Things to Do

Learn about presidents, past and present, at these museums

Our region is filled with museums devoted to the country’s commander in chief. Don’t miss these five standouts.

By Renee Sklarew December 7, 2018 at 10:00 am

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Located at the end of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Alexandria, this was the first president’s home for more than 40 years. Visitors can tour the Colonial mansion and 500 acres, restored to appear as it did in 1799. The Museum and Education Center contains artifacts, films, immersive experiences and objects, like the President’s dentures, key to the Bastille and his sword. The museum also has a robust events schedule, with holiday events like Christmas Illuminations on Dec. 14 and 15 (above). // 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon; $11-$20, event prices vary

Woodrow Wilson House

The only president (before Obama) to live in Washington after his term, Wilson’s house looks at the 28th president’s life and legacy. Nearly every item in this Georgian Revival is original, so visitors can observe aristocratic life in the 1920s. // 2340 S St. NW, Washington, D.C.; $5-$10

White House Visitor Center

Unless you secure a guided tour of the White House through your Congressional representative, the best way to learn about America’s home for the first family is at this interactive visitor center. You’ll learn what it’s like to live at the White House, including favorite dinners of past presidents, letters written to and from them and 90 artifacts from the White House. // 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; Free

National Archives

The nation’s founding documents—the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights—are displayed here in a 75-foot-high rotunda. The Archives also houses a museum that features the “Records of Rights,” containing documents connected to the Revolutionary War, women’s suffrage, slavery, civil rights and more. // 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; Free

Ford’s Theatre & Museum

The working theater is most famous for its role in history as the site of President Lincoln’s assassination by John Wilkes Booth in 1865. National Park Service rangers offer daily lectures about the theater, while the museum illuminates Lincoln’s life leading up to his murder and struggles he faced during the Civil War. Across the street is the Peterson House, where the president died, plus a gallery exploring the aftermath of the assassination and Lincoln’s legacy. // 511 10^th St. NW, Washington, D.C.; $3

Renee Sklarew

Contributing Writer

A contributor to Northern Virginia Magazine since 2007, Renee Sklarew writes about travel, restaurants, and Mid-Atlantic landmarks. She is the co-author of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Washington DC, and her writing and photography has appeared in The Washington Post, Boston Globe, AAA The Extra Mile, Washingtonian, Arlington Magazine, and more.