Super theater. Very clean, comfortable, often not full. Good staff and just overall a good movie…read moregoing experience.

I used to come here a lot when I first moved here in 2010. Came today for the first time in 15…read moreyears and a mouse ran into my foot. We could not finish watching the show because of the mouse.

I had no idea that such a unique piece of architecture was located right in the suburbs of…read moreBethesda. I only found this out after searching for activities to do in the area and was recommended this site. Definitely a really cool crafted home that looks like a smurf or flinstone home!

One of the most unusual houses you will ever see. Reminds me of a Smurf house. Definitely a one of…read morea kind gem hidden right in suburbia.

The seminary (or "castle" as I called it in high school, for apparently no reason, because castle…read moreis maybe the one type of building that the campus doesn't have) lived rent free in my mind when I was younger. It's just a crazy place, especially tucked right by Silver Spring, right by 16th and Georgia, and yet few people know it exists. Starting out as an inn and then a finishing school for girls, there's a Japanese pagoda, a Dutch windmill, a Parthenon looking building, and so many beautiful statues. After WWII it got taken over by the army. And then it slowly decayed. Save the Seminary, the organization whose mission is to restore the seminary, did a pretty damn good job at restoring the buildings, the ballroom, and the statutes. They do free walk tours, and most insane, the structures are now homes, where actual human beings live. I can't quite wrap my head around it, but if you have an extra mil lying around one of these places could be yours (if any of them happen to be up for sale).

Forest Glen, Maryland: Do you know where Forest Glen Maryland is?…read more Take a look at this map (This is the point of the presentation where I wish I could embed a map into my review) Well, imagine an isosceles triangle. Those are the ones that have a corner with 70 degrees- another corner with 70 degrees- and the third corner with 40 degrees. But make it stand straight up... like a pyramid. Ok, just think of a pyramid... but just one side, not like an actual 3D Pyramid. Ok... ya know what, think of a Yield Sign. There we go, just think of a Yield sign. The bottom left corner is Bethesda, the bottom right corner is Silver Spring and the top of the Yield sign is Forest Glen. See, that was so much easier than just showing you a map. In that time, I hope that you've just googled Forest Glen and seen exactly where it is. So in Forest Glen there is an enormous building on Linden Lane and you'll see a Japanese Pagoda right in front of it. Yes, a true to form, authentic color paint, bamboo what not Japanese Freakin' Pagoda. That'll make you say something like "This Is the FR*&*in' Catalina Wine Mixer!".. of buildings. And then you'll say, "Why have I never seen this before." Here's some real short history. I did the research for you. The building was built as a Hotel/ Vacation Resort in 1887 for DC vacationers: Ye Old Forest Inn. But that didn't work out. Apparently the people who ran it were less than savvy. Then in 1894 it became an all girls school. And it remained that way until 1942. But, as you remember, we were dragged into WW2 in 1942 after Pearl Harbor happened December 7th 1941 "A Day Which Will Live In Infamy". Quick side note. In addition to Pearl Harbor the Japanese on that day also attacked the following: American ships the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu, Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippine Islands,Wake Island. And the next morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Something I didn't know because everything is really ethnocentric here in America. And now back to National Park Seminary So the building in 1942 became sort of an Annex for Walter Reed and was controlled by the army. But in 1977 most of the buildings were left abandoned. Which essentially became a playground ( a very expensive and beautiful playground) for vandals. After years of neglect and vandalism a company called The Alexander Company helped in it's rehabilitation for the purpose of preserving this listing on the "National Register of Historic Places." For a very long time an organization called SOS (Save Our Seminary) has been working to raise money to preserve and repair so many of the historic buildings, structures, and intricate details that make this place so G-D Da*n Magical! The building used to face railroad tracks where people would travel off the railroad and right onto the campus. Now, that railroad is 495 so the front faces a non accessible point. Coming up from Linden, you're actually coming from the back and don't get to see the entire majesty of what the Seminary is. Quick info: National Park Seminary- the name After Ye Old Forest Inn the school took notice of Rock Creek Park which was constructed and opened during that time ( an attraction that many people were coming to see), the spot was named "National Park" in reference to being so close to that site. The Seminary comes from the older meaning of seminary which is: "a school of secondary or higher level for young women." So the campus is big 23 acres. And on that campus lives several sorority houses done in an international theme ( I KNOW! Awesome!) Which explains the Japanese Pagoda- some of the others include a : "Dutch windmill, a Swiss chalet, an Italian villa, An American Bungalow and an English castle" Quick note- In 1936 the National Park Seminary was renamed National Park College and served as a very prestigious woman's college for a while. The name was changed back to National Park Seminary after it was reacquired from the army. The campus is brilliant and beautiful. Large sculptures decorate the beautiful buildings at almost every turn. A mix of styles inside the buildings. Especially the wonderful ballroom. The site is just something to behold. They do tours on Every 4th Saturday at 1PM Here are the rest for 2014 - They start at 1PM and are 5 bucks per person Saturday, June 28 Saturday, July 26 Sunday, August 3 Saturday, August 23 Saturday, September 27 Saturday, October 25 Saturday, November 22

