"I love these murals, but when do we enter the museum?" Me. "These are the museum," my friend. And…read morethis is how I've come to enjoy the DC Alley Museum as the best outdoor-only free museum experience that I've ever had! For the past 10 years, Shaw's Blagden Alley has partnered with the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities to transform its building walls into canvases for local artists to showcase their work. The result is an alleyway filled with a cavalcade of murals big and small, that blend in well with the local businesses within said alleyway. While walking through this vast alleyway I saw so many incredible works of art that I lost track, and the photos that I took barely do justice It's an absolute street art lover's dream! The best part is that you can either walk through it in a quick dose, or you can do so while grabbing coffee at La Colombe, a cocktail at Calico or Death & Co, or even a workout at DC Strength and Nutrition. Checking out the website is a must to learn more about the core mural artists and to find out about events like their Alley-Oop Music and Arts Festival.

Murals galore! They are all different and unique and range in size. How fun to just explore various…read morestreets and find unique art at every turn. Sometimes you can't even tell if it's part of the outdoor museum or part of the storefront of a creative restaurant. Definitely worth checking out. There is a coffee shop, bar, restaurants, and other business nestled within this space. We need more art, less arguing!

I had a great time photographing the artists and their work but it was well worth the time spent…read morethere.

This was difficult to find, as every site we looked on seemed to give a different address or…read morelocation, but we finally managed to track it down and it was worth it! We put 666 Rhode Island Ave NE in the gps and that was what got us closest, and then we went up the curving drive to the parking lot for Big Lots and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. These are some stunning murals that could use a little TLC...definitely a cool project for them to have done in this neighborhood!

Fantastic DC icon colorful, bright and as much DC as the monuments! Just type Watermelon House for…read moredirections.

The local artist is SO NICE and alludes his love to art. He is known for his "watermelon house" and…read moremural down the alley...

A hidden gem in DC - part thrift store part community art incubator. Grateful that third spaces…read morelike this exist! They host a ton of regular, weekly events so check those out, or stop by to shop secondhand and buy crafts from local artisans: https://bloombars.com/contact/events/

Awesome and accepting arts space in the middle of DC that holds cool events...go there a random…read moreevening if you want to take in some local culture in a beautiful space. If you're a performer you should know....the sound there is one of a kind, the mixing spot on. One of the most professional operations I've seen in terms of sound quality. No drinks or food so get your fill before you drop by.

I really enjoyed the overall concept and creative vision of this museum. It has a lot going in its…read morefavor. It has a prime location within easy walking distance of Metro center, in the beautiful old Franklin building. The staff are friendly and helpful. There is no charge for entry although donations are very welcome. One could almost go exclusively to visit the gift shop and the museum cafe as they are both so nice and full of fun things to feast the senses on. But for now I will stick to the museum. You start on the third floor and work your way down. There are displays for all ages and levels of interest, from very technical linguistics to basic "repeat after me". There's karaoke for the brave, joke telling for the dads, a Photo Booth for the tweens and an absolutely epic library in which fairy tales come to life. There's also a section on advertising and it's lures. The café is really fabulous and delicious and gives you a true taste of the global plate that America thankfully has adopted. I thoroughly enjoyed my West African chicken and shrimp curry. I was only sad that it was too early in the day on a weekday and with kids to enjoy one of their dozens of fantabulous looking cocktails! I'll have to go back for that!

We went here with some friend while visiting the DC. area. It was very fun and interesting I wish I…read moretook more pictures. They had a room with a digital globe in it where you learned about different languages. Another room talked about telling jokes and you would sit and tell jokes to one another. There was a karaoke room where you learned about how music is constructed. There was a library which is like a Harry Potter room with a hidden door to a poetry nook. I would definitely recommend this place for $15.

Georgetown Glow is free public art with elements to captivate all ages & demographics. It can be…read morepaired with some history or can be enjoyed to captivate your Instagram followers. It is currently in it's fifth year, running from early December to early January. It looks like the installations change every year so there is something new to explore and enjoy. I won't go through every installation that I saw for this reason. There are some really instagramable moments, my favorite in 2018 was definitely Prismatic, but I have a big soft spot for Run Beyond as well. You should definitely plan to get out and explore a lot of the installations, just walking or driving by won't give you the full effect of some of them. Some of them also can't be seen from your vehicle, bundle up and explore! There are also a few that incorporate motion & sound. Here is the biggest "well duh" moment- see these installations after dark. Not during sunset, not at dusk- make sure it is really dark for the full effect. I mean- they are light installations, so maybe that shouldn't even be mentioned. I opted to see Georgetown Glow as part of a tour group (Free Tours by Foot DC) and our tour started almost an hour before sunset so I made a point to revisit the installations we saw early on during the tour- it was definitely worth the trip back to see the earlier installations. I thought taking the walking tour was a great way to see some of the installations and learn more about the history of Georgetown. Our tour guide was excellent, but was definitely a better Georgetown guide vs a Glow guide. She had great historical stories to connect to the themes of the art installations as we walked through Georgetown. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all of the artwork during this foot tour, but we had plenty of time to explore the ones we did encounter on our tour. I would recommend doing Georgetown Glow both ways, take a tour if that's your thing, but really for the art itself I think you can easily enjoy every installation without the tour aspect and just read the information provided on the website to learn more. It is an outdoor, free, public display so expect that a few of the installations may have technical difficulties. I visited on the second night of the displays and noticed some light vandalism, most likely caused by careless spectators. It didn't take away from the overall effect though. One thing I appreciated is even though this is a December outdoor light exhibit, it wasn't Christmas themed. There is definitely plenty of holiday cheer to enjoy as you explore the city between installations. The art itself focuses on different themes giving you a brief mental break from the holidays.

