Touring DC

discover the treasures of the city

Let's create a joyful, meaningful experience that has a lasting impact!

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Contact me to start planning your customized tour:

joel@jwallaceconsulting.com

US Capitol

The history of the US Capitol (Architect of the Capitol video, 2010)

Celebration of the dome restoration (AoC video, 2016) 

Flight 93 passengers and crew honored at Capitol (NBC News website, 2008)

Present at the creation: the Capitol dome (NPR website, 2002)

Ulysses S Grant Memorial (AoC website)

Restoration of the Grant Memorial (AoC video, 2017)

Library of Congress

The dome and statues of the main reading room (LOC website)

Great Hall (LOC website)

The Library of Congress Restored (CBS video, 1997)

Rebuilding Thomas Jefferson's lost library (PBS NewsHour video, 2014)

1507 map becomes America's birth certificate (Voice of America video, 2016)

The book that changed the world (LOC video, 2010)

Explore these resources before, during, and after your visit.

National Gallery of Art

Highlights of the History of the NGA (NGA website timeline with fantastic pictures and audio--listen to FDR's dedication speech)

Daniel in the Lion's Den (NGA website)

Thomas Cole's Voyage of Life: Childhood, and Youth (NGA video, 2014; Taft Museum of Art videos, 2014)

Eisenhower Memorial

Features of the memorial (NPS website, 2023)

Lighting Design Award (International Award video, 2021)

Memorial Sculptures (Eisenhower Foundation video, 2020)

Memorial Opening (ABC News video, 2020)

Memorial Design and Opening (CBS video, 2020)

Natural History Museum

T Rex makes its grand debut (Washington Post video, 2019)

From dig to display case (SI video, 2021)

Making of a megalodon  (SI video, 2019)

North Atlantic Right Whale, narrated tour (SI video 2021)

The Hope Diamond (SI website: includes a photo gallery, historic timeline, detailed history, and FAQ)

Bombarded with UV light, the blue Hope Diamond glows red (SI magazine, 2009)

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Whether you have one hour or one week to explore DC, I'm here to help!

joel@jwallaceconsulting.com

Renwick Gallery

History of the Renwick Gallery building (SAAM video, 2016)

Contemporary Craft (13 minute video walk through the gallery, 2025)

Power, Purpose, & Perseverance: Visualizing Black history in quilts (Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi lecture, 2022)

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of SAAM's Renwick Gallery (SAAM video, 2022)

Discover SAAM's Renwick Gallery (SAAM video, 2022)

The White House

The White House Building (Official White House government website)

President Clinton's final day at the White House (Clinton Presidential Library video, 2024)

The shadowy history of secret White House tapes (NPR website, 2017)

Slave labor and the White House (NPR, 2016)

White House, black history (NPR, 2011)

World War I Memorial

Features of the World War I Memorial (NPS website with links to design elements)

The US and the First World War (NPS website, 2024)

National Museum of African American History & Culture

Museum homepage

Fists of freedom: an Olympic story not taught in school (Zinn education project, 2012)

Washington Monument

10 fascinating facts (National Constitution Center, 2016)

Building the monument (CBS video, 2024)

First look inside repaired monument (CBS video, 2014)

Video footage from 1999 reopening (Associated Press, 1999)

World War II Memorial

An Interpretive Guide (National Park Service website)

Voices from the WWII Memorial (NPR, 2004)

World War II Memorial Dedication (CSPAN--video in full, 2004)

Sex overseas: "What Soldiers Do" complicates war history (NPR, 2013) 

Albert Einstein Statue

Mini bio: Nobel Prize Winner & Physicist (Biography video, 2016)

Memorials to Einstein, Gandhi share a surprising bond (Washington Post, 2015)

The Einstein Memorial (National Academy of Sciences website)

District of Columbia War Memorial

DC War Memorial (National Capital Planning Commission video, 2011)

Norton on NBC4 on DC War Memorial (NBC4 video, 2012)

District of Columbia War Memorial (NPS website, 2024)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Maya Angelou criticizes inscription at MLK Memorial (NBC News website, 2011)

Inscription to be removed (NPR website, 2012

Building the memorial (NPS website, 2024)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

FDR Memorial overview (NPS website, 2022)

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Construction timeline (NPS website, 2017)

Korean War Veterans Memorial

Korean War key events (Army Benevolent Fund website, 2023)

Korean War Veterans Memorial Design (KWVM Foundation website, 2023) 

Living memories of the Korean War fade (NPR, 2023)

North Korea's nuclear test in 2006 (Comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty organization video, 2008) 

The Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial at 100 (CBS video, 2022)

10 things you may not know about the Lincoln Memorial (History.com website, 2025)

Construction of the Lincoln Memorial (NPS website, 2021)

Features of the Lincoln Memorial (NPS website, 2021)

Arlington National Cemetery

National Memorial to Robert E. Lee (NPS website, 2024)

Cemetery Overview (US Military fact sheet)

President Taft Memorial Grave (Arlington Cemetery website)

Pan Am Flight 103 Memorial (ANC website)

Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial (ANC website)

President JFK gravesite and RFK gravesite (ANC website) and JFK's body moved to permanent gravesite (History.com website)

Brigadier General Martin Menter (Air Force website)

Tomb of the unknown soldier resources: ANC fact sheet; Department of Defense website)

Changing of the guard and sentinel qualifications (ANC fact sheet)

US Marine Corps War Memorial

Raising the flag: the story behind the photo (NBC news video, 2015)

Raising the flag and the Story behind the statue (Two NPS videos, 2020)

George Washington's Mount Vernon

Secrets of Mount Vernon: The Hidden History (View Master Travels video, 2024)

The Humor of George Washington (Mount Vernon, official website)

The home and estate of George Washington (History Underground video, 2021)

The Life of George Washington (Mount Vernon museum film, 1989)

Overheard in DC...

Park Service To Drain Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool After 80 Ducks Die (NPR, 2017)

Kennedy Center honors creative excellence in the arts (NPR, 2021)

US Navy Concert on the Avenue (2017, 2019, 2022)

DC Home Rule (DC Council webpage)

Visiting Lesser Known Memorials (National Capital Planning Commission video, 2011)

Architect reveals hidden details of DC (Architectural Digest video, 2022)