National Mall Architecture: Smithsonian Museums Tour
4.6
9 Ratings
Washington
Discover the captivating architecture of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. Uncover the stories behind these iconic and lesser-known institutions. Book your tour now!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Smithsonian Institution Building - Your tour begins outside the Smithsonian Castle, the headquarters of the largest museum complex in the world!
- Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building - We’ll discuss the beautiful and unique design of this second home of the Smithsonian Institution.
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - Our spaceship on the National Mall.
- National Air and Space Museum - The second most popular museum in the world!
- National Gallery of Art - We’ll examine the stark contrast between the Neoclassical West building and Modern East building of the National Gallery of Art.
- National Museum of the American Indian - Meant to look sculpted by the wind and water, this beautiful building has a tumultuous past.
- United States Botanic Garden - A hidden gem among museums along the National Mall!
- Bartholdi Park - A secret spot off the National Mall with a historic and beautiful fountain, sculpted by someone unexpected!
- Capitol Hill - We’ll wrap up at the foot of Capitol Hill, with breathtaking views of the US Capitol and the National Mall!
What's Included
- Expert local guide included
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Join us as we unveil the history behind our most popular and lesser-known museums at the Smithsonian! The majority of widely recognized and obscure museums in Washington are situated on the Eastern side of the National Mall, stretched between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. Often referred to as ‘America’s Loft,’ the Smithsonian Institution is one of the largest museum consortiums globally, boasting 30 million visitors annually, housing 19 museums, and a collection of over 140 million artifacts. In this excursion, you’ll discover how the Smithsonian Institution has been crafting the identity of the National Mall since 1847. Please be aware, the majority of this tour will be conducted outside, with a brief indoor visit to the Smithsonian Castle included. Book directly through DC Design Tours for an unrivaled experience at the best rate!
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough guests to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, an alternative or full refund will be provided.
Location
Smithsonian Castle
Jefferson Drive Southwest
Meet your guide outside the Smithsonian Castle near the main entrance.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(9 Ratings)
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Seithton
Apr 8, 2024
If you have a spare couple of hours, take this tour! - We took a Capitol tour with Carolyn in April and we loved it - it was super jam packed with info and humor and we learnt SO much. I would totally recommend this to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
295kayab
Mar 9, 2024
Great walking Tour - Sam was a great tour guide showing a group of Architects and explaining the creator of Smithsonian Castle, Multiple Museums and a monument at the capitol with historical information and historical pictures from his phone. The tour is exterior observations of these buildings. Two hours of tour was worth it with all the special information. Highly recommend it.
Kaya B.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jpiburn
Aug 20, 2022
Fascinating history. Easy walk. Great value. - Fascinating history. Easy walk. Great value.
I've recently gotten interested in architecture and decided to take the "Castle to Capitol" tour while I was in town for work. Absolutely fantastic. Can't wait to do another tour they offer.
The "Castle to Capitol" tour tells the story of the birth and evolution of the Smithsonian Institute through the design and architecture of several of their most prominent buildings. Intriguing, often funny, history told through a leisurely stroll down the mall.
Great for all ages. I would say 12 and up would get the most out of it, but it's enough moving around to keep the younger ones from melting down.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Itsasarahparty
Jun 19, 2022
View the Smithsonian through a different lens! - This is such an interesting tour! I’ve gone to museums many times without thinking much about the buildings that house them- this entire tour is all about those buildings. I credit this tour with introducing me to one of my favorite places to catch a quiet moment on the mall- the Enid A. Haupt garden at the Smithsonian castle- and the exterior of the National Museum of the American Indian is serene and took my breath away (also has a fascinating story!) I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kellyj1111
May 23, 2022
I Learned so much! - This tour was AMAZING!!!! I have been on several tours all around the world and I have not had a better tour experience. I learned so much and the guide was very very prepared! I learned so much even though I had done a lot of tours in the area before. If you love history and design this is a great tour for everyone! I especially loved how they came prepared with pictures from the past to help you visualize the transition from history to the present. This tour is a must-see in DC. I am recommending it to everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidst4537qr
Jul 8, 2020
This is the tour you're looking for - DC Design Tours is an ideal way to learn about D.C. and have an outstanding experience exploring. Carolyn, our guide, was friendly, brilliant, engaging, and welcoming. We plan on doing another tour with DC Design Tours the next time we're in town.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Staceydel
Mar 14, 2020
Practically Perfect in Every Way - Cathryn was a fabulous tour guide and seemed to know it all. As an architect by training, she enthusiastically answered all our questions. I will definitely be back to explore some of her other tours next time I’m in DC.
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Kellysolomon146
Feb 2, 2018
The best thing we did in DC! - My friends and I spent a wonderful two hours with Carolyn from DC Design Tours! We scheduled a private tour of the National Mall Smithsonian Museums for a weekend in January. Carolyn was very easy to book with, attentive, quick and friendly. The tour is mostly outdoor, but we were able to sneak inside a few of the museums with Carolyn to learn about the design and architecture of the interior. The tour was absolutely captivating-- none of us are architects, but we all LOVED the tour! Carolyn was very professional and obviously knows her stuff!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimberlybt1522yn
Aug 7, 2022
Don't bother - My mother and I were excited for this tour. We booked on Viator and received our tickets. Yesterday we received our confirmation for today's tour at 10 am. We went to the meeting place and no one showed up. We called and were informed this tour had been changed to 2pm instead. We weren't notified because we had booked on a third party site. We were given a refund (hopefully) since we had another tour lined up. Even in trying to find a way to write this review I had to go to 3 different sites as you cannot leave a review directly on DC Design Tours site, nor on the Viator site. All in all worst experience with a tour company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
