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Castle to Capitol: Museums of the National Mall Architecture Tour

Castle to Capitol: Museums of the National Mall Architecture Tour

Overview

Hear the stories behind our best loved and little known Smithsonian museums!
Washington’s most famous and lesser known museums can be found on the East side of the National Mall, laid out between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. Called “America’s Attic,” the Smithsonian Institution is one of the largest museum organizations in the world, with 30 million annual visitors, 19 museums and over 140 million items in the collection. On this tour, explore how the Smithsonian Institution has helped shape the fabric of the National Mall since 1847. Please note, this tour is mostly outdoors, plus a visit inside of the Smithsonian Castle.

Reserve directly via DC Design Tours for the best experience and price!

City: Washington DC

Sun 23 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $48.00

Make a reservation

Sun 23 Feb

Starting at $48.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough guests to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, an alternative or full refund will be provided.
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Smithsonian Institution Building

Your tour begins outside the Smithsonian Castle, the headquarters of the largest museum complex in the world!

Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building

We'll discuss the beautiful and unique design of this second home of the Smithsonian Institution.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Our spaceship on the National Mall.

National Air and Space Museum

The second most popular museum in the world!

National Gallery of Art

We'll examine the stark contrast between the Neoclassical West building and Modern East building of the National Gallery of Art.

National Museum of the American Indian

Meant to look sculpted by the wind and water, this beautiful building has a tumultuous past.

United States Botanic Garden

A hidden gem among museums along the National Mall!

Bartholdi Park

A secret spot off the National Mall with a historic and beautiful fountain, sculpted by someone unexpected!

Capitol Hill

We'll wrap up at the foot of Capitol Hill, with breathtaking views of the US Capitol and the National Mall!

Show 6 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (7)

jpiburn

Aug 2022

Fascinating history. Easy walk. Great value. I've recently gotten interested in architecture and decided to take the "Castle to Capitol" tour while I was in town for work. Absolutely fantastic. Can't wait to do another tour they offer. The "Castle to Capitol" tour tells the story of the birth and evolution of the Smithsonian Institute through the design and architecture of several of their most prominent buildings. Intriguing, often funny, history told through a leisurely stroll down the mall. Great for all ages. I would say 12 and up would get the most out of it, but it's enough moving around to keep the younger ones from melting down.

Response from Host

Aug 2022

Were so grateful for your review! Thank you and hope to see you again soon!

kimberlybT1522YN

Aug 2022

My mother and I were excited for this tour. We booked on Viator and received our tickets. Yesterday we received our confirmation for today's tour at 10 am. We went to the meeting place and no one showed up. We called and were informed this tour had been changed to 2pm instead. We weren't notified because we had booked on a third party site. We were given a refund (hopefully) since we had another tour lined up. Even in trying to find a way to write this review I had to go to 3 different sites as you cannot leave a review directly on DC Design Tours site, nor on the Viator site. All in all worst experience with a tour company.

Response from Host

Aug 2022

Thank you for your feedback. We already spoke about the mishap, and apologies again for derailing your day. As we discussed, the tour was not rescheduled, the time was listed incorrectly by Viator. Unfortunately as a small business we are beholden to large third party sellers and their internal systems. Regardless, we followed up with you at length and issued an immediate refund. I’m also reviewing every future viator booking and troubleshooting with viator to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Thankfully your experience was an isolated incident, as our 300+ 5 star reviews can attest. Thank you again for sharing, as its a great example of how booking direct via a company’s website is always the best way to go!

Itsasarahparty

Jun 2022

This is such an interesting tour! I’ve gone to museums many times without thinking much about the buildings that house them- this entire tour is all about those buildings. I credit this tour with introducing me to one of my favorite places to catch a quiet moment on the mall- the Enid A. Haupt garden at the Smithsonian castle- and the exterior of the National Museum of the American Indian is serene and took my breath away (also has a fascinating story!) I highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host

Jun 2022

Thanks Sarah! We love the Haupt Garden too!