is offered from 10:30 to 11 a.m., and Sunday's program, "Arches and Trusses," from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Other family programs, films, and lectures are also free of charge.
Avoid the lines at the Washington Monument and climb to the observation deck of the 315-foot-tall Old Post Office Tower for an equally spectacular view of the city. From Labor Day through Memorial Day (approximately), the Post Office and Tower are open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. From the first weekend in June through Labor Day, the hours are Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free tours begin every five minutes. The last elevator leaves 15 minutes before closing.
Pre-arranged, guided tours of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the Department of State are conducted Mon.-Fri. at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 2:45 p.m. While touring the rooms used for official functions hosted by the secretary of state and other government officials, visitors learn about the 18th-century American furniture, paintings, and other fine arts housed in the rooms. Reservations must be made at least 90 days in advance.
As a part of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Zoo charges no admission. Watch a mother and calf elephant take a bath, see what a giant octopus eats, and meet a New Zealand kiwi as part of the zoo's daily programs. The zoo's most popular resident, Tai Shan the baby Giant Panda, is often outside with his mother, Mei Xiang, climbing and exploring the yard.
Visitors can take tours of the U.S. Naval Observatory on alternating Monday nights from 8:30 to 10. Weather permitting, tours include a view through the 12-inch Alvan Clark Refracting Telescope. Requests for tour reservations should be made 4-6 weeks in advance of the tour.
The U.S. Supreme Court offers public lectures every hour on the half-hour Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on days when the Court is not sitting. Seating is available on a first-come, first-seated basis. On certain Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from October to April, visitors may listen to an oral argument heard by the Supreme Court. Non-argument sessions are open to the public from May until the end of June. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis, and visitors are encouraged to line up on the front plaza of the Court by 8 a.m. Refer to the calendars posted online for a schedule of arguments and court sessions.
At Mount St. Sepulchre, a Franciscan church and monastery, take a tour of the buildings, shrines, gardens, and catacombs. Tours are given daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. On Sundays, tours are available only at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Tours are free, but donations are appreciated.
The U.S. Botanic Garden is a great place to visit, rain or shine. Find current and permanent exhibits inside the conservatory, walk through the home landscape demonstration garden of Bartholdi Park, or be one of the first to experience the National Garden, which is scheduled to open in October 2006. Check the website for a list of free events, including tours and lectures. Some pre-registration required. Conservatory open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Bartholdi Park open dawn to dusk.
Ford's Theater offers daily talks on the theater's history and the assassination of President Lincoln. The talks occur 15 minutes past the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No talks are given between noon and 2 p.m., though the museum remains open to visitors.
The National Geographic Society Headquarters is home to the National Geographic Museum at Explorer's Hall. View changing and permanent exhibitions on a variety of scientific, geographic, and cultural themes Mon.-Sat. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation and Museum offers free tours and lectures about the role of African-American troops in the Civil War. Reservations are suggested for groups of five or more. Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Decatur House is one of D.C'.s historic houses and museums, inhabited by such American and foreign dignitaries as Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren, and Sir Charles Vaughn. Guided tours of the house start every hour at 15 minutes past the hour. Museum and exhibit hours are Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-4 p.m. Admission is by donation only.
Admission is free to the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, which exhibits collections of American historical objects and more than 30 period rooms displaying antique furniture from colonial times. Museum gallery is open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitors may take self-guided tours of the period rooms Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free guided tours are available Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
At the Kennedy Center, take a free guided tour of the Hall of States and Hall of Nations, the main theaters, and the artwork and sculptures donated to the Center by foreign countries. Tours are available Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sat.-Sun.10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tour the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, headquarters of the National Women's Party, to view Susan B. Anthony's desk, suffrage parade banners, and other art and artifacts from the women's rights movement. Tours depart on the hour Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (last tour begins at 2 p.m.) and Saturday noon-4 p.m. (last tour begins at 3 p.m.). A suggested $5 donation is appreciated.
