Ive seen this place so many times in my life but almost everytime I have ever passed it, it was not…read moreopen. But, recently, while in Gtown on a nice day around 5:30pm, and strolling down M St, I saw the door was open to this place, and was pretty excited to check it out! I do like NPS sites and wil make every effort to stop at a site when I can. However, this place was a bit lackluster for me. I think the West has truly spoiled me as this place didnt do much for me. I get that its the oldest building in DC and that George Washington was mistaken to have slept here, but only the 1st floor was open and not much to see except a fireplace. The 2nd floor was also closed. The front room mainly had a bunch of souvenirs for sale. I bought a few postcards to support NPS. I didnt get a chance to visit the back yard as I have heard thats the best part of this visit. Ill try to visit this on another visit. I also thought that the front sidewalk could have been better paved and think more work can be done on sidewalks of M St to make it more appealing. Overall, a disappointing visit and experience but I was glad I finally saw the inside.

My wife and I love visiting NPS sites and we stopped in here back in May while walking around…read moreGeorgetown. It's a free site and is right on one of the main streets, so it's an easy one to visit. The house is small inside, but has a variety of information available to read. There's also a lovely backyard that is very peaceful and was our favorite place to visit. It's a nice little park site and I'd recommend it if you're in the area.

Lovely and interesting house of Lee Fendall - boutique gem right in Alexandria. They offer tours on…read morethe hour. Ours was excellent and walked us through the history of the Lee family in Virginia and subsequent owners. Rooms are appointed with time appropriate pieces. Much of the furniture is gifted from the Lee family. A fascinating way to learn a bit about a family of Henry Lighthorse Lee, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. That family was instrumental in changing the course of history in the United States. George Washington apparently dined here often and they set up a long table in what is now the entryway. Woodrow Wilson also ate here during his presidency. Tours are quite chatty and interesting with lots of opportunities for questions. Cost of entry is seven dollars. Highly recommended for those who want to see something off the beaten track but truly interesting.

What a cool colonial home! We took the tour which covered all the major parts of the house…read more Absolutely beautiful and furnished with pierces from across the time the house was occupied. Many of them have a history of their very own. What really made this tour great though was the docent/ guide we had for our tour. She was incredibly knowledgeable on every aspect of the home from the furnishings to the architecture to the family histories of the owners and building restoration. Very rarely have I had such a knowledgeable guide. She was really impressive. All that to say, if you have a couple hours and you're looking for something to do this is a great little side trip. Well worth the time.

This is a remarkable museum in suburban Washington DC. . It was owned and donated by Marjorie…read moreMerriweather Post, at one time the richest woman is America. She was married to a diplomat stationed in Moscow just after the Russian Revolution. The revolutionaries were selling tsarist treasures to fund their new communist government, so she helped herself to some magnificent pieces. So also did she collect French pieces from the high royalty days. Room after beautiful room is filled with exquisite paintings, dishware, flatware, furniture and artifacts. Entrance is free, parking is a breeze, a dining room is available.

Hillwood estate, museum & Garden was a wonderful place to spend an afternoon…read morewith friends.  We enjoyed our guided tour of the house which is absolutely filled with Marjorie Post's collections of art, ceramics, jewelry and so much more.  There was no way our guide could do more than touch upon some of the treasures, including the famous Imperial Faberge eggs.  And, despite exploring some more on our own afterwards, there would be plenty more to see on a return trip.  The grounds are also full of beauty with multiple flourishing beds of colorful flowers and a greenhouse full of many, manynkinds of orchids.  When it's time to relax, the café is there with a delightful tea service, consisting of your choice of tea accompanied by numerous sandwiches and sweets.  The service was very helpful and having such a tasty treat on the patio was a great way to spend some really nice time with friends.

The museum remains where other things have changed over the years. Notably, you can walk into the…read morebuilding without buying a ticket but most of the exhibitions require a wristband. I unintentionally stopped in on a day when they were offering free tickets. I don't think they ever open every room in the building for exhibition at the same time, so the amount of stuff on display is less than you'd think looking at it from the outside. However, my visit did yield some intriguing finds including a hall on contemporary southern architecture that hits much harder if you've actually been to the places (which by and large I now have), and a historical exhibition on schoolhouses for black people in the South, which provided an interesting window into history. I wouldn't count the Building Museum among the top tier of attractions, but it's a good landmark and worth visiting.

If I had young kids, this would be a hit. But it's not great for older kids. Plus they were mobbed…read morewith summer camps. Second floor had lots of rooms to see but every room smelled really musty.

