It’s no secret that Washington, DC is a city full of politicos, but did you know that it’s also a hub for arts and culture? From the many live music options, to the diverse theatre and museum offerings, you’ll never be at a loss when seeking to get your dose of culture while in the District.
The wealth of visual arts options goes without saying, as DC is the home to the Smithsonian Institution, which encompasses many of the city’s museums including the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of African Art, the National Air & Space Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum and more than 10 others. In addition to the Smithsonian museums, the city also offers the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the National Gallery of Art.
Performance buffs will love the options presented by Arena Stage, Signature,Woolly Mammoth, Lincoln and Studio Theatres. The new Harman Center of the Arts in Penn Quarter plays home to the Shakespeare Theatre Company, while the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast DC is home to the African Continuum Theatre Company, presenting plays from an African-American perspective. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts 2,000 events per year ranging from classic ballet and contemporary dance to opera and jazz.
TOURS
Many of Washington, DC’s African-American heritage sites can be visited on organized tours. There are guided walking tours, including Cultural Tourism DC’s, “Before Harlem, There Was U Street – A DC Heritage Tour,” which highlights Duke Ellington’s neighborhood and also includes stops at the African American Civil War Memorial and the Lincoln Theatre.
Bus tours are an option as well, and Capitol Entertainment Services, Inc. offers an African American Heritage tour, which includes off-the-bus stops at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s time capsule, the Supreme Court and the Emancipation Statue.
For a more personalized experience, try one of Cultural Tourism DC’s Neighborhood Heritage Trails, a group of self-guided walking routes marked with illustrated signs that reveal stories of Washington's historic neighborhoods. Options include tours of Adams Morgan, Barracks Row, Mount Pleasant and other historically-significant areas of the city.
Pay special attention to Cultural Tourism DC’s African American Heritage Trail, which highlights sites that represent important moments in Washington’s – and the nation’s – black history. It provides the opportunity for DC residents and visitors to enhance their appreciation for the city’s rich cultural roots and the many generations of African Americans that built strong communities, churches and businesses throughout the city. Many of the 200+ sites on the trail are open to the public, and all of them can be accessed at Culturaltourismdc.org.
