Things to do the week of Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, 2025
We've gathered up things to do across the nation's capital, including museum exhibits, concerts, only-in-DC events and much more. Don't miss our things to do this weekend and things to do this month as well.
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Monday
The U.S. Constitution on Display in Its Entirety
For the first time in years, National Archives visitors can view every piece of the U.S. Constitution all at once (barring a visit from Nicholas Cage's Ben Gates.) What you'll see: all four original pages, the rarely seen fifth page signed by George Washington, the Bill of Rights and the 17 subsequent amendments. The display marks Constitution Day on Sept. 17, and is part of nationwide America 250th celebrations leading up to 2026. This event adds to the many experiences that make DC the ultimate destination for celebrating the semiquincentennial.
Free timed tickets
National Archives Museum, 701 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408
Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985
The National Gallery of Art hosts a monumental tribute to the work of Black artists from around the world. Photography and the Black Arts Movement spans four decades and features roughly 150 pieces by more than 100 artists, including luminaries such as Gordon Parks, Carrie Mae Weems, Frank Stewart, Billy Abernathy, David C. Driskell, Lorna Simpson and many more.
4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20565
Iggy Pop
Progenitor of punk rock and a master of provocation, Iggy Pop has been a fixture in the music landscape since the late-1960s. Beginning with his legendary work with The Stooges and on through a captivating solo career, the singer/songwriter/storyteller has maintained cultural relevance and a swaggering attitude. The 78-year-old is likely to be shirtless at some point during his show at The Anthem.
8 p.m. | Tickets
The Anthem, 901 Wharf Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Elvis Costello & The Imposters
A musical pioneer since his initial emergence in the late-1970s as part of the New Wave movement, Elvis Costello is responsible for some of the most acclaimed and innovative pop songs of the last 50 years. Fortunately, he still puts on one hell of a show, so don’t miss an evening packed with his signature tracks at Warner Theatre.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Warner Theatre, 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Tuesday
Theatre Week
Theatre Week
Celebrate the theatre season in the Washington, DC region with a weeks-long promotion from TheatreWashington which includes $25, $45 and $65 tickets to highly anticipated productions at venues all over the DC area. There are musicals, dramas, comedies, theatre for young audiences and much more. In addition to discounted tickets, Theatre Week also includes special events (most of which are free) designed to entertain, educate and inspire, including the free Kickoff Fest. Plan your stay: Book a hotel today.
The Great Privation
Timelines jump and collide in this innovative production at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. The Great Privation shows a mother and daughter guarding the grave of their husband and father to prevent resurrectionists from tampering with it, circa 1832. On the same grounds in the present, another mother and daughter are summer camp counselors. The two stories intersect in fascinating ways.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Lightning Bolt
You may be surprised to find out that one of the loudest groups in music consists of just two people. If that sounds like your thing, go to Black Cat and witness the majesty and virtuosity of Lightning Bolt. Drummer/vocalist Bryan Chippendale plays with wild abandon while bassist Brian Gibson riffs on the instrument in a way that you can’t imagine.
7:30 p.m. | Tickets
Black Cat, 1811 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Natasha Bedingfield
This UK sensation burst onto the charts in the early 2000s on the heels of “Unwritten,” one of the decade’s most infectious hits and the opening theme song to MTV’s The Hills. Since then, Natasha Bedingfield has built a career filled with R&B-flavored hits, leading to more than 20 million records sold worldwide.
7 p.m. | Tickets
9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Wednesday
Rik Freeman: Wade in the Waters
DC artist Rik Freeman’s work is showcased in-depth at this free exhibition displayed at Phillips@THEARC. For more than three decades, Freeman has engaged history, community, resilience and joy in his work. Wade in the Waters zooms in on waterways – from the beaches of Bahia to the Anacostia River – and how they connect to the diaspora over generations.
Wednesday & Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
Phillips@THEARC, 1801 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond
A new exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, will showcase the imprint of Asian Americans on the physical and cultural terrain of the nation's capital. Installed in a gallery that overlooks DC's Chinatown, the exhibition features examples of cultural products that feature Chinese, Korean and Japanese heritage and/or express coalitional Asian American and BIPOC identities. These include displays of artwork, material culture, images and other graphic material drawn from Smithsonian collections and shared by local lenders, including community members and repositories such as the DC History Center and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. A free celebration on Sept. 7 marks the exhibit's opening.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Ford's Theatre
The American Five
Ford’s Theatre treats audiences to a stage production that depicts five civil rights icons – including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – in the process of planning the March on Washington and crafting King’s legendary “I Have A Dream” speech. In the face of intimidation, life threats, surveillance and immense public pressure, the group forms a coalition and creates a defining moment in American history.
Tickets
Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Damn Yankees
The minds behind this new adaptation of an American classic include Lortel Award winner Will Power, Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright and Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Sergio Trujillo. From its pure love of baseball to its femme fatale and fateful pact with the Devil, Damn Yankees promises to be a crowd-pleaser at Arena Stage.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Julius X
Renaissance man Al Letson reimagines one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies through the story of civil rights leader Malcolm X. Letson – an award-winning writer, journalist and podcast host – teams with director Nicole Brewer for a production that reflects the timelessness of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and examines the fascinating life of a revolutionary.
Tickets
Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Thursday
Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750
More than 40 Dutch and Flemish women artists are showcased in a new exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Pieces include paintings, lace, prints, paper cuttings, embroidery and sculpture, all of which deepens understanding of the Dutch and Flemish visual culture of the period. Artists displayed include Gesina ter Borch, Maria Faydherbe, Anna Maria de Koker, Judith Leyster and Magdalena van de Passe.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Signature Theatre Company
Strategic Love Play
Signature Theatre Company delivers a biting new satire from Succession writer Miriam Battye that skewers the world of online dating. When a man and a woman meet for a date after matching, a first date never to be forgotten quickly ensues.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Studio Theatre
The Heart Sellers
Studio Theatre dives deep into the immigrant experience with this new play from writer Lloyd Suh and director Danilo Gambini. It’s Thanksgiving Day in 1973 when Filipino immigrant Luna meets the South Korean Jane in a near-empty grocery store. The two decide to celebrate the holiday together, eventually discussing their homesickness, their pursuit of the American dream, Soul Train and much more in this intimate production.
Tickets
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
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