The Washington DC Area 

The District of Columbia, named after Columbus, is the capital of the United States. It is located between Virginia and Maryland on the Potomac River. Its history began in 1790 when Congress directed selection of a new capital site, 100 square miles, along the Potomac. When the site was determined, it included 30.75 square miles on the Virginia side of the river. In 1846, however, Congress returned that area to Virginia, leaving the 68.25 square miles ceded by Maryland in 1788. The seat of government was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington on Dec. 1, 1800, and President John Adams became the first resident in the White House. 

In 1814, during the War of 1812, a British force burned the capital including the White House. 

A petition asking for the district's admission to the Union as the 51st state was filed in Congress on Sept. 9, 1983. The district is continuing this drive for statehood. 

The federal government and tourism are the mainstays of the city's economy, and many unions, business, professional, and nonprofit organizations are headquartered there.  

Sightseeing 

There are a number of excellent attractions: the National Zoo; the National Mall and Smithsonian Museums; the Capitol building; the Corcoran and Renwick Galleries; the Holocaust Museum; National Geographic's Explorers Hall; religious landmarks like the Washington National Cathedral and the National Shrine; numerous foreign embassies; and dozens of memorials.  

There are also numerous attractions and historic sites in easy driving range of the city. Consider day trips to Annapolis for small-town charm and rich maritime history, Gettysburg or Manassas for Civil War history, Harpers Ferry for scenic beauty and historical significance, and Mount Vernon or Monticello for presidential history and stunning architecture. 

Art in Washington DC 

From Renaissance masterpieces to Impressionist ones, Washington's art museums offer astounding variety.  

The city's foremost art institution, the National Gallery of Art consists of an East Wing and West Wing. Beginning at the West Wing, cast a lingering look at "Ginevra de' Benci," the only Leonardo da Vinci in America. Other highlights include Augustus Saint-Gaudens's "Shaw Memorial" and works by Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Claude Monet, and Paul Cezanne.  

The Smithsonian Institution oversees numerous museums on the National Mall, including the Air & Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the American History Museum, and the American Indian Museum. The modern and contemporary art showcase of the Smithsonian is the Hirshhorn Museum and its Sculpture Garden. Instantly recognizable for its ring-shaped design by architect Gordon Bunshaft, the Hirshhorn houses painting, sculpture, photography and multi-media works by a variety of artists. The range of the collection runs from modern masterworks by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse to contemporary pieces by Bruce Naumann and Damien Hirst. Be sure to stroll through the Sculpture Garden and catch Auguste Rodin's "Burghers of Callais" alongside works by David Smith and Henry Moore.  

Two museums, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art hold the Smithsonian's vast collection of Asian Art. Popular works at the Sackler include sculpture from South and Southeast Asia; Islamic arts; and Chinese paintings, bronzes and lacquerware. The Freer's collection features Chinese paintings, Korean ceramics and Persian manuscripts. In addition, the Freer maintains the world's largest collection of works by American painter and designer James McNeill Whistler, including the gilded and glorious Peacock Room, an 1876 London town house dining room reinstalled within the museum.  

Next door to the Sackler, find the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art, dedicated to the arts of Africa from the ancient to the contemporary. Highlights include an elaborately carved palace door by Olowe of Ise, a Bamum royal figure, masks, figurative sculptures and the ceramic and contemporary art galleries.  

A short walk north from the Mall at Gallery Place, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery offer more free exhibitions daily. On 17th Street, near the White House, find the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the oldest art museum in the city. The Corcoran's collection reflects its 19th-century origins, including the grand landscapes of Frederick Edwin Church and Albert Bierstadt. At the same time, its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions serve as some of the best sources for contemporary art in the city. The museum recently commissioned prize-winning architect Frank O. Gehry to design its newest wing.  

Just north of Dupont Circle is the Phillips Collection, a museum smaller in scale, but no less in stature. The Phillips began as the private holdings of Washingtonian Duncan S. Phillips, who later turned his home and collection into a museum featuring impressionist masterpieces such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir's famous "Luncheon at the Boating Party" and works by modern masters Georgia O'Keeffe, Mark Rothko and Richard Diebenkorn among others.  

Don't miss the National Zoo at Woodley Park, also operated by the Smithsonian and conveniently located on the red line of the Metro. The Zoo, most Smithsonian museums, and the National Gallery and East Wing are all free and open to the public daily except Christmas, making this a wonderful city for exploring with family and friends. 

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