Established on April 29, 2004, the World War II Memorial is the first national memorial to honor the American troops who fought in the war. The design by architect Friedrich St. Florian marks the Pacific and European Theaters of World War II with magnificent arches and remembers the Americans who died with 4,048 stars along the Freedom Wall. Located on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, visitors come here for a poignant and educational experience.
The Sidney Harman Hall is a majestic 774-seat theater in the heart of Washington DC and forms a part of the Harman Center of the Arts. Suitable for dance and music events, organizers can choose from the proscenium, thrust, semi-arena or bare stages, depending on the show. It is acoustically designed to suit dramas, plays and even live chamber music concerts. The venue along with the Lansburgh Theatre on the 7th Street is home to the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Founded in 1993, the Waverly Street Gallery has since been a veteran organization that promotes and exhibits both traditional and contemporary art. The gallery collaborates with a range of international artists and local talent to host regular exhibitions across genres of painting, sculpture, photography and pottery. Emerging artists are showcased through their exhibitions every second Friday of the month, which is also when the Bethesda Art Walk commences. In the past, the gallery has worked with artists such as Kate Radi, Pat Silbert, Sandra Zacharia and Kanika Sircar, among several others.
Dating back to 1946, the National Air and Space Museum is home to quite a few aircraft that narrate fascinating stories. Everything from the iconic Wright Brothers' Flyer and Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis to World War II planes and Apollo 11 is displayed here, attracting history aficionados, science buffs, and aviation fans alike. Visitors also have the option of using the audio-visual aid to understand the technical aspects of the marvelous exhibits. Moreover, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater located here screens aircraft and space films on a huge five-story screen. Apart from that, the National Air and Space Museum also has the original Star Trek model of the USS Enterprise on display, which is one of the popular attractions among the visiting crowds at this world-famous place.
One of two Smithsonian museums that feature Asian art, the Freer Gallery houses more than 26000 works from all points of the Asian continent, including China, Japan, Korea and India. These works include Asian porcelains, Japanese screens and Islamic art. The works of American artists influenced by Asia are also featured. The most spectacular of these is James McNeill Whistler's Peacock Room, designed for a British shipping magnate and moved to the United States from London in 1904. The Sackler Gallery is interconnected with this gallery via underground exhibition space and houses an impressive collection of Chinese paintings, ceramics and jades.
From El Greco's "The Visitation" to Byzantine and pre-Columbian artworks, jewelry and mosaics, Dumbarton Oaks is filled with elegant treasures. Built in 1801, the estate achieved its height of glory in the wealthy 1920s when it served as the high-society showpiece of Robert Bliss and his heiress wife, Mildred. The gardens occupy 10 acres above Georgetown and include terraced lawns, winding footpaths and elaborate fountains.