My family and I were introduced to Josiah Henson by watching a PBS special on his life. We pass…read morethe museum frequently so we finally decided to go. The Museum & Park located on the plantation property where Josiah Henson was enslaved for over twenty years before escaping to freedom. The tour starts with a video presentation detailing the history of slavery in Montgomery County, details about Josiah Hensen's life and his impact on American history. After the video the guide gives you an orientation on the property. There is an outdoor path with signage with historical information + the Isaac Riley house (Henson's former enslaver) that has been converted to a modern museum. The guides were extremely friendly and helpful in providing additional background information about the site and life at that time. I think we spent about 1.5 hours there. There is a very very small parking lot in front of the visitor center but a larger parking lot about 1.5 blocks away. Overall it was a great expereince and I would highly recommend it.

I visited this museum a couple months ago and it was an excellent experience more than I expected…read more Small yet so impactful on what Josiah Henson's history means to the state of Maryland and the country. Tickets were $12 a piece and you have to park a 1/2 a mile away across the street at a park then cross a busy street. My only suggestion for this part of the visit is to let visitors park at the daycare next door or the commercial building lot where there was no one on the weekend. (Saturday in particular no 1 was at either business) Both are on the same side as the museum and much safer to walk. Once I was at the museum, you watch a video of Josiah Hensons' history which was about 10-12 minutes. Then Ginger, the friendly front desk receptionist, takes you outside to the grounds of where Josiah and his family were enslaved. There's signage at each ground site and then you walk into the original house where everything felt surreal. Our tour guide Jessie had so much wealth of knowledge and was able to answer every question we had. We actually had the house to ourselves so it felt more personable as she guided us until the next group came in. You can take pictures of most inside. While I don't want to go into the particulars of what you see (nothing graphic), some things you just have to experience in person. I would highly recommend this hidden treasure to any local of Maryland. I would pass this place all the time and glad I finally carved time out to visit. What I thought in the beginning would be less then an hour turned into 2 1/2 hours of a phenomenal, educational visit. Thank you Ginger & Jessie! (We even bought a couple books after)

I really like this theater great service and everything you could want to watch a movie. Its a…read morelittle small. There are a great amount of options for beer and wine too. Its a great place to see a reasonably priced movie.

This is the closest movie theater to where I live. While the staff was friendly, and the theater…read moremostly empty, I felt like this is a solid 3 star experience and has a bit of improvement. The movie theater used to have a full bar. However, as of writing, lost its liquor license. They do hope to re-gain it, but have no immediate plans in the future. The food menu is very basic -- hot dogs, pizza, pretzels. We tried to order 2 different types of pizza. A cheese pizza and a buffalo chicken pizza version. However, they ran out and could only do cheese. That's fine. We ordered 2 pizzas as they were small but only got one. I did appreciate that they comped the second pizza. Service was very slow, but friendly. The theater space is small and intimate. Would I rush back here? Definitely not. I prefer AMC Georgetown, Alamo Drafthouse in Crystal City and E Street Cinemas.

A little piece of Silver Spring History: This 1945 beloved landmark was rescued and restored by…read moreMontgomery Preservation Inc. It is the only building in downtown Silver Spring listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The original train station manager from its 1945 start was here today to greet residents. It is known that President Harry S. Truman often used this station to avoid crowds at Union Station. Inside the building you'll find mementos from bygone days and little bits of nostalgia of long gone Silver Spring businesses. Up until fairly recently, the MARC train used this station. Now the station is open to the public once a month. It may also be rented for meetings and special events.

Held my son's second birthday here and it was fantastic. This is a great space for a party in…read moregeneral, and it comes with many train toys! The staff were very helpful and had great suggestions for where to set up food, when to bring the kids into the back room and turn on the model train, and when to bust out the Thomas Power Wheel (which was quite the hit.) I also got the impression that they appreciate the rental fee and use of space, as it goes toward the ability to continue maintaining the site. This is a gem in Silver Spring.

