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Ford's Theatre located on 10th Street NW in Washington, D.C. — an historic landmark and popular tourist attraction, in a neighborhood that is undergoing gentrification with many new condos and office buildings.
Aerial view eastward of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood in Washington, D.C.  The Watergate complex is in the foreground.
2008 map of Downtown area and emerging Center City areas
Photo by Kmf164
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North AmericaUnited StatesDistrict of Columbia

Downtown DC

District of Columbia, United States · North America

About Downtown DC

Downtown DC works well as a base: right by National Mall.

Downtown DC is in District of Columbia, United States, with about 53,000 people. You drive on the right here.

Where to Stay in Downtown DC

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to see near Downtown DC?

Within an hour or so of Downtown DC: National Mall (0 km), National Gallery of Art (0 km), Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (1 km), Smithsonian Museums (1 km).

Where is Downtown DC?

Downtown DC is in District of Columbia, United States.

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What's nearby?

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Places within a drive of Downtown DC. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.

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Quick Information

Population
52,560
Continent
North America
Country
United States
Region
District of Columbia
Timezone
America/New_York
Coordinates
38.8935, -77.0199

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in United States

Police
911
Ambulance
911
Fire
911
Driving side
right

AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.

Full driving guide for United States

Tags

North AmericaUnited StatesDistrict of ColumbiaTown

Worth the detour from Downtown DC

8 notable places within an hour's drive.

landmark

National Mall

America's front yard stretching from the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, lined with iconic monuments, memorials, and Smithsonian museums.

0 km · about 5 min drive

museum

National Gallery of Art

A free world-class museum on the National Mall featuring masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas.

0 km · about 5 min drive

museum

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Home to the Hope Diamond and over 148 million specimens, making it one of the world's premier natural history collections.

1 km · about 5 min drive

museum

Smithsonian Museums

The world's largest museum complex with 21 museums and galleries, all free, including the Air and Space Museum and Natural History Museum.

1 km · about 5 min drive

landmark

United States Capitol

Neoclassical seat of the US Congress topped by the iconic cast-iron dome, a centrepiece of the National Mall.

1 km · about 5 min drive

landmark

Washington Monument

Towering 169-metre marble obelisk on the National Mall honouring America's first president, George Washington.

1 km · about 5 min drive

museum

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The world's most visited aerospace museum, displaying the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, and Apollo 11 command module.

1 km · about 5 min drive

museum

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Preserves America's heritage with iconic artifacts including the Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln's top hat.

1 km · about 5 min drive

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Downtown DC.

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Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence