Freedom rings in the government buildings. At the White House, you won't be able to meet President Obama or get into the Oval Office, but you'll see a good cross section of the building. That includes the State Dining Room and the famous 1797 portrait of George Washington. Submit your request for a tour through your member of Congress.
At the U.S. Capitol, you could watch the government in action. The Senate and House galleries are open to the public when they're in session. (The House Gallery remains open even when not in session.) You'll need to get passes from your senator or representative's office.
The Supreme Court allows you to hear oral arguments before the court on a first-come basis. There are also exhibits, lectures and a visitor's film.
The famous Lincoln Memorial was the sight of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. It's also on the back of a $5 bill and a penny. Up close, you'll have plenty of great photo opportunities with the Reflecting Pool in the background.
The Jefferson Memorial is another must-see. The 19-foot statue of Thomas Jefferson is inside a circular dome structure.
For more recent history, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial lists the 58,260 Americans killed in the Vietnam War. Relatives and friends trace the names of their loved ones onto paper as a tribute.
Lesser known memorials around the city include the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, the George Mason Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Women in Vietnam Memorial.
The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum complex and research organization, consisting of 19 museums, nine research centers and the National Zoo, according to its website. A bonus is that the museums don't charge admission. Two of the museums tied for the top spot in the Forbes Traveler's top 25 most visited museum list in the country. According to Forbes, the National Museum of Natural History and the Air and Space Museum each drew 7 million visitors in 2009.
At the history museum, you could see 126 million natural science specimens and cultural artifacts, including 30 million insects. The Air and Space Museum features aircraft and international space exhibits.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum drew 2 million visitors to place eighth on Forbes' list. The museum has moving exhibits that tell the story of the Nazi Germany state-sponsored persecution of Jews between 1933 and 1945.