I've been going to GLOW since the first edition and I just love it! I like some installations…read morebetter than others but it's a great idea and it's nice seeing people walking around at night in the Winter! It would be nice to have shuttle tours for people who can't walk as much. Maybe the Circulator used to do free rides? I can't remember. DC has so many free events and exhibits and GLOW is one of the best.

Someone at the hotel we were staying at recommended we checked this place out and we were so glad…read moreshe did. What a unique place! The mansion was actually a combination of multiple houses put together and in doing so, over 80 secret rooms are hidden throughout the museum. Everything in the museum is for sale. If something is too big to carry, you can take a picture and show it to a staff member for assistance. The rooms were all themed too, everything from old school toys and cartoons to the Beatles to horror icons like chucky and Michael Meyers! It was pretty crazy walking through and going through these hidden doors to either a secret room or a secret pathway. We only found 15 of the 80 doors! Crazy! Overall it's a really cool way to spend a couple hours.

So much history here - so be sure to embrace that part of the mansion!…read more Otherwise, I've always just approached the mansion as a cool, quirky, fun house of stimulation. Every inch and every corner is pretty much covered with something interesting to look at. In terms of a fun house vibe, you can definitely get lost and explore the mansion for hours. But at some point, I usually adjust my lens a bit a realize that it's just a really extension collection of flea market and estate sale items that have been arranged in an way to make it interesting (it even smells like it, in a moth ball-like way!) Either way, I would recommend everyone to experience it at least once if you have a free afternoon and time to kill. It's definitely a one of a kind experience!

Calming park in the middle of all the hustle and bustle…read more Great place to enjoy a sunny afternoon with its large trees providing shade and the sound of the fountain. Seems like lots of people come here to enjoy there lunch. Plenty of seating with built in bench seating along the inside and outside perimeter. Lots of restaurants nearby, especially fast casual.

I have been going to D.C. for most of my life. Typically it's once a year visit. Even though I'm…read morenow in Austin, Texas it's still once a year. Though travel is quite different than it was from Pittsburgh. Gone is that option to do an hour flight or a four hour drive. But, I digress. You're reading this for my thoughts on Dupont Circle. I absolutely love this part of town and find myself spending a lot of time here. It is in close proximity for the reason of my visits and quite often is part of such reasons. It's a beautiful area with a roundabout (as Arlene M. mentioned in her review...RIP Arlene, you were a great human!). You can easily walk to embassies and monuments. The fountain is glorious though it is hit or miss when it is on (usually by spring). The parks are incredible. Great shops and restaurants. A pleasant and exciting area to take in. Easy on and off Metro stop.

I found this place by randomly zooming in on Google Maps! TikTok kept recommending all the popular…read morespots in D.C., but this turned out to be a true hidden gem. I loved exploring the different artifacts and seeing how they represent cultures from various time periods around the world. The exhibits are incredibly unique, diverse, and thoughtfully displayed. It may not look like much from the outside, but once you step in, you'll be surprised by how spacious it is. Definitely worth a visit! Your friendly neighborhood museum, with items you wouldn't expect to see. All the items are incredibly beautiful!

I purposely visited recently (winter season) because entrance to the gardens is free, otherwise…read moreit's $15. The gardens are interesting even in the cold months. The couple most closely associated with this Georgetown estate, Mildred and Robert Bliss, clearly loved and thought deeply about this parcel of land when they owned it (1920/30's). Their efforts to preserve and share the space with the public are to be commended. It must have been quite something in its heyday. There's a lot of research that's supported here, as well as other activities. The website explains all that. It's a low-key sightseeing spot; quiet, contemplative.

I'm surprised not to see any other reviews for Come From Away yet! It was wonderful!…read more The theater itself is a place where the past and present mingle. The chairs are ornate and historical (albeit missing modern day plushness). The bunting in the balcony above indicates where Lincoln was sitting during the attack. Yet, the stage and quality of the audio and visual effects clearly root you in the 21st century. We swept into our seats a mere 5 minutes before the production began, so unfortunately didn't have time to explore the museum. I've heard great things, though! Ushers were friendly and efficient. The actors did an amazing job, but my favorites were the musicians. It was such a nice touch to bring them onstage during the pub scene. The themes of this show are heavy, and the mention of the Pentagon crash pulled a few shudders from the local audience. The play walks the line between tragedy and hopefulness really beautifully; more emphasis is placed on the unity that was found than the darkness that wrought it. Would recommend, especially given the historical significance of the place! Very meaningful to have an American disaster staged within the building that witnessed another dark day for the country over 150 years ago. Very walkable to metro stops, too!

Seeing the pillow with Lincoln's blood was honestly one of the most vivid historical experiences…read moreI've ever had. It's one thing to read about history in a book, but standing in a place where such a major moment actually happened makes it feel completely different. Ford's Theatre does a great job of preserving the history and telling the story of what happened that night. Walking through the theatre and seeing the artifacts in person was honestly chilling, but in a really fascinating way. Definitely a place I'd recommend visiting if you're in DC and want to experience history up close