My mom and I kicked off 2025 with a fun three-day adventure in Washington D.C. In this post, I’ll break down our fun and share some travel tips along the way.
From world-class museums and awe-inspiring monuments to vibrant live music venues and captivating theater performances, and a diverse culinary scene with world-class restaurants, D.C. offers something for everyone.
As a history buff, I love to dig into the city’s rich past and the founding of the nation. I always find myself drawn back to the city, eager to explore the city’s museums like The National Gallery or Smithsonian American Museum of Art.
DC is home to over 74 museums including The Smithsonian Institution. It is impossible to visit everyone on one trip. It is important to prioritize your interests as you plan ahead. If it is your first time visiting DC, it might be helpful to sign up for a tour.
The good news is many of DC’s most popular attractions are within a few blocks of the National Mall, or conveniently off the city’s metro line. You can also use Uber and Lyft. DC is one of the most accessible cities for travelers in the US.
Where to stay…My mom and I always stay at The Holiday Inn Capitol, which is a block away from The National Air and Space Museum and National Mall. The hotel is clean, welcoming and has two restaurants on site (breakfast and lunch, and dinner). We were able to park our car in the garage for a daily fee and did not use our car the entire trip. Everything on our itinerary was highly walkable from the hotel.
When selecting your accommodations, I recommend finding a hotel that is near a metro line and within walking distance of attractions on your bucket list. Where you stay may depend on your sightseeing goals. For instance, The Holiday Inn is perfect for the National Mall, but if we were wanting to explore Georgetown we might have stayed closer to that area.
I recommend Booking.com and Hotwire.com for finding the best deals.
The purpose of this DC adventure was the chance to attend a special international art exhibit at The National Gallery: Paris 1874 – The Impressionist Moment. We were absolutely thrilled to be part of this unique event – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a recreation of the groundbreaking 1874 Impressionist Exhibition, which revolutionized the art world. This remarkable collaboration between several prestigious museums, including Paris’s Musee d’Orsay and Washington’s National Gallery, brought together iconic masterpieces to recreate this pivotal moment in art history
In addition to the National Gallery, we made time to visit several of the museums we missed on our last trip, including the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural Sciences and American History Museum, as well as The National Archives and The Museum of the Bible.Â
 In this post, I’ll share our itinerary and tips as you plan your own adventure.
Day One: January 2nd, 2025
The National Gallery of Art, a gift to the American people and the world, was founded in 1937. Its sprawling 25-acre campus, encompassing both the East and West Buildings, houses an astonishing collection of over 150,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photographs, and more. It’s a place where I can lose myself for hours, wandering through centuries of art and encountering masterpieces that continue to inspire and amaze me. The National Gallery offers an unparalleled journey through art history, from medieval masterpieces to Renaissance icons, from the Impressionist revolution to the bold innovations of modern and contemporary artists. With such a vast and diverse collection, you could easily spend several days exploring its halls and still discover something new.
- The National Gallery is expansive and I recommend breaking it up into two days if you have the time. The West Building contains the majority of the collection from antiquity through the Impressionism movement. The West Building was designed by John Russell Pope in the Beaux-Arts style. The East Building contains modern artworks from Picasso to Rothko and Calder. The East Building was designed by IM Pei, who also was the architect of the Louvre’s Glass Pyramid addition.
- Pro Tip: If you have limited time, I recommend researching the art you are interested in seeing and asking the docent to help point out the locations of must-see artworks on the map (or you can plot from their website). Must see works (in my opinion) are Jan van Eyck’s Annunciation, Vermeer collection, Fra Angelico’s Nativity, Raphael works, Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran works (American collection); Impressionism wing. (All in West Building).
When we arrived at the National Gallery, just before eleven a.m., we were slightly disheartened to see a seventy-minute wait time for the Impressionist Exhibition. But as we observed the diverse crowd – families, students, art enthusiasts from all walks of life – we realized that this was a truly special event. It was humbling to see so many art lovers from different backgrounds, all united by a shared passion for art. We felt a sense of camaraderie with the other visitors, all of us eager to experience this unique and historic exhibition. It was a powerful reminder of the unifying power of art.
About the Exhibit: You can read a detailed post about the exhibition, Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment on our sister blog ‘Art Expeditions.’ Click here.
This landmark exhibition, a collaboration between The National Gallery, Musee d’Orsay, and other major museums, celebrates the 150th anniversary of the groundbreaking Impressionist Exhibition of 1874. This now legendary exhibition helped give birth to Impressionism and usher in a new era of French modern art.
The exhibit showcased 130 works that were first showcased together in the 1874 exhibition, including paintings by Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley and more.
Quick History: In the years leading up to the 1874 Exhibition, France suffered tremendous turmoil after a humiliating defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. The War decimated France and left Paris in shambles. As France surrendered, the National Guard and working-class revolutionaries in Paris took control of the city and formed the short-lived Paris Commune. This independent socialist government lasted around two months before the French army tried to regain control of Paris, leading to a bloody civil war in the streets of the City of Light. Artists like Renoir witnessed the horrors, while Monet and Pissarro had evacuated to London. By the end of the battle for Paris 15,000-20,000 members of the Commune were left dead.
