Radisson Hotel Largo-Washington DC

ANACOSTIA. Housed in a former Civil War fortress, this community museum broke new ground by combining art outreach...

ANACOSTIA. Housed in a former Civil War fortress, this community museum broke new ground by combining art outreach programs with museum installations. It seeks to both "influence and archive" the culture of the community, and since its inception in 1967, it has honed in more closely on African-American culture and heritage. The museum is also unique in that it doesn't collect just physical artifacts, but stories and accounts in the oral tradition to develop a more comprehensive cultural view. METRO: Smithsonian

Hours: Daily 10am-5pm

DOWNTOWN. The Building Museum offers a wide array of exhibits covering architecture, construction and engineering, but...

DOWNTOWN. The Building Museum offers a wide array of exhibits covering architecture, construction and engineering, but the biggest draw here may be the architecture of the facility itself. The Great Hall is the essence of Italian Renaissance splendor, with massive columns, a dramatic fountain, and an ornate ceiling soaring 15 stories high. A 1200-foot terra cotta frieze decorates the exterior. Inside, learn about design through interactive exhibits, or see temporary exhibitions focusing on the development of ghettos, factories, parks, roads and more. A must for the architecture buff or the casual observer. METRO: Judiciary Square.

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm

Payment Methods: Cash Only

NATIONAL MALL. Raphael, Botticelli, Degas, Picasso, Pollock: masterpiece after masterpiece lines the walls of the...

NATIONAL MALL. Raphael, Botticelli, Degas, Picasso, Pollock: masterpiece after masterpiece lines the walls of the National Gallery of Art. From the only da Vinci on display in the Western Hemisphere to over 1,000 vibrant Rothko paintings, this world-renowned museum is home to an astonishing 109,000 works. Founded in 1937, the gallery consists of the West Building, housing thirteenth- through twentieth-century art, the East Building, featuring the modern and contemporary collections, and the beloved sculpture garden, open year-round.

Hours: East & West Buildings Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-6pm Sculpture Garden Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-6pm (extended summer hours)

DOWNTOWN. This stunning, sinuous museum ­ crafted of limestone and set amid forty "grandfather" boulders...

DOWNTOWN. This stunning, sinuous museum ­ crafted of limestone and set amid forty "grandfather" boulders and an extensive planted landscape ­ acknowledges the Native American experience in culture, cosmology, craft, and history. Almost a million artifacts represent communities from North, South, and Central America, mesmerizing visitors with their age, beauty, and utility. The building also serves as a gathering space, complete with library, gift shop, theaters, and a cafe with authentic Native American dishes. METRO: L'Enfant Plaza

Hours: Daily 10am-5:30pm

DOWNTOWN. The National Portrait Gallery is housed in a beautiful historic Greek Revival building, constructed in 1836...

DOWNTOWN. The National Portrait Gallery is housed in a beautiful historic Greek Revival building, constructed in 1836 as the U.S. Patent Office. The museum's contents include a complete collection of presidential portraits, and the American Origins:1600-1900 exhibit features 17 galleries of portraits of other historic figures such as Pocahontas, Henry Clay and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Additional exhibits are devoted to American athletes and entertainers.

Hours: Daily 11:30am-7pm

DOWNTOWN. From colonial portraits to Pollock's splash canvases, the Smithsonian American Art Museum boasts over 41,000...

DOWNTOWN. From colonial portraits to Pollock's splash canvases, the Smithsonian American Art Museum boasts over 41,000 works and is considered the world's largest collection of American art. Adjacent to the National Portrait Gallery, SAAM features work by such celebrated artists as Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe, Robert Motherwell and Nam June Paik. After exploring the galleries, stop by the Lunder Conservation Center to watch conservationists at work before sipping coffee in the gorgeous, glass-canopied courtyard.

Hours: Daily 11:30am-7pm

DOWNTOWN. You can't miss the Hirshhorn, a unique cylindrical museum visible from the Mall. Managed by the Smithsonian,...

DOWNTOWN. You can't miss the Hirshhorn, a unique cylindrical museum visible from the Mall. Managed by the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn houses an impressive collection of modern and contemporary art and is surrounded by a peaceful tree-lined sculpture garden. There are more than 5000 paintings and 3000 pieces of sculpture displayed here, including works by Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper and Andy Warhol. METRO: L'Enfant Plaza (Maryland Avenue exit)

Hours: Museum Daily 10am-5:30pm
Sculpture Garden Daily 7:30am-Sunset

DOWNTOWN. This Smithsonian-run museum is dedicated to the study and collection of African art from all time periods and...

DOWNTOWN. This Smithsonian-run museum is dedicated to the study and collection of African art from all time periods and regions, with a focus on sub-Saharan areas. Located on the Mall, largely underground in the Smithsonian Gardens complex, the museum has a permanent collection of more than 7,000 pieces, including masks, jewelry, carvings, photography, and artifacts made from materials such as wood, metal, ceramic, and ivory. The collection of ritual objects is particularly extensive and educational. METRO: L'Enfant Plaza or Smithsonian

Hours: Daily 10am-5:30pm

NATIONAL MALL. The Smithsonian ­ for many, the image of the 19th-century sandstone "Castle" immediately...

NATIONAL MALL. The Smithsonian ­ for many, the image of the 19th-century sandstone "Castle" immediately springs to mind. The Institution itself is larger than most realize (19 museums and the National Zoo in DC alone) and granting only one day to "do the Smithsonian" is a mistake. Always-popular stops are the National Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of American History; however, the beautiful National Museum of the American Indian has emerged as a hot attraction, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington-Dulles serves as a fascinating repository of nearly 80% of the Smithsonian's air and space collection. METRO: Smithsonian

Hours: The Castle & Smithsonian Information Center Daily 8:30am-5:30pm Most Smithsonian Facilities Daily 10am-5:30pm

DOWNTOWN. Inside a spectacular beaux-arts building, this is the only museum of its kind in the world. Instead of...

DOWNTOWN. Inside a spectacular beaux-arts building, this is the only museum of its kind in the world. Instead of focusing on a particular period or style, this museum focuses on the achievements of women artists "of all periods and all nationalities," according to its mission statement. In addition to showcasing more than 2,600 works by 700 artists, including famous pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo and Mary Cassatt, this museum conducts research and publishes studies related to women and the arts. METRO: Metro Center

Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun Noon-5pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express