Top Rated Attractions in Bethesda

Ratner Museum is a fine art museum, housing various paintings done in crayons, water colors and pencils. The frequently changing exhibits include wood work, sculptures, cloth designing and much more. The museum spans across three buildings, comprising of a conference room, a public library and children's literature center. There are various concerts, tours and lectures on various topics, that take place in the museum. So if you want to spend your day appreciating works of art and culture, Ratner Museum is your place to be.

Escape a few miles north outside of the hectic district and beltway and relax at the stylish, trendy, and quaint Bethesda Row. Choose from a wide variety of over 30 international restaurants including Irish, Thai, American, Asian, Spanish, Mediterranean, and American for a nice outdoor lunch or dinner. Enjoy desserts at specialty shops such as Dolcezza Gelato or Sweetgreen. There are plenty of new boutiques and stores to please all types of shoppers. Bethesda Row also holds many events such as Movie Nights and art fairs.

The thriving Downtown Bethesda neighborhood is located at the intersection of the Wisconsin Avenue, Old Georgetown Road and East-West Highway. It features some of the most vibrant areas in the city, including the Bethesda Row, a hub for arts and culture. Besides a range of eating establishments and entertainment centers, Downtown Bethesda is also home to one of the Madonna of the Trail monuments and the Capital Crescent Trail.

The National Gallery houses an extensive collection of European and American art in two spectacular buildings. In the grand, neoclassical West Building, Rembrandt, Rubens and Gainsborough are well-represented. The permanent collection includes works from the 13th to 20th Centuries, including a section devoted to Impressionism. An underground concourse with a cafeteria, an excellent gift shop and a walled-in waterfall takes you to the East Building. Designed by I.M. Pei, this triangular building is a key city landmark and home to famous pieces of art and other temporary exhibitions.

Established in 1910, the National Museum of Natural History aims to inform people about the natural history of earth through its exhibits. Nestled somewhere within this museum is the famous Hope Diamond, which has gained notoriety for supposedly carrying a curse. Apart from that, some of the museum's popular galleries include The Discovery Room, Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals, Dinosaurs/Hall of Paleobiology, Insect Zoo, Teleology: Hall of Bones, Ocean Hall, Hall of Human Origins and many more.

The gorgeous U.S. Botanic Garden conservatory presents botanical variety, from the desert to the tropics, along a series of calm and gently meandering paths. A particular waterfall and garden display the flora of the dinosaur age. Seasonal displays include Christmas greens and poinsettias in December and January, chrysanthemums in autumn and blooming flowers at Easter. A part of the United States Botanic Garden (USBG), the National Garden, was opened in October 2006 and includes the carefully-designed Butterfly Garden.