From its celebrated symbols of patriotism to its undiscovered neighborhoods, the sights and sounds of the nation’s capital inspire millions of visitors every year. Packed with famous sights, free attractions, and an endless calendar of special events, Washington, D.C. offers year-round inspiring experiences.

Washington, D.C. is a town of much renown: it is a government town, a company town, a scandalous town and the political capital of the world. It is a place brimming with a unique history of its own. It has developed as a complex and layered city with multiple personalities. As home to the federal government, it includes a motley crue of government workers, Congressional members and staff from every corner of the United States, foreign dignitaries, lobbyists, and protestors. While elected and appointed officials come and go, giving the city its reputation as a transient community, many of the city’s residents have called Washington home for multiple generations. Their stories give Washington its distinctive character as both a national and local city.