The National Museum of Health and Medicine was a bit small, but it still made for a fun pitstop…read moresince we were already in the area. Parking was free and no tickets were required. We visited on a rainy day, and many guests left their umbrellas and coats in the entry room where there were hangers available. Volunteers greeted us at the front and pointed us toward a stand of pamphlets. We were able to see the entire museum in about 30 minutes. At one point, the staff brought out a cart of organs for hands on interaction. Based on some of the flyers, they also host additional demonstrations once a month. There was a modest anatomical collection with a focus on the nervous system and bones. I found the displays of brains after injuries and strokes especially interesting. There were also several examples of bone infections and exhibits highlighting medical developments over time. I appreciated the historical context behind each advancement, particularly how it connected to warfare. One of the most striking sections for me was the wall of organs affected by different diseases and infections. It felt especially rare compared to what I have seen in other museums. I was also fascinated by the less common presentations of parasites, which are not typically featured elsewhere. There was also a room dedicated to surgical advancements, and I found myself quiet while looking at the stories of soldiers who sustained injuries and underwent reconstruction. There was no gift shop and it seemed like a quick stop for most visitors. There was an upcoming veterinary focused day that looked interesting and would be worth checking out if I were still in the area. Overall, the museum is not as elaborate as others, but I still enjoyed the visit while staying nearby.

Very interesting exhibits! It's free so you can't really complain regardless, but honestly I really…read moreenjoyed my trip!

Aww man, how did I know this center existed til Latin Heritage Month!? A friend and I came here for…read morethe viewing of Olma, a film included in the LHM film lineup, and boy did we have the best time! For my ladies, please be reassured that the bathrooms are clean! They are located close to the theater which of course is convenient. But overall, this place is so cool! So nostalgic as to what exactly a theatre and film center have to offer. There are also food and drink options available to purchase too, so come solo... come with a friend or family, or book a whole row - please make your way over here, you will not be disappointed.

I cannot believe that it took me almost 3 years after moving to the area to visit AFI Silver…read moreTheatre and Culture Center. This is kind of interesting/funny because I'm usually hanging out in this part of Silver Spring 2-4 times a week. The AFI Latin American Film Festival 2026 is what brought us to AFI. While the prices of pretty much everything are rising, I thought the $15 ticket prices were pretty reasonable. Also, the prices for food and drink were very fair. I think that a large bag of popcorn was like seven bucks. Nowadays, popcorn prices can easily creep up to $14+. Also, I thought the theater had a nice selection of canned beers. I'll say the lobby is not too impressive, but I thought the theater was very nice. First, the seats are very well-cushioned and are of a nice size. While the main theater can seat about 400 folks, the seats and rows are spaced out enough so visitors shouldn't feel like they are sardines packed into a small can. Also, I thought the sound and video quality was pretty decent. All in all, I don't think that I have any major complaints regarding my first experience at AFI silver. I hope to visit again in the future. Actually, I have a feeling that I may make another visit very soon because there are a couple more movies from AFI Latin American Film Festival 2026 that I might check out. Although the theater itself does not have its own parking and there are not too many street parking options, there are several parking garages (which decent rates) that are within walking distance to the theater. The closest parking garage is about a 5-10-minute walk from the theater.

Absolutely gorgeous gardens and the best part is that admission is completely free…read more Rain or shine, the gardens were stunning and exceptionally well maintained. We were impressed by the variety of plant collections, some of which rivaled gardens we had previously paid admission to visit. Parking was free and we chose to park at the Visitor Center. However, those planning to visit the Butterfly Experience should park closer to the Conservatory, as the walk between the two was fairly substantial. The map was detailed and pathways were well maintained, making the grounds accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. We purchased tickets for the Butterfly Experience and check in was quick and seamless. I did find the additional $2 service charge unfortunate, especially since there was no option to purchase tickets in person. Thankfully, staff were flexible with entry timing. The volunteers were incredibly kind and guided visitors through the double door system efficiently. Inside, butterflies freely flew around the conservatory and many rested on the ground, so we had to stay mindful of where we stepped. I especially appreciated the bulletin board displaying all the butterfly species currently housed inside. The Children's Garden was relatively small but wonderfully colorful and dense with greenery. The vibrant artwork throughout added a whimsical charm that made the area feel playful and inviting. Nearby, the Winter Garden and Camellia Garden were similarly well maintained, though neither was particularly abundant in blooms during our visit. I still appreciated the many art installations scattered throughout the surrounding trails. The Fragrance Garden absolutely lived up to its name and ended up being one of my favorite sections. Beyond the floral aromas surrounding the garden, the entire area felt incredibly serene and the air itself felt remarkably fresh and crisp. The Japanese Tea House was beautifully simplistic, featuring plain wooden benches along the exterior while overlooking still water framed by lush Japanese trees. The Anderson Pavilion offered a similar tranquil atmosphere on the opposite side of the Visitor Center, though surrounded by a different collection of trees and landscaping. The Visitor Center contained a small gift shop, though I did not notice many customized or particularly memorable souvenirs. The building otherwise seemed primarily dedicated to educational programming and exhibits. The grounds were incredibly well maintained and there was an impressive variety of gardens to explore and interact with. While I found the Butterfly Experience somewhat expensive, it would absolutely be worthwhile for those who have never visited an active conservatory before. Otherwise, the free portions of Brookside Gardens alone make this an easy and worthwhile stop for anyone in the area.

