Boat tours have returned to the C&O Canal and there is a new exhibition by Yayoi Kusama at the Hirshhorn.
D.C. is the museum capital of the United States, and summer is the best time to visit the sites around the city! Staples like the Lincoln Memorial and the National Museum of Natural History are always a good choice, but several new attractions are opening this summer.
Next time, add these attractions to your list of things to see and do in Washington, D.C.:
C&O Canal Boat Tours
After an extensive hiatus, boat tours are finally returning to the C&O Canal in Georgetown this summer. The last boats were removed from the water in 2011 and are being reintroduced after a preservation project by Georgetown Heritage and the C&O Canal National Historical Park. The new boats have engines instead of being pulled by mules and include modern conveniences like restrooms and a sound system.
Tickets are $8 for children, $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors. Tickets are available online or at the box office at the C&O Canal Georgetown Visitor Center.
Yayoi Kusama’s One With Eternity
Courtesy Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro, London/Venice
Japanese artist Yahoo Kusama’s infinity mirrors exhibit broke records the last time it came to D.C. The artist is back with a new installation called One with Eternity: Yayoi Kusama in the Hirshhorn Collection now open at the Hirshhorn Museum on the National Mall. The exhibit includes two infinity mirror displays that have been purchased by Hirshhorn along with several other pieces. Free same-day timed passes can be obtained each day beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the museum plaza.
Notre Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition
In 2019, a fire destroyed the most famous cathedral in the world, the Notre Dame de Paris. A restoration project is currently underway and a new exhibition at the National Building Museum lets visitors take a look. Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition delivers a 360-degree presentation of the cathedral throughout its 850-year history. Visitors walk the exhibit with an iPad that shows reconstructions and stories about the cathedral. Notre-Dame de Paris is on display through September 26. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children 3–17.
Lockkeeper’s House
Courtesy Trust for the National Mall
Built in 1837, the Lockkeeper’s House was home to the operator of the lock canal system in D.C. After sitting dormant for 40 years, the house was moved to the National Mall and $6 million funded by the Trust for the National Mall was used to restore it to its former glory. The house will now serve as a guidepost at the entrance of the National Mall. Visitors can explore the tiny building and learn about life on the canals. The Lockkeeper's house is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
FUTURES at the Smithsonian Arts and Industry Building
FUTURES, a limited-engagement exhibition examines what life will be like in the future. The 32,000-square-foot display features multi-media exhibits about how food will be grown, how buildings will be designed, and innovations in medicine and healthcare. A new virtual reality experience allows users to take a ride in a capsule into space and walk on the moon. FUTURES will be open through July 6 inside the Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall.
What other new attractions throughout D.C. are you excited to visit? Comment below.