On the first Sunday and Wednesday of every month, the National Museum of Women in the Arts offers Free Community Days. View the Museum's diverse permanent collection of art by women from the 16th century to the present, a special collection of silver by 18th- and 19th-century Irish and English women silversmiths, and current exhibitions such as the paintings by Australian Aboriginal women artists scheduled to be on view June 30-September 24.
At the Bead Museum, view beaded art, explore the Bead Reference Library, and learn how beads have been used from prehistory to the present through the Bead Timeline of History. Museum hours are Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday 1-4 p.m. Donations are appreciated.
The Eastern Market, located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, welcomes visitors to browse a flea market, farmers market, and arts-and-crafts market every weekend. The flea market is open Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; farmers market Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; arts-and-crafts market Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Visit Grace Church in Georgetown for a Poetry Coffeehouse on the third Tuesday of each month. Listen to local poets and enjoy free Starbucks coffee and dessert from Café La Ruche. Poetry readings begin at 7:30 p.m.
At the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, see free performances of all types, from the National Symphony Orchestra to Afghan music and dance, daily at 6 p.m. A free shuttle bus transports guests from the Foggy Bottom Metro station to the Kennedy Center. After the show, take the elevator up to the roof for a free 360-degree view of the city lit up at night.
Take a guided tour of the Folger Shakespeare Library building to view the current exhibition, the theater, and Shakespeare's First Folio, and have a peek into the restricted-access Reading Rooms. The Folger is open to the public Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Docents lead tours Mon.-Fri. at 11 a.m., and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. At 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. every third Saturday of the month from April to October, docents lead tours of the Elizabethan Garden.
The Library of Congress offers guided tours of the Great Hall and the gallery overlooking the main reading room of the Thomas Jefferson Building Mon.-Fri. at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m.; and Saturday at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Visitors should arrive 15 minutes early for a security check. The Library of Congress also offers book talks, gallery talks, poetry readings, lectures, and vintage movies that are open to the public. Walk along Massachusetts Avenue, known as Embassy Row, and pass by many of the foreign embassies located in the District. The embassies frequently hold free art exhibitions open to the public. Check each embassy for details.
The Carnegie Institute hosts "Capital Science Evenings," monthly lectures on current scientific topics, one Thursday a month at 6:45 p.m.
Seasonal Cultural Activities
Experience the song, dance, performance, crafts, and food of diverse cultural traditions at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, held on the National Mall. This year's festival is scheduled for June 30-July 4 and July 7-11.
Celebrate Shakespeare's birthday at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Sunday, April 23, from noon to 4 p.m. A variety of entertainment is offered, including theater performances; Renaissance music and dance; tours of the Reading Rooms and the Elizabethan Garden; Elizabethan craft, game, and reading activities for kids; and, of course, birthday cake. Take advantage of the one day of the year when the Folger Reading Rooms, decorated with 16th- and 17-century tapestries and a stained-glass window depicting the "Seven Ages of Man," are open to the public.
Every fall, the ethnically diverse Adams Morgan neighborhood hosts the Adams Morgan Day Festival, offering food, crafts, and entertainment to celebrate the multicultural area. The next festival will be held on September 10.
At the annual Arts on Foot Festival, held in the fall, the Penn Quarter neighborhood opens its streets for a variety of visual and performing arts. Guided tours of local venues and galleries, in addition to outdoor exhibits and entertainment, introduce visitors to a variety of art forms.
Sample free steak sandwiches at Morton's Steakhouse every weekday night during Happy Hour, 5-7 p.m. Visit Morton's downtown or in Georgetown.
Enjoy complimentary wine tasting every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bistrot Lepic's upstairs Wine Bar. Located at 1736 Wisconsin Ave., Georgetown.
Several bars around town offer open bar nights, some that include buffets. For information on the ever-changing free drink scene, check out the Washington PostGoing Out Gurus.
Kids
Kids can enjoy Monday Morning Storytime at the well-known Politics & Prose Bookstore on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. The store also hosts monthly meetings of youth book groups and over a dozen adult book groups, as well as author talks and other events that are free and open to the public.
The Smithsonian Museums offer many kid and family programs, which include storytelling, special tours, family days, arts and crafts, and other hands-on activities. At the Imaginasia Family Program at the Sackler Gallery, children and adults view an exhibition and then make a craft related to the exhibit.
The Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, open Wed.-Sun. from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., offers daily environmental education programs at the Nature Center, and weekly shows at the Planetarium on Wednesday at 4 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Free tickets are available at the Nature Center's information desk. Monthly evening stargazing sessions are hosted from April through November. Call +1 202 895 6070 for dates and times.
Walk, bike, or rollerblade the Mount Vernon Trail, an 18.5-mile (30-km) stretch that runs from Mt. Vernon to Roosevelt Island and borders the Potomac River on the Virginia side.
Bike to Hains Point in East Potomac Park to see "The Awakening" (view a picture), J. Seward Johnson, Jr.'s sculpture of a giant-size head, knee, foot, hand, and arm breaking through the ground.
Though it lies just off the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Theodore Roosevelt Island offers several miles of peaceful pathways through its 88-acre (36-hectare) nature preserve. Trade your car for tennis shoes as you walk or bike through swamp forests and over the boardwalk made of recycled materials.
The 446 acres of outdoor and indoor exhibits at the National Arboretum include the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum (open 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. daily), the National Herb Garden, and the recently completed Flowering Tree Walk. The Arboretum grounds are open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except December 25. At Arlington National Cemetery, watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guard changes every hour on the hour from October 1 through March 14, and every half-hour from March 15 through September 30. The cemetery is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. from October 1 to March 31, and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. from April 1 to September 30.
Explore the many offerings of Rock Creek Park, including the Pierce Mill and Barn. The Mill is currently closed for repairs, but the Barn is generally open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Call +1 202 895 6070 to confirm. The park offers free ranger-led programs through different trails and sites.
While strolling through the historic neighborhood and shopping area of Georgetown, visit the 18th-century Old Stone House and adjacent English garden. The house is open for tours Tues.-Sun. from noon to 5:00 p.m.
Pay a visit to Montrose Park, located between Dumbarton Oaks Park and Rock Creek Park (R St. NW, between 28th and 32nd Sts.), and stroll along the serene,18th-century cobblestone path called Lovers' Lane.
Seasonal Outdoor Activities
Watch pro kite-flyers and learn how to make kites at the Smithsonian Kite Festival. This year's festival is held on the National Mall on Saturday, March 25.
Experience the famous National Cherry Blossom Festival from March 25 to April 9. Highlights of the festival include a parade, the Tidal Basin Stage Cultural Performances, which feature music, dance, and martial-arts demonstrations on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial. Performances begin each day at noon.
The gardens at Dumbarton Oaks, a research institute run by Harvard University, include ten landscaped acres featuring a rose garden, ellipse, and an open-air theater. Although admission is charged from March 15 to October 31, you can visit for free from November 1 to March 14 from 2-5 p.m.; closed Mondays.
During the summer, bring your blanket and picnic supper to the National Mall and view classic films at the Screen on the Green outdoors. These free film screenings are shown at sunset every Monday from July 17 to August 14. Call the HBO hotline at 877 262 5866 or the AOL CityGuide.
Theater Once every few months, the Shakespeare Theatre Company offers free staged readings that are open to the public. Reservations are required.
Seasonal Theater Every summer, enjoy two weeks of free Shakespeare plays at the Shakespeare Theatre Company Free For All at Carter Barron Amphitheatre. The 2006 program runs from May 25 to June 4. Though admission is free, tickets are required for all performances and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis only on the day of each performance at the following locations: the Carter Barron Amphitheatre (opens at 10 a.m.); the Shakespeare Theatre (opens at 10 a.m.); and the Washington Post building on 15th St. (opens at 8 a.m.).
Center for Sustainable Destinations Learn how to preserve the authenticity of the places you love. » Click Here The National Geographic Traveler Reader Panel Are you a real traveler? Someone who cares about authenticity? Who has a point of view about where we should travel—and how? Then tell us what you think and be eligible to win a trip to almost anywhere in the United States. » Click Here National Geographic's Environment Site Find out the latest environmental news, get eco-friendly tips, and download photos and wallpapers. » Click Here
