(This article by Louisiana-based writer Kathie Rowell originally appeared in the June 2023 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members. Learn more about the magazine here; learn more about joining MOAA here.)
Step away from the National Mall. It’s true most of the district’s celebrated museums and monuments are there, but venture afield, and you’ll find hidden gems.
Former Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles McCaffrey, who has worked in Washington, D.C., and lived nearby for 20-plus years, enjoys its lesser-known attractions.
“One of the reasons I love this area is no matter what you’re looking to do, you can find it,” he said. “There are Greek festivals and Turkish festivals and Korean festivals and just about every type of museum imaginable and every type of bar and events venue. It really is a world-class city.”
McCaffrey recently took visiting friends for a tour of the National Building Museum, completed in 1887. Originally home to the U.S. Pension Bureau, it has been the site of presidential inaugural balls and is now a museum devoted to architecture, design, engineering, and construction.
“It’s a gorgeous building itself with an amazing interior,” he said. “If you go on a weekday, there are all these people doing their laps walking, because it’s just such a beautiful environment.”
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Two art galleries are among McCaffrey’s recommendations. The Kreeger Museum is a private art collection open to the public. “They have Monets and Cézannes. They have concerts there. They have expanded the surrounding landscape to include art, and they are doing children’s programs,” McCaffrey said.
While the Phillips Collection, another private collection open to the public, has a broad collection of art, McCaffrey’s favorite is the Rothko Room. “It’s probably the one place in the museum where it’s quiet, and you can sit and contemplate the colors, and it’s just a really nice respite from everything else,” he said.
When you’re ready for a bite and a beverage, McCaffrey suggests Fight Club DC for creative sandwiches and unique drinks like Sad Boys Tea, Impolite Castro, and That Character Actress in Every Hallmark Movie.
Historical Highlight: Visit Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., for an evening of music and marching by the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps; the color guard; the Silent Drill Platoon; and Cpl. Chesty XV, the official mascot. Parades are held Tuesdays and Fridays in summer.
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