Historic Sites in Washington DC
We list 6 historic sites across the Washington DC area. Compare prices, hours and age ranges in one place, then pick the one that fits your day.
Sorted by distance from the middle of Washington DC, nearest first. Those are straight-line miles, so every drive is longer than the number on the card.
Built in 1799, Dumbarton House provides a unique view of life in early Washington D.C. Open to the public since 1932, this Federal period estate is the oldest…
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The Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum explores the Jewish experience in the national capital region and inspires visitors to connect, reflect, and…
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A Federal-era house and garden in Georgetown that belonged to descendants of Martha Washington. The property spans five and a half acres and contains thousands of…
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One of the premier art collector's museums in the United States, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is dedicated to enlightening and engaging visitors with an…
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Mount Vernon is the historic home of America’s first president, George Washington. Explore the beautiful mansion and grounds and get to know the man, the ideas…
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The Hammond-Harwood House, a National Historic Landmark, is an outstanding example of American colonial architecture. Built in 1774 as a town residence for…
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Where a card says no price or no hours listed, the venue does not publish it. We would rather leave the gap than fill it with a guess. Prices come from each venue's own website, and we publish one only when the figure appears on the page we took it from. Tell us if we are missing one you know.
Which one, by age
Two children three years apart do not have to be a compromise. The age line on every card shows what that venue serves.
Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
Best here for six to nine, 1 miles out, listed ages 6–16 and admission $5.
Hammond-Harwood House
Best here for ten and up, 30 miles out, listed ages 10–16 and admission from $10.
Free historic sites in Washington DC
One place on this page gets you in free. That makes a short trip easy to justify on a day when nobody is sure how long they will last.
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum
Free to get in and 1 miles out.
By town
Most of these are not in Washington DC proper, and the town is usually what decides whether a place is worth the trip.
Historic Sites in Washington
5 of them: Dumbarton House, Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the closest 1 miles from the middle of Washington DC and 3 with a published admission price.
Planning a visit
These run from 1 to 30 miles out from the middle of Washington DC. Hours move with the season and with school holidays, so check the listing before you set off. If you run one of the places on this page, you can claim it for free and keep its hours and prices right.
Before you go
Grip socks. Almost every venue requires them for children and several require them for adults. Most sell them at the door for a few dollars. Bringing your own is cheaper and means you are not buying a fourth pair.
Check whether adults pay. It runs from free to full price and it changes the cost of a visit by a lot when there are two of you.
Weekday mornings are the toddler rush. If you want space, aim for after two on a school day. Weekend mornings are the busiest hours of the week almost everywhere.
Ninety minutes is the realistic ceiling for most children under five. There is rarely a gradual wind down. Leaving with time left on the clock is not wasted money, it is a better afternoon.
Call ahead in school holidays. Several of these venues run camps and private events that close open play with no notice on the website.
Looking somewhere else in the metro? Browse every kid-friendly place in Washington DC.
Other things to do in Washington DC
Historic Sites in nearby cities
Common questions about historic sites in Washington DC
How many historic sites are there in Washington DC?
We list 6 historic sites within 35 miles of Washington DC, DC. Every one is a published listing with an address we checked.
Which historic sites in Washington DC publish their prices?
4 of the 6 here do, and each price was checked word for word against the venue's own page before we published it. The rest do not publish one, so their card says no price listed rather than carrying a guess.
Are any historic sites in Washington DC free?
Yes. One place gets you in free: Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum.
How did Mini Navigators choose these historic sites?
We list every one we have within 35 miles of the center of Washington DC. Each is a published place with an address we geocoded and checked, and the business can claim its listing to keep the hours and prices current.
Do adults have to pay?
It varies more than you would expect, from free to full price, and it changes the cost of a visit by a lot when there are two of you. The price on each card is what it costs to get a child in. Where a venue publishes an adult price it is on the listing, and where it does not we have left it out rather than assume.
Do I need to book ahead?
Usually not for open play, but several venues cap capacity at weekends and during school holidays, and some close open play entirely for private events. Where a venue has its own booking page, the listing links straight to it.
What should I bring?
Grip socks, a water bottle, a change of clothes for anyone under four, and a plan for leaving before the meltdown rather than after it.
What else is there to do with kids in Washington DC?
Washington DC has 9 categories of kid-friendly places on Mini Navigators, from playgrounds and museums to splash pads and zoos. The Washington DC hub lists all of them.
Listings last checked August 21, 2026.