Visit DC history museums to learn more about the nation's complex past. The opportunity to view American history through a different lens presents itself at each of these establishments. Consider world views, international perspectives and personal life experiences when interpreting and observing displays at the following museums.
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1300 Constitution Ave. NW / Website
Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Smithsonian American History Museum encourages people to explore the complexity of the nation's past through the displays showcased at the establishment. The artifacts create a mosaic with the collection of American history.
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4th St SW / Website
This museum features one of the world’s largest collections of Native objects in the entire world. The curvilinear architecture and indigenous landscaping make this beautiful building hard to miss. Discover constantly rotating paintings, photographs, artifacts and more throughout the museum's three floors.
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10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW / Website
The setting for Night at the Museum, starring Ben Affleck, National Museum of Natural History, spans 325,000 square feet to present an immense collection. With millions of visitors each year, this establishment is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Over 100 million specimens and artifacts attract people from all ends of the Earth to National Museum of Natural History.
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100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl. SW / Website
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, established in 1993, honors and preserves a heartwrenching and unfortunate portion of history. The powerful space moves observers with the recollection and remembrance of the masses of victims of the Holocaust.
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1400 Constitution Ave. NW / Website
The 420,000 square feet of African-American-focused museum uplifts the culture that continues to form the nation. Queen Victoria's gift to Harriet Tubman, President Obama's primary inauguration invite and Michael Jackson’s classic fedora are only a handful of the many points of interest that attract visitors throughout the years.
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1300 Constitution Ave. NW / Website
War, politics, agriculture, transportation and additional focal points portray American history to visitors. Each wing has three floors with specific themes to discover.
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1925 Vermont Ave NW / Website
Located across from the African-American Civil War Memorial, African-American Civil War Memorial Museum attempts to correct historical misinterpretations perpetuated through American history. Honoring African-American soldiers of the Civil War who had been denied recognition during their time is an integral portion of this museum.
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701 Constitution Ave. NW / Website
National Archives Museum houses the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution in the Charters of Freedom rotunda. Interactive exhibits and seasonal displays add to the value of National Archives Museum, so check the calendar to discover current and upcoming attractions.
Photography by: Carl Timpone/BFA.com
