2019-03-04 14:34:49
Enjoy marvelous museums, majestic memorials and many outdoor activities for free in DC. For more free things to do, check out washington.org. 1. HONOR A CENTURY OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY From March 1 through Jan. 5, 2020, the National Portrait Gallery displays Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, an in-depth look at the ratification of the 19th Amendment and the female activists who made it possible. You can also view Amy Sherald’s stunning portrait of Michelle Obama inside the museum. 2. EXPLORE THE SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL ZOO More than 1,500 animals from 300 species call the National Zoo home. It’s one of DC’s most popular free family attractions thanks to roly-poly giant pandas and the new Me and the Bee Playground, a pollinator-themed area with larger-than-life bee replicas and towering flowers. 3. JOURNEY BACK TO THE TIME OF DINOSAURS AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY On June 8, Deep Time opens in the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils. The exhibit transports you back 4.6 billion years, telling the story of our planet through 700 specimens, including dinosaurs such as the T-Rex. 4. SEE PLANES, ROCKETS AND SPACESHIPS AT THE UDVAR-HAZY CENTER The sister museum to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the mammoth Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., counts the Space Shuttle Discovery, a Concorde Jet and a flying car among its various artifacts. 5. WITNESS A PERFECT MARRIAGE OF ART, ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE AT GLENSTONE Located in Potomac, Md., Glenstone is roughly 40 minutes outside of DC. The 230-acre, indoor-outdoor private museum presents a holistic experience of abstract art, futuristic architecture and breathtaking installations. One of its newest additions, The Pavilions, features works by Jackson Pollock, Barbara Kruger and Andy Warhol. Children 12 and under are not permitted and online reservations are required. 6. DISCOVER THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE A state-of-the-art addition to the National Mall in 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture offers five floors of vital history, from the origins of the slave trade to the Civil Rights movement to the legacy of contemporary heroes like Michael Jordan and Oprah Winfrey. 7. PAY HOMAGE TO ONE OF THE LEADERS OF AMERICA’S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial sits prominently along the gorgeous Tidal Basin. The four-acre site features a 30-foot statue of Dr. King carved into the Stone of Hope, which displays soul-stirring words from his “I Have a Dream” speech. The Inscription Wall offers 14 inspirational quotes from King’s speeches, sermons and writings. 8. LEARN THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM America’s proud postal history is on display at the National Postal Museum, located near historic Union Station. Glimpse the William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, which features thousands of noteworthy stamps and artifacts of mail transportation, from stagecoaches to prop planes. 9. FEEL THE BEAT OF A LOCAL TRADITION AT MERIDIAN HILL PARK On Sundays at 3 p.m., the scenic Meridian Hill Park near U Street and Columbia Heights vibrates with its famous drum circle, a fixture in the park for more than 20 years. You can experience the drum circle and feel the power of DC’s mix of lively communities. 10. ENCOUNTER THOUGHT-PROVOKING ART AT THE SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN You’ll find cutting-edge modern art, architecture and sculpture at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Rotating installations showcase groundbreaking creative work and perspectives, and outdoor works range from a gigantic pumpkin sculpture by Kusama to Rodin’s Burghers of Calais. And make sure you get your selfie with Pepper, the ultra-friendly, on-site humanoid robot.
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