Transportation Walk – the Non-museum Museum

In the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood of southwest Washington, and I’ve come across Washington’s most unusual museum:  The Transportation Walk outside the headquarters of the US Department of Transportation. 

 

This is a museum that’s not in a museum.  It traces the history of transportation on our continent from that used by indigenous people to today.  And it shows this evolution through artifacts, plaques, and sidewalk pavers.  It covers the short-lived pony express, the importance of the Erie Canal, the role of African Americans in building the railroads, the impact of the interstate highway system, and much more.

 

And as you walk around the building you find some great stuff – landing gear, tires, propellers, gas pumps, old travel posters – this is such a great idea.

 

And as I walk around here, I wonder what the next addition to this museum will be.  Will it be a car with an obsolete combustion engine or a new EV charging station?

 

The neighborhood’s worth a visit.  It used to a light industrial area – a cement factory, autobody shops, and such.  But today it’s worth a visit, especially if you going to a game at nearby Nationals Park.  There are shops, restaurants, and the Yards Park, which I’ll save for another blog. 

 

But for whatever reason brings you down to Capitol Riverfront this is a fun way to learn how we’ve gotten from here to there.

Duration
2 hours
Group Size
2 to 8

Above It All - Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral is a Gothic masterpiece. Perched on a hill overlooking the city it is the second largest cathedral in the country and the 6th largest in the world. It is a living work of art filled with stained-glass, hand-carved wood, and wrought iron. While a modern structure (finished in 1990) it is constructed in the old-world way and has no structural steel.

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
55 USD
Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
1 to 8

Hidden on Capitol Hill

Few people think beyond the Capitol when they think of the Hill. This tour takes you to the heart of a neighborhood with a fascinating history that still speaks to us today. Learn about these famous locations from a former Capitol Hill resident.

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
250 USD
Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
1 to 8

Embassy Row: Divinity & Diplomats

Most Embassy Row tours don’t venture far beyond Dupont Circle. But ours does. We see it all from top to bottom. This stretch of Massachusetts Avenue used to be called Millionaires Row where Gilded Age robber-barons built grand mansions. Today those mansions house most of Washington’s embassies, along with private clubs and statues of world heroes such as Mandela, Gandhi, and Churchill – and we will be right in the heart of it.

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
250 USD