Made up of approximately 2000 members, including almost 200 Nobel Prize winners, these are the folks the government hits up for scientific advice (whether the government listens to them or not is, as you may have guessed, entirely up to the government). Inside, the NAS displays its impressive permanent art collection and hosts temporary art exhibitions, lectures and films. Download the useful Visitors Guide from the website before heading here and be sure to bring photo ID.
National Academy of Sciences
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.1 MILES
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
0.68 MILES
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
12.93 MILES
One of America's most visited historic sites, Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington.
1.09 MILES
Sprawling across hills above the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for America’s most revered…
1.55 MILES
The legendary exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the Wright brothers' flyer, Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St…
1.51 MILES
Two buildings. Hundreds of masterpieces. Infinite enjoyment. It's easy to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, which showcases a whole range…
0.29 MILES
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…
Nearby attractions
0.07 MILES
The grounds in front of the National Academy of Sciences feature DC’s most huggable monument: Robert Berks' bronze 1978 statue of Albert Einstein. The…
0.11 MILES
The headquarters of the American diplomatic corps is a forbidding, well-guarded edifice – modernist, monolithic and unfriendly. In stark contrast are the…
0.11 MILES
‘The Fed,’ is the Olympus of the Gods of the American Economy. Housed in a monolithic white building that closely resembles a Soviet ministry, it is…
0.12 MILES
In a city of classic, white-marble monuments, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands out on the National Mall for its stark modernism. Designed by 21-year…
0.17 MILES
The tree-ringed Vietnam Women's Memorial, showing female soldiers aiding a fallen combatant, was added to complement the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1993.
0.17 MILES
In 1982, opponents of Maya Lin’s Vietnam memorial design insisted that a more traditional sculpture be added to the monument. As a result, sculptor…
7. Department of the Interior Museum
0.27 MILES
Responsible for managing the nation’s natural resources, the Department of the Interior operates this small museum to educate the public about its current…
0.29 MILES
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…