As Parisians rebuilt from the ashes, they sought cultural diversions to reinvigorate the city. Artistic movements were blossoming. Art was becoming a balm after the battle, a chance to heal and move forward.
Why the Impressionist Exhibition of 1874: Since 1667, The Paris Salon was the premier art event in France. Sponsored by the Academie des Beaux-Arts and sanctioned by the French government, it helped catapult artists’ careers and helped them earn a living. By the 1860s, the Salon’s Jury had become increasingly stringent in who it selected into the Salon Exhibition. They were extremely conservative in stylistic preferences.
In 1863, the Salon jury turned away an unusually high number of submissions, including those by artists who had been accepted in the past. This caused an uproar and to quell the angry artists, Napoleon III instituted the Salon des Refuses, containing a selection of the works that the Salon had rejected. This helped to open the birth of avant-garde and the eventual 1874 Exhibition.
After repeated rejections, these artists decided to consider a different strategy to have their works taken seriously. Thirty-one artists formed a société anonyme, or an incorporated business.
These artists each had their own unique styles; Pissarro, Monet, Morisot, and Sisley, embraced expressive, loose brushstrokes and a luminous pastel palette, capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Degas and Cezanne each developed their own distinctive blend of realism and abstraction. This revolutionary approach challenged the established norms of academic art and paved the way for the development of modern art.
On January 17, 1874, the art world was abuzz with the news: the Société Anonyme announced an ‘open exhibition, without juries or prizes,’ to take place several months later. This radical concept, an ‘open exhibition without juries or prizes,’ challenged the traditional art establishment and gave young, independent artists a platform to showcase their work. The renowned photographer Nadar generously offered to host the exhibition in his spacious studio at 35 Boulevard Capucines, a prime location surrounded by grand cafés and ideally situated to attract a wealthy clientele. In four short months, the organizers gathered together 200 works to display. Newspaper coverage built anticipation for the exhibition, leading Degas to remark, ‘This event is making more progress and is more welcoming, I swear, than I thought it would be.'”
The Birth of Impressionism…Prior to the 1874 Exhibition, artists like Claude Monet did not consider themselves Impressionists. They were tied more closely to Realism and Naturalism, which were developed by Courbet and Corot. Â
Ironically, the term ‘Impressionism’ itself was born from a derogatory snub by an established art critic, Louis Leroy. When Leroy first encountered Claude Monet’s ‘Impression, Sunrise,’ his reaction was nothing short of scathing. He was appalled by the loose, seemingly unfinished style of the painting. In his scathing review, he wrote, ‘Impression – I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it…and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.’ Ironically, instead of dismissing the label, the artists embraced it as a badge of honor, proudly proclaiming themselves ‘Impressionists.'”
The original ‘Impressionist’ painting, Impression, Sunrise was one of the many amazing works showcased in this exhibition.
This exhibit featured over 130 works of art. As we walked through the gallery I imagined I was setting back in time and witnessing these groundbreaking artworks being displayed for the first time.
I like that the exhibit also shows works by artists who were selected by the 1874 Salon and points out the stylistic differences between The Salon and emerging Impressionist and modern art movements.
After immersing ourselves in the exhibition, my mom and I spent the rest of the day touring the museum’s other galleries.
I’m obsessed with Renaissance art and was elated to revisit some of my favorite paintings by Giorgione, Fra Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli and more. We also enjoyed digging into the Dutch art wing, which includes masterworks by Vermeer and Rembrandt.
We decided to save the East Building for our last day in D.C., a Saturday afternoon dedicated to exploring the bold innovations of modern and contemporary art before our journey back to Raleigh.
After a full day of art exploring, we headed back to our hotel to eat dinner at their onsite restaurant, the 21st Amendment Bar. The menu features everything from burgers, to tacos and salads.
Day Two: January 3rd, 2025
Following a scrumptious breakfast at our hotel, my mom and I braved the sub-freezing temps and walked several blocks to The National Archives.
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government and the American people. Click here to visit their website.
The National Archives Museum is where you can see the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. As well as a 1297 copy of the Magna Carta, Rosa Parks (Civil Rights) documentation and more. Â
The National Archives is a MUST-STOP for any traveler to DC. The ability to see the founding documents of our nation and our continued journey to live up to the aspiration of working together to form a more perfect union.
- Pro Tip: Entry is free, but I recommend going to the Archives website to register for time in advance. This incurs a small processing fee, but will ensure you gain entry during your trip to DC.
I’m proud to say I’m a descendant of signer Thomas Heyward Jr of South Carolina (through my Grandmother Sara’s side of the family). Thomas Heyward Jr. was captured by The British during the Siege of Charleston in 1780, along with fellow South Carolina signer, Edward Rutledge. Both were held by the British in prison in Saint Augustine Florida until 1783. The price for signing The Declaration put a mark on your neck and was not without cost.