This is a lovely park and served as a great alternative to going downtown to see the cherry…read moreblossoms. They have areas to sit with various views of the lake. Dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals. There are centers on the premises that have bathrooms in addition to events and programs they give yearly.

For some Veterans coming home from war doesn't always mean the war is over. For some Veterans it…read moremeans a new battle begins. During one of our visits to Washington, D.C. we visited this heart-felt and sadly little-known Battleground National Cemetery to solemnly, humbly and reverently pay our respects to our Fallen Brother Warriors who gave their today for our tomorrows. It is the resting place of Union Soldiers and Union Marines of Fort Stevens and the Invalid Corps / Veteran Reserve Corp Veterans of July 1864. Battleground National Cemetery is a U.S. military burial ground, located along Georgia Avenue near Fort Stevens, in Washington, D.C.'s Brightwood neighborhood. The National Park Service manages this historic cemetery. We highly recommend a visit and to read all the informational signs there. If you bring children or teenagers, it is a cemetery so make sure they do not run nor play nor shout here, as one never does in any Veterans cemetery, for all Veterans' cemeteries are sacred and hallowed ground. The Invalid Corps was created in 1863 to allow able Union Soldiers and able Union Marines to be sent to the Civil War front lines. It was composed of disabled Union Soldiers and disabled Union Marines who had received Honorable Discharges and those deemed too disabled to Serve on Active Duty during the Civil War. The term "invalid" is a historical term which meant "a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury" or "to remove someone from active service in the armed forces because of injury or illness." The title "Veteran Reserve Corps" was substituted for that of "Invalid Corps" by General Order No. 111, dated March 18, 1864. A similar corps had existed in Revolutionary times between 1777 and 1783. The Invalid Corps / Veteran Reserve Corps make up included Union Army and Union Marine Corps men who were Service-connected disabled "by wounds or by disease contracted in the line of duty - men missing limbs, and eyes, those with rheumatism, epilepsy, bullet injuries, those with what we now call PTSD", and men with many other Service-connected disabilities. "Confederate General Jubal Early is at the gates of Washington DC. The city is in panic. Almost every able-bodied soldier from the Union has already been sent south with General Grant for the siege of Petersburg." To stop the Confederates, the men of the Invalid Corps were put outside Fort Stevens to defend the fort, in trenches they and only they themselves had painstakingly dug. "One of the members of the Veteran Reserve Corps, Captain James O'Bierne, had suffered an injury from a bullet ricocheting off his head, had a second bullet in his leg, had been shot in his chest and had a paralyzed right arm. He was detailed to the Provost Marshall's Office and put in charge of getting the arms and the ammunition for the men who fought at Fort Stevens. He also took care of the wounded, buried the dead, oversaw the care of prisoners and was assigned to chase General Early and his command after the attack on Fort Stevens." James O'Bierne later helped the Union track down John Wilkes Booth, the murderer of President Abraham Lincoln, and then Veteran O'Bierne went on to become the Assistant Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island, New York. The Invalid Corps were the Wounded Warriors, along with the small Fort Stevens and its minimum number of troops who saved Washington, D.C. in July 1864 when they successfully held off 15,000 Confederates. The Veteran Reserve Corps completely ceased to exist in March 1869. https://invalidcorpsfilm.nrbrown.com/video/

Along the Takoma-Brightwood border in Northwest DC is one of the country's smallest national…read morecemeteries on one acre of land. It was created and dedicated by Abraham Lincoln himself after the Battle at Fort Stevens. It was there that the Union stopped the attack on Washington, DC and the only time Lincoln came under direct fire from the Confederacy. 41 Union soldiers gave their lives that day and this cemetery honors them. The cemetery is easy to miss, but once you're through the gate, you won't soon forget it. Take time to read the signs about its history and walk through the grass remembering the soldiers who defended Washington, DC at Fort Stevens nearby. The cemetery is run by the National Park Service so entry is free.