National Mall, Washington

The National Gallery of Art contains a large and diverse collection of European and American paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. Temporary exhibitions from countries and cultures around the globe are presented regularly. It is considered by some to be one of the world's premier museums and it is one of the most popular in the U.S.It is composed of two separate buildings connected by a tunnel. The West Wing is a neo-Classical structure containing primarily European art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The building was designed by John Russell Pope, the same man who planned the Jefferson Memorial. It opened to the public in 1941.The core of the collection comes from that of the former secretary of the treasury, Andrew Mellon. Some of the highlights in this section include the only Da Vinci painting (Ginevra de Benci) in any American museum, works by major French Impressionists such as Monet, Degas and Renoir and other masterpieces by Rembrant, El Greco and Vermeer.The East Wing of the Gallery is an example of modern architecture built in 1978 on the design of I M Pei and Partners. This section contains more sculpture than the West Wing, including pieces by Henry Moore and a mobile by Alexander Calder.

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is devoted to the documentation and display of Holocaust related material. The museum exhibitions, research and information programs recognize the millions of Jews, Roma and Sinti, people with disabilities, Poles, homosexuals, political dissidents and others killed in the Holocaust. It opened in 1993.The permanent exhibition is called "The Holocaust." In it artifacts, photographs, films, and eyewitness testimonies are presented over three floors of exhibition space. The area is divided up into chronological sections. The first deals with life in the early 1930's before the rise of the Nazis. The second covers the growth of Nazi power and subsequent tyranny and genocide. Finally, the last section displays material related to the end of the war and immediate aftermath. A light room with an eternal flame is at the end of the route. It is intended as a place for meditation and reflection.The US Holocaust Memorial Museum also supports an educational resource center that provides materials and services to Holocaust educators and students. The Wexman Learning Center, which gives visitors the chance to access material related to the Holocaust including text, photographs, maps, films, oral testimonies, and music on touch screen computers.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts has over 3,000 works of art by more than 400 women artists. The collection spans time periods from the 16th Century to present day, and is made up of a variety of media from all over the world. Some of the featured American artists include Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo and Eulabee Dix.

Near the White House stands the Octagon, one of the first great homes built in the new nation's capital. The Octagon is a noted landmark of America's architectural, political, and cultural history. Completed in 1801 for the eminent Tayloe family and designed by William Thornton, the original architect of the U.S. Capitol, the home is one of the most significant buildings to remain standing from the early federal city. It was in the upstairs parlor that President Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent on February 17, 1815 establishing peace with Great Britain. In 1899, The American Institute of Architects chose the severely deteriorated building as its new national headquarters, initiating a series of state-of-the-art restorations.

Established in 1968, the Wilson Center is a living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson. Woodrow Wilson is remembered for his high idealism as a scholar and national leader. The exhibits focus on research in history, social and political science and international relations.

Part of the Treasury Department, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is responsible for designing, engraving and printing paper money, postage stamps, food stamps and any other official paper with monetary value.

The National World War II Memorial commemorates the sacrifice and celebrates the victory of the WWII generation. The Memorial is located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memoria.

Voice of America is the radio and television broadcasting services of the U.S. Information Agency. News of the U.S. is broadcast around the world in 52 languages.