More than 200,000 African-American soldiers and sailors fought in the Civil War. At the African American Civil War Museum, these individuals are remembered through photography, newspaper articles, replicas of uniforms, and a memorial. The museum is currently being redeveloped.

Take a walk on the wild side by stepping away from city life and journeying through one of the District’s most beautiful gardens. As a "living museum," the National Arboretum features more than just trees and flowers. It also offers a look at the original columns of the old East Portico of the U.S. Capitol.

This 1801 Federal-style estate in Georgetown serves as a house museum. It boasts Byzantine and pre-Columbian collections, and features a variety of tapestries, furniture, and artwork. It also supports scholarly research.

Just a couple blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro station is the nation's first museum of modern art. Some of the roughly 3,000 works in its collection are by well-known artists such as Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, and Matisse.

The Mansion on O Street is a sight to be seen. Throughout the three connected Dupont Circle rowhouses comprising the mansion, there are themed rooms, all sorts of artwork, secret doors, and even guitars signed by stars like Eric Clapton.

This Logan Circle house hosted the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, an organization that works to reduce racial, class, and gender discrimination. The building also served as the last home of Mary McLeod Bethune, an education advocate who became the highest-ranking African-American woman in the the federal government in 1935.

Behold, the oldest unchanged building in the nation’s capital, dating to before the Revolutionary War. When it was originally built, it was both a home and a shop for cabinetmaker Christopher Layman. The house reopened as a museum in 1960, offering visitors a glimpse at pre-Revolutionary architecture and furnishings. The museum is free.

For those who love animals, traveling, and photography, the National Geographic Museum should be on your list. While it’s fairly small, it's a good place to learn about dinosaurs, the ocean, and cultures around the world.

Since 1987, this museum has celebrated women who have influenced the art world. From Frida Kahlo to Mary Cassatt, the National Museum of Women in the Arts ensures that women artists are never forgotten or under-acknowledged. The museum's collection has more than 4,500 pieces of art.

The National Building Museum highlights innovation in architecture and design. Exhibitions have included large-scale photos of D.C. landmarks and urban planning for natural disasters. The museum also hosts expansive interactive exhibitions each summer: among the, a ball pit, a maze, and a fun house. It will be closed for renovations from December 2 to next spring.

If you love movies from the “James Bond” or “Bourne” series, the International Spy Museum should be your next stop. Opened in a new building in 2019, the Spy Museum allows guests to decrypt secret audio conversations, interrogate suspected agents, and go on your own undercover mission.

In Foggy Bottom, you can find this architecture and design museum. The house was built between 1798 and 1800 by the architect of the U.S. Capitol, Dr. William Thornton. It now serves as the home of the American Institute of Architects and showcases architects who have had some of the longest-lasting influence.

This easy-to-miss gem is located in a 200-year-old house near the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. Dedicated to women's suffrage, the museum focuses mainly on the early 1900s. One high point is its collection of political cartoons by artist and suffragist Nina Allender. The property serves as the headquarters of the National Woman's Party also.

From 1877 to 1895, abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass lived in this single-family home, otherwise known as Cedar Hill. It was established as a National Historic Site in in 1988 and educates visitors about Douglass’s life and vision. Situated on a hill, the site also offers one of the best views of Washington, D.C.

Since its dedication in 1993, the Holocaust Museum’s mission has been to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. More than 40 million total visitors have visited. The museum additionally provides online information and resources in more than a dozen languages.