Visiting Washington, DC. Anything I need to book in advance?

[Acsenray]

According to this – D.C.'s most beautiful interiors, mapped - Curbed DC – the best architectural interiors in Washington (leaving out the restaurants and hotels and a subway station on the list) are –

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Brookland)
• Library of Congress (they mean the Jefferson Building) (Capitol Hill)
• Union Station (Capitol Hill)
• The Capitol
• National Building Museum (a.k.a. the Pension Building) (East End/Judiciary Square)
• National Gallery of Art (Capitol Hill/National Mall)
• Shaw Neighborhood Library (Shaw)
• Carnegie Library (Mount Vernon Square)
• Peacock Room of the Freer Gallery (National Mall)
• African American History and Culture Museum (National Mall)
• Kogod Courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery (Old Patent Office) (Chinatown)
• Hillwood Estate (Van Ness)
• Islamic Center (Embassy Row)
• National Cathedral (Cathedral Heights)

[BeeGee]

The Regan Building is remarkable for one thing. They have these deep set windows with a.c. ducts at the edges. When you’re not and sweaty you can suck your head in and get an icy boat of air on your neck.

[TruCelt]

@psychonaut

I like touring large, beautifully architected and decorated historical buildings. This was my primary interest in tours of the Capitol and White House. If there are any other similar buildings that I can tour (on the inside!), let me know! Unfortunately the Supreme Court is not an option as it’s closed on weekends.

It sounds like you would really enjoy the Hillwood museum. It’s also known for its collection of Faberge eggs.

[TruCelt]

The National Cathedral is also lovely, and great fun if you’re a gargoyle spotter. It’s not enormously decorated on the inside though.

The Basilicaof the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception might be more to your taste.

[madmonk28]

@Acsenray

According to this – https://dc.curbed.com/maps/most-beautiful-interior-room-dc-map – the best architectural interiors in Washington (leaving out the restaurants and hotels and a subway station on the list) are –

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Brookland)
• Library of Congress (they mean the Jefferson Building) (Capitol Hill)
• Union Station (Capitol Hill)
• The Capitol
• National Building Museum (a.k.a. the Pension Building) (East End/Judiciary Square)
• National Gallery of Art (Capitol Hill/National Mall)
• Shaw Neighborhood Library (Shaw)
• Carnegie Library (Mount Vernon Square)
• Peacock Room of the Freer Gallery (National Mall)
• African American History and Culture Museum (National Mall)
• Kogod Courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery (Old Patent Office) (Chinatown)
• Hillwood Estate (Van Ness)
• Islamic Center (Embassy Row)
• National Cathedral (Cathedral Heights)

I believe the Peacock Room is closed for renovation, but I’d it’s not, you should add it to the list. It is amazing and on the Mall, so close to many of the other things mentioned here.

[Wendell_Wagner]

If you’d like to meet with other Straight Dopers at a restaurant one evening, let us know and we could do a Dopefest.

[psychonaut]

@Wendell_Wagner

If you’d like to meet with other Straight Dopers at a restaurant one evening, let us know and we could do a Dopefest.

Sure, that would be swell! I am flying to Austin on Sunday night, but I think I could make it on Friday or Saturday night.

[puddleglum]

The Museum of the American Indian is a bad museum but has interesting architecture, the same with the Hirshhorn.

[madmonk28]

@puddleglum

The Museum of the American Indian is a bad museum but has interesting architecture, the same with the Hirshhorn.

But the cafe at the Museum of the American Indian is pretty good.

[QuickSilver]

@madmonk28

The African American Museum has been mentioned, I haven’t yet been, but I hear it is excellent and that the cafe is very good.

@madmonk28

But the cafe at the Museum of the American Indian is pretty good.

You’re not here for the art, are you?

[Acsenray]

@madmonk28

But the cafe at the Museum of the American Indian is pretty good.

Indeed, the Mitsitam Cafe at the Natl Museum of the Am. Indian is possibly the best restaurant in the vicinity of the National Mall. (I’ve heard that the Sweet Home Café at the Natl Museum of African Am History and Culture might be in the running.)

[madmonk28]

I think it’s the best lunch spot on the Mall.

[psychonaut]

I just wanted to thank everyone who participated in this thread for the great suggestions and information. I think I’ve got a pretty good idea now of what to see and due during my short time in Washington.

And if any DC Dopers are interested in holding a short-notice mini-DopeFest on Friday or Saturday night, please register your interest here or via a private message. If someone local can arrange for a suitable time and place to meet, then I’ll certainly make an appearance!

[Acsenray]

I’d be interested in your chosen highlights

[puddleglum]

@Acsenray

Indeed, the Mitsitam Cafe at the Natl Museum of the Am. Indian is possibly the best restaurant in the vicinity of the National Mall. (I’ve heard that the Sweet Home Café at the Natl Museum of African Am History and Culture might be in the running.)

Maybe they were having a bad day when I went there, but the Sweet Home Cafe was a huge disappointment. The fried chicken was dry, the cole slaw was old, the mac and cheese was underseasoned, and the chocolate cake was poor. The best part was the red velvet cake.

[psychonaut]

@Acsenray

I’d be interested in your chosen highlights

Sorry I wasn’t able to respond before I left on my trip, but I was busy cleaning, packing, and taking care of other last-minute business. I’m in DC now and would be happy to report upon my impressions after I leave tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll just briefly tantalize you all with a cryptic photo of my favourite attraction so far. Nobody in this thread bothered to mention it, which is unsurprisingly, since architecturally it’s pretty unremarkable, though it is very close to a bunch of very beautiful buildings that probably should have been mentioned. I’m surprised the site is so popular—I was there for about half an hour, on two visits separated by a couple hours, and I was unable to snap any photos that didn’t have tourists excitedly snapping selfies on it.

[Acsenray]

Is it the Exorcist staircase?

[psychonaut]

@Acsenray

Is it the Exorcist staircase?

Yep, those are the steps where Damien Karras fell to his death. The top of the steps is just around the corner from Georgetown University, which has a lot of beautiful buildings and grounds that also served as filming locations for the movie.

[madmonk28]

Right near the bottom of the steps, there was a liquor store named Dixie Liquor. When I was a kid, the drinking age for beer was 21 in Virginia and 18 in DC. Dixie Liquor was right across the bridge from VIrginia, so you could shoot across the bridge, load up on beer and head back to the burbs.

[jaycat]

@madmonk28

Right near the bottom of the steps, there was a liquor store named Dixie Liquor. When I was a kid, the drinking age for beer was 21 in Virginia and 18 in DC. Dixie Liquor was right across the bridge from VIrginia, so you could shoot across the bridge, load up on beer and head back to the burbs.

We must have grown up together.