3-Day DC Education

White House Photo Op

What better way to celebrate arriving in our nation’s capital than by viewing the White House, the home of our nation's President and First Family? Start your DC adventure by getting a photo near the White House!

Library of Congress

There are 3 main buildings that make up the Library of Congress: The John Adams Building, James Madison Memorial Building, and the Thomas Jefferson Building. Within the Thomas Jefferson Building, you will find the exhibits, some popular ones including Exploring the Early Americas, Hope for America and Mapping a Growing Nation: Independence to Statehood. You can take a free 1-hour guided tour of this building, or take topic-specific tours that range in subject from music and performing arts to history and culture. There are also special tours such as Shall Not be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote and Exploring the Early Americas. You will undoubtedly work up an appetite during your exploration, so stop at Madison Cafe, Jefferson Coffee Shop, or Adams Snack Bar while here.

Supreme Court Visit

Through guided tours are not available, the Supreme Court is open for self-guided tours and educational programs are offered such as courtroom lectures, a 24-minute visitors’ film, and exhibitions which are changed periodically. Exhibits you may see include displays on Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice, legal education in America, and more. Walkthrough the Supreme Court at your leisure and view the formidable John Marshall statue, the many busts, and portraits of Justices lining the corridors as well as the two free-standing marble spiral staircases. Watch a court session in progress on a first come first serve basis to see the Justices and the judicial branch in action. To attend courtroom lectures and to watch a court session, check the schedules and arrive early to get a seat.

Capitol Hill Tour

From the elegant stoicism of the Rotunda to the subtle glamour of the expertly manicured lawns, Capitol Hill has the creative aesthetics to match any world landmark. The neoclassical architecture resembles many of D.C.’s other sites such as the Jefferson Monument and the White House. Tours focusing on the art of the Brumidi Corridors at the Capitol Building are offered Monday through Friday. Tours of the Capitol Building are available Monday through Saturday and explore everything from the Crypt and Rotunda to the National Statuary Hall, beginning and ending at the Visitors Center which is in itself a masterpiece. Standing at three-quarters the size of the Capitol Building, the Visitors Center was built underground so as not to detract from the majestic, classic beauty of the Capitol. There you will find exhibits and galleries featuring collections of artifacts and art, two theaters showing orientation films, gift shops, and food service areas.

National Archives

There are several permanent and temporary exhibits available for guests to explore at any given time, the permanent ones you will see being Records of Rights and Public Vaults. Examples of temporary exhibits seen at the National Archives are the current Featured Document Display: Woodstock 1969 and Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote. There is also the O Brien galleries, Boeing Learning Center, William G McGowan Theater, and David M Rubenstein Galleries. Your group can take a guided tour here, the tours offered once daily starting at 9:45 am. The tour will show you the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the Public Vaults, and the temporary exhibit gallery.

National Museum of Natural History

This museum is recognizable by its green dome, underneath which you will learn fascinating things about our earth. The exhibits inside help you experience the earth's history and parts of it you have never even seen. You'll learn more about the land and sea as well as some of the creatures who have and do live here. Through it all, you'll gain a greater understanding of the human connection to our planet. Dinosaurs, ocean life, and curiously-colored gemstones will all open your eyes to earth's wonders. You'll see millions of insects and plants carefully preserved for study. This museum takes you on your very own journey of discovery from soil to sea and back again – throughout history and all around the globe.

National Museum of American History

From the original Star-Spangled Banner to a life vest from the RMS Titanic, the American History Museum has it all. See President Lincoln’s top hat, Dorothy Gale’s ruby slippers from the movie The Wizard of Oz, or view the Japanese American Internment Era Collection which examines possessions and personal accounts of the American internment camps during WWII. Temporary exhibits feature topics such as the evolution of transportation in America, the American presidency, first ladies, and FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 which looks at how Americans have changed their views on meals over the course of 50 years.

Mount Vernon

Experience life the way George and Martha Washington did on the estate with living history character representations, exploration programs, and presentations. See the working blacksmith shop where they would have made horseshoes, tools, and more for the farm or explore the six-acre gardens designed by George Washington. Animals still live on the estate so be sure to visit the horses, mules, oxen, sheep, hogs, and more while you’re touring. Besides the mansion, you may also visit the tomb where George and Martha are buried, the Slave Memorial and Burial Ground, the Distillery and Gristmill where they made liquor and beer, and the Pioneer Farm where President Washington earned a reputation as a farmer and mule breeder.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

This is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. Inside the strikingly modern facade of the building, you will find over 36,000 artifacts, a truly impressive collection that spans several decades of life. You will be able to visit collections categorized as such: American South, American West, Civil Rights, Clothing and Dress, Community, Education, Family, Literature, Military, Music, Photography, Politics, Religious Groups, Segregation, and Slavery. With so much to see, we suggest AT LEAST 2-3 hours at the museum, though in the past we have had groups use more than one day to explore it all. There are various workshops, educational resources, and special museum events that take place here regularly, providing additional educational benefits to your student group. K-12 curriculum can be specified and focused on during your visit.

Monuments and Memorials Tour

This monumental tour includes the following major attractions throughout DC: (follow links for more information)

The Washington Monument
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
FDR Memorial
World War II Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Korean War Memorial
US Marine Corps War Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Ford's Theatre/Peterson House

See the Deringer pistol Booth used to shoot the president, his diary, knife, and even pictures of his secret fiance, Lucy Hale, who was the daughter of a U.S. Senator. As a working theater, Ford continues to produce and perform plays throughout the year. For tour groups, entry into the theater includes a presentation by the National Park Service rangers, a one-act play, access to the Petersen House across the street where President Lincoln died, and the Center for Education and Leadership, a museum focusing on the president and his assassination. History on Foot is a walking tour led by a historic figure in costume through the streets and landmarks of Washington, D.C. The President's Box, the seating area where he was shot, is rarely open to the public though you may see it from the exterior.

Holocaust Museum

The Holocaust Museum and Learning Center opened there in May of 1955, an important manifestation of the hopeful vision and generosity of community leaders and Holocaust Survivors. The Museum’s 5,000 square-foot core exhibition presents a fascinating-yet-chilling chronological history of the Holocaust with incredible personal accounts of survivors who escaped/emigrated to St. Louis. A variety of moving displays including authentic photographs, artifacts, text panels, and audio-visuals provide guests insight into the terrible rise of Nazism, Jewish life in Europe before - and after- the Holocaust as well as post-war events.

Arlington National Cemetery

More than 400,000 individuals found their last resting place among the iconic white headstones at Arlington including notable names such as Washington, D.C. city designer Captain Charles Pierre L’Enfant, Justice Thurgood Marshall, President Taft, and novelist Dashiell Hammett. Bus service and walking tours are available for interpretive, informational tours of the popular landmarks such as the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the Sept. 11 Memorial, and the gravesite of U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing. Visit President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite and see where the Eternal Flame burns at the head of his stone. See the changing of the guard at the famed and poignant Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then visit the Arlington House (Robert E. Lee Memorial). Annual memorial services take place at the Memorial Amphitheater every Easter, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day.