Great opportunity to walk in the footprints of history. Overall, expect your visit to last about an…read morehour and a half. The Visitors Center provides a mini museum with background on Lincoln's life. Across from the Visitor's Center is Lincoln's Cottage where he spent roughly 13 months living in. While the fields and views were picturesque, the cottage was pretty barebones - devoid of furniture, background information, or anything that put you in more of an understanding of Lincoln's life there. The guide did provide some stories and even invoked some voices that came over speakers in a few of the rooms. They do have a number of festivals such as the Bluegrass and Bourbon Festival in May and I'd gladly return for those.

Right away: the people who complain about no furniture in the cottage . . . you have no…read moreimagination and lack vision. I've done almost all the history/nerdy stuff in DC. This is one of my favorites so far. First, I like the fact that there is little furniture in the cottage. For one, The Lincolns didn't furnish the cottage separately; they brought the furniture from the Whitehouse every trip. So the foundation has no idea of knowing how the cottage was set up, even if they wanted to buy reproductions (and really, why are we impressed with reproductions?) Secondly . . . the fact that they cottage is mostly empty, you really get to envision Lincoln, the man . . . you can form a picture in your head of what happened here, who he was . . . ESPECIALLY with the help of the knowledgable, passionate guides. This is not a 20 or 30 minute tour. You're going to be here at least an hour. Our tour was a little over an hour. Our guide, Haley, was enthusiastic and painted Lincoln clearly for us. She relayed multiple anecdotes and examples of how Lincoln was a man of the earth, a man of the people. A man who liked to tell stories and jokes. I was the only American from the US on our tour, and Haley related to everyone. Involved everyone. Challenged everyone to think about the various stories and scenarios she presented. And the house is GORGEOUS. I wish I could live there! I loved my visit. When I headed to the gift shop, the staff there were awesome too! (I wish I had gotten her name, but she had the coolest outfit on--a chunky sweater, a kerchief on her head, a Harriet Tubman tee-shirt, and colorful pants). Aside from her rad style, she was so enthusiastic and engaged with me and another group about area history. This isn't flashy. If you need bells and whistles, this isn't for you. If you really love history and those who have enthusiasm for it . . . this IS for you Again, one of my favorite things so far . . . if not the favorite thing.

This is a peaceful and gorgeous garden which is directly behind the Smithsonian Castle. Although…read morethe garden is hidden from the Mall, you can catch a glimpse from Independence Avenue. The garden also has a direct entrance to the National Asian Art Museum (Sackler Gallery entrance) as well as the National Museum of African Art. In the fall, the colorful leaves are gorgeous and well worth a visit. If it's warm enough outdoors, you can find a few benches here and there to sit down and admire the garden. Enjoy!

This magical garden is ticket between the Smithsonian art galleries. The meticulous garden &…read morepristine lawn we're inviting. The array of colorful flowers were tucked between seating. Some sculptures and solar phone charging stations were utilized . The gardens are all connected around the Smithsonian and the national mall.

A beautiful historic building in DuPont Circle. It has the library of the Freemasons. The Scottish…read moreRite is a high order of this fraternity and this is an impressive home. Has public tours if you call ahead. The outside is impressive too. Has two sphinxes on the sides of the stairs outside the main entrance. I see people always on the stairs hanging out. This must be such a good place for a sit. Inside should be checked out if you get a chance. They have a functioning library. It was the oldest public library in DC. The selection has some interesting stuff. It has the world's largest collection of poetry by Robert Burns. There's all kinds of artifacts about freemasonry and tour guides will give you a look around and tell you about it. It seems mysterious which is why this is such an interesting building. Look into it and find out about freemasonry. They also allow you to check out books and go to the library to read and study.

This is a beautiful building found in our nation's capital. It is the representation of one of the…read moreworlds oldest fraternities. And it definitely represents antiquity at its finest! The outside of the building displays great architecture. It is similar to ancient Greek architecture, specifically due to the large stone columns. Long stone steps lead you to the inside, where there are many great artifacts, books, and displays that tell the story of this fraternity. This building is open to the public on certain days and times. I recommend visiting this place if you like history, and are willing to part with silly conspiracy theories.

What a fun stop! Personal tour of the house, including entry to all but one bedroom. Wonderful,…read moredetailed tour of this historic home. Museum is decorated in 1700's items, some original and some replicas. There's also a stop that shows the architecture/layers of materials from the home. Tour includes the history of the original owner and his family, the changes of ownership and disarray the house fell into, restoration and current state. $3 for children 6+ and $7 for adults. Tour begins with a short video and then a 45-50 minute walk through of the home. Must be able to walk stairs. There are specific chairs throughout the home to sit during the tour if needed.

The Congress of Alexandria- General Braddock & Five Colonial Governors…read more https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_of_Alexandria Quite Educational but also Entertaining - firing squad