As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this summer, there is no better place to celebrate this milestone than in Washington, DC. The centerpiece of that celebration is the National Mall, a vast green space often referred to as “America’s Front Yard.” This summer, the Mall is experiencing a renaissance with the opening of a long-awaited museum, major new exhibitions, immersive historical experiences, and the return of iconic landmarks.
“It’s an exciting time to be in Washington, D.C.,” says co-curator Abir Saha. american aspirationsa new Smithsonian museum that brings together objects and documents central to this nation’s story, from a hand-annotated copy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to the gold flakes discovered at Sutter’s Mill, California, which kicked off the 1849 gold rush.
“Together, these objects tell the story of a nation pursuing ambitious goals and dreams that are always in progress,” says Saha. The same goes for everything happening on the National Mall this summer. There’s never been a better time to visit.
basement of lincoln memorial
Opens June 25th
In June of this year, the vast space long hidden beneath the Lincoln Memorial will be opened to the public for the first time. A cavernous area that had sat unused beneath the monument since its completion in 1922 has been transformed into 15,000 square feet of exhibition space. By engaging with immersive exhibits and interactive installations, visitors can learn about the monument’s creation and construction and examine how its meaning and significance have evolved over the past century.
Admission is free. Timed admission tickets are required and there is a $1 reservation fee. A limited number of same-day walk-up tickets will also be distributed near the Korean War Veterans Memorial starting at 8:45 a.m. daily.
National Air and Space Museum
Opens July 1st
The National Air and Space Museum’s latest transformation has been years in the making, and this July the final five galleries that will be renovated in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary will open to the public. Five new galleries focus on World War II aircraft and space technology, and extensive restoration work has been completed that reimagined 20 galleries and introduced 1,400 never-before-seen objects.
Admission is free. A timed admission ticket is required.
national archives
Late last year, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, the National Archives (best known as the repository for the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights) unveiled its newly renovated galleries. At the heart of the transformation is the american storymore than 40 objects and documents are on display that reveal pivotal moments in the country’s history. Visitors can get up close and personal with treasures such as George Washington’s annotated copy of the Constitution and original photographs of the American West taken by Ansel Adams.
Admission is free. Timed admission tickets are available.
smithsonian castle
Until September 7th
Before the Smithsonian Institution became a collection of 21 world-renowned museums and galleries, its collections were housed in one building, an iconic red sandstone structure now known as the Castle. The 1855 building has been closed for renovations for the past three years and won’t fully reopen until 2027. But this summer, visitors will be able to get a sneak peek as the castle temporarily reopens. american aspirations (on display through July 26) features 30 of the Smithsonian’s most historic items, including Thomas Jefferson’s desk, Harriet Tubman’s hymn, and the original model of the Statue of Liberty designed by Statue of Liberty creator Frederick Auguste Bartholdi.
Admission is free.
51 Steps to the Freedom Trail
Released earlier this year, 51 steps to freedom A highly interactive walking tour that spotlights the people, places, and stories that shaped Washington, DC. This is a completely self-guided tour. app It uses augmented reality technology to explain the city’s past. When users point their phones at various important landmarks, the screen acts similar to virtual reality glasses, displaying videos, music, and vibrant holograms.
Spanning six neighborhoods, this trail explores lesser-known chapters of the capital’s history, from Georgetown’s fascinating Black heritage to Anacostia’s role in the birth of the Go-Go. Along the way, visitors meet influential Washingtonians such as poet Langston Hughes, suffragist Alice Paul, musician Duke Ellington, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. More than 40 stops have been unveiled to date, with additional stops expected to open throughout the summer.
Available for free. Sign-up from the website is required.
smithsonian merry-go-round
After three years of extensive renovation, Historic Merry-Go-Round at the Smithsonian Institution It has made a joyous return, just in time for the city’s big summer celebrations. This unusual structure has been a permanent fixture on the Mall since the mid-19th century, and was installed by then-Smithsonian Museum Director S. Dillon Ripley as part of an effort to make the Mall more attractive to visitors. The current merry-go-round, built in 1947 and filled with hand-carved jumping horses, has been rewired, repainted and updated for better access.
But there’s more to this carousel than meets the eye. Originally built for Gwynn Oak Park, an amusement park outside of Baltimore, the carousel played a role in a pivotal chapter in Maryland’s civil rights struggle. Gwynn Oaks was the site of nearly a decade of desegregation protests that culminated in 1963 with the integration of the carousel. On the day Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall, black and white children rode a carousel together for the first time.
Tickets are $6.
new restaurant kiosk
Once notorious as a bit of a gourmet desert, the National Mall welcomed eight new restaurant kiosks to liven up the atmosphere this summer. Sponsored by a non-profit organization Taste of History DCnewly renovated locations stretch from the Hirshhorn Museum to the Lincoln Memorial and south to the Jefferson Memorial in the Tidal Basin. Visitors can look forward to protein bowls at Nature’s Table near the Natural History Museum, Italian-inspired bites at Bar Americano near the National Air and Space Museum, and a variety of flavors in between.