Tips for a three-day trip to D.C.?

At Ford's, you sit in the theatre and a guy basically gives you a blow-by-blow about what happened. Then, afterward, you can go stand where Booth was when he shot Lincoln. I got there about 20 minutes before the program started and went into the basement, where they have lots of artifacts. Also, you can go across the street to the boarding house and see the bed where Lincoln died. (Apparently, his blood is still on one of the pillow cases. I didn't go to see that.) It was well worth the hour or so I spent there. I also wish I had visited the FBI and fired a real machine gun. How cool would that be?

 

Ford's Theatre closed June 1 last year for an 18-month renovation.

Double-check before you venture that way.

The war memorials elicit a wide range of emotions, no matter your politics. It is difficult to watch men break down when they find a name or their memories begin rushing back.

The National Archives is home to the Declaration and other important documents.

http://www.archives.gov/nae/visit/

 

Hustle pointed out this above, but thought it deserved a breakout: The Air and Space Museum expanded to Va., but the original is still is in its original location. The expansion has more big static displays of planes, and the space shuttle Enterprise. The Enola Gay and an SR-71 were also highlights.

 

The other two I remember from that were FedEx's first plane ever - a little Cessna, IIRC - and an Air France Concorde, which kind of dominates the skyline in that part of the museum.