5 Places to Visit for Free in Washington, D.C.

More than 24 million tourists visit the U.S. capital each year. Washington attracts travelers with its well-developed tourism infrastructure, famous attractions, a vibrant cultural scene, and a wide selection of free museums and public spaces. And to stay connected while traveling without paying unnecessary roaming charges, you can activate eSIM Plus before your trip and choose the right mobile data plan in advance.

If you’re planning a budget trip to Washington, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on entertainment. Below, we’ve listed five popular places that you can visit for free. This itinerary will help you see the city’s main sights and at the same time save money for other travel experiences.

Free Things to Do in Washington, D.C.

The White House

Perhaps the most famous building in the United States. The official residence of the U.S. president is located on Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of the city. The White House is surrounded by the 18-acre President’s Park. The White House has six floors, including two underground levels. It has 132 rooms, including:

• The Oval Office, where the U.S. president works. The room’s windows are made of bullet-resistant glass to protect the president.
• The Situation Room. The U.S. president holds meetings here with senior officials. The room is equipped with a projector, monitors, and other equipment for meetings.
• The Presidential Dining Room. The room was previously used by presidential secretaries, but it is now used as a dining room for official guests.
• The Vice President’s Office. The U.S. vice president works in this room. If the president dies, the vice president becomes president.

You can visit the White House Tuesday through Saturday, and you must request a tour in advance. To do this, you must contact your Member of Congress at least 21 days before your requested visit date to request a tour. As you walk through the rooms open to visitors on two floors, you can see personal items belonging to members of the presidential family.

U.S. Capitol

The Capitol, once the tallest building in the city, stands on one of Washington’s hills and rises 88 meters high. It was completed in 1800 as the home of the U.S. Congress, however, 14 years later, the Capitol was almost completely burned during the British attack.

This happened during the War of 1812. Restoring the building took more than five years. Over the next two decades, the Capitol was expanded and renovated. The Capitol reached roughly its current form by 1865.

Today, only two of the Capitol’s 540 rooms are open to visitors. You can explore the famous Rotunda, which features a unique collection of paintings and sculptures. You can also sign up for a unique experience — from a special gallery, you can watch Congress in session.

To enter the Capitol, you need to obtain free passes at the visitor center.

National Museum of Natural History

The museum, founded in 1910, is managed by the Smithsonian Institution. Its collection contains more than 126 million specimens and artifacts: here you can see mineral samples, meteorites and archaeological artifacts. The Ocean Hall, which covers an area of more than 200 square meters, has huge screens showing the life of marine life.

The museum’s most valuable and famous object is the 45.52-carat diamond of the British aristocrat Henry Hope. The diamond, known as the Hope Diamond, is somewhat ironic, as the stone was said to have brought misfortune to many of its owners.

However, research has shown that most of the stories about the diamond’s supposed curse were invented by Pierre Cartier, a previous owner of the diamond. The theory is that Cartier may have helped spread the stories to deter potential thieves.

The museum is open daily, except on Christmas Day. You can visit it for free.

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

The National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. It was founded in 1889. Today, about 1,800 animals representing more than 300 species live here. The zoo’s most popular animals include pandas and sea lions.

Admission to the zoo is free, but various events are often held on the grounds, some of which require an additional fee. Revenue from these activities helps support animal care and conservation. Perhaps the most interesting attraction is a nighttime tour and overnight camping at the zoo.

Library of Congress

The world’s largest library was founded in 1800. At that time, its collection consisted of just 720 books. Today, the library’s collection includes more than 30 million books, 58 million manuscripts, 12 million photographs, and much more.

By the most conservative estimates, the collection grows by 2–3 million items every year. Digitizing the entire collection would take decades and require terabytes of storage.

Most visitors come to the Library of Congress to admire the interior of the main building, including its grand staircases, tall marble columns, paintings, and rare historic books displayed in glass cases.