The original copy of The Declaration of Independence on display is mostly faded. This damage comes from nearly 250 years of exposure to the elements. You can still make out John Hancock’s famous signature.
The National Archives does a fantastic job of presenting the background about each of these important documents in a digestible way. You can then use this foundational knowledge to dive deeper into the history.
We finished our tour of The National Archives around 12:30 p.m. Our next stop was The Museum of Natural History.
 The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is the world’s most popular natural history museum dedicated to understanding the natural world and our place in it. The museum is larger than 18 football fields and home to the largest natural history collection in the world.
The Museum of Natural History is a must visit for families. It features immersive exhibits on dinosaurs to prehistoric mammals like Mammoths and a journey deep into the heart of the ocean. You could spend days on end unearthing the mysteries in this museum. As we were short on time, we focused on an hour-long highlight tour. My favorite artifact was seeing a stone head from Easter Island and learning about the Rapa Nui people.
The Moai Stone Figure comes from Easter Island.
I was awestruck by the sample of stardust on display.
Before leaving the museum, we grabbed a quick lunch at one of the museum’s cafes. I have to admit the food was not the best if you are gluten free (I have Celiac Disease). I recommend bringing snacks with you (protein bar of choice) in case you need a pick me up while touring the museums.
For more information about the Museum of Natural History click here.
We finished up the day at The National Museum of American History. This is a must stop while in DC, given the interesting artifacts on display.
My mom and I were blown away by the exhibit on The Star-Spangled Banner.  When you study American History the War of 1812 is often overlooked as a quick blurb in the text book. The majority of the paragraph is on the battle at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, where the Star-Spangled Banner – American Flag survived a night of terrible fighting. This inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would become our national anthem. Click here to learn more
What blew us away was the size of The Star Spangled Banner. It is the largest flag I have ever seen! Originally it measured 30 x 42 feet and weighed 50 pounds, but currently it is 30 x 34 feet in size. The flag is over 200 years old and has had deterioration from public displays over the years. Also souvenir patches of the flag were cut out as gifts. Pictures are not allowed, so I didn’t get any snapshots but the memory of the flag stays in my mind as a call to continue to persevere towards freedom especially in dark times.
I encourage you to dive deeper into the history of The War of 1812, which is full of intrigue and uncertainty. Washington City (as it was known then) was invaded by the British and burned. It was only for a freak (and some guess ‘angelic’) storm that saved the city from the fiery blaze.
If you are looking for a good read about the War of 1812, check out: Dolley Madison and The War of 1812 by Libby McNamee Carty. It is for middle-schoolers, but the history is on point and a fun read.
Other highlights
Presidential History, including Abraham Lincoln’s Top Hat, Jefferson’s writing desk, Washington’s file box and Inauguration Ball dresses worn by first ladies like Dolley Madison.
Pop culture memorabilia including an original pair of Ruby Red slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, R2-D2 and C3P0 from the Return of the Jedi…
As someone with a background in American History, I do think this museum has a lot of gaps. It does not have a good cohesive timeline on the overall history of America from the pre-Colonial era to present day. There were no exhibits on The Revolutionary War, Civil War and World War II. Any history tied to those events was mentioned only briefly in object displays about the time periods. While this is interesting it neglects to really showcase American history for all Americans and also visitors from other countries who don’t take American history in school.
Still enjoyed the museum, but was a bit disappointed by the set-up. It would have been nice to have a few more exhibitions connected with a timeline in addition to the other exhibits.
As we left the American History Museum, a light snow begun to fall on the National Mall. We rushed back to our hotel for a relaxing evening inside from the sub-freezing temperatures.
Saturday, January 4th:
We finished our DC adventure with a visit to The Museum of the Bible. I plan to dedicate a separate post to exploring the wealth of history and antiquities featured in the museum.
This museum is larger than you think – from interactive exhibits detailing the early history of the Hebrew scriptures backed with archaeological research, you are able to dig into life during King David’s time to the birth of Christ.
- Pro Tip – you can purchase your tickets in advance here: The Museum of the Bible website
The museum has countless Bibles dating as far back as the Middle ages. The highlight for me were samples from a Guttenberg edition. Guttenberg’s press helped revolutionize printing to the masses and the distribution of the Bible to the general public.
The museum has a special exhibit from the Vatican libraries. We also had the chance to see The Megiddo Mosaic.
Discovered in 2005, The Megiddo Mosaic is a well-preserved mosaic floor that was discovered in 2005 in Kfar Othnay, Israel. It is considered the earliest known Christian worship space and provides insight into early Christianity. Click here to learn more.
We finished out our trip with a quick visit to the East Building of The National Gallery, which houses Modern Art. My favorite section of the East Building is on the ground floor and features a collection of French and European Modern art by the likes of Picasso, Matisse, Bonnard, Vuillard, Modigliani and more.
Here are a few of my favorites from the French Modern Wing:
Hope you enjoyed hearing about our DC adventure!
To plan your trip here are a few helpful links
I recommend this DK Guide
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