Begin your day at the National Gallery of Art to explore masterpieces by European and American artists ranging from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, before admiring the striking modern architecture of the East Building, designed by I. M. Pei.

Step outside into the National Gallery of Art - Sculpture Garden, where contemporary sculptures, landscaped paths, and fountains create a peaceful retreat in the heart of the National Mall.

Continue past the stately National Archives Museum, whose neoclassical façade houses the nation's founding documents, before visiting the National Building Museum, celebrated for its soaring Great Hall, innovative exhibitions, and outstanding architecture.

Walk to the United States Capitol, where the iconic dome and landscaped grounds provide some of the city's most impressive civic architecture and sweeping views across the National Mall.

Continue to the Library of Congress, widely regarded as one of America's most beautiful public buildings. Admire its grand marble staircases, mosaics, murals, stained glass, and richly decorated Great Hall.

If open, visit the Supreme Court of the United States, where you can view the elegant Great Hall and and appreciate its classical architecture.

Optional add-ons: Visit the beautifully restored Folger Shakespeare Library, home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection and a blend of historic and contemporary design.

Optional add-on: Walk through Union Station, a Beaux-Arts transportation landmark featuring soaring ceilings, elegant arches, and a collection of shops and restaurants.

End the day at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Enjoy panoramic views of the Potomac River and the city skyline from the rooftop terrace before attending a concert, symphony, ballet, theatre performance, or opera.

Head to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian's museum of modern and contemporary art, where paintings, sculptures, photography, and multimedia installations showcase some of the most influential artists of the past century. Step outside to the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, where large-scale works are displayed in a tranquil outdoor setting.

On your way to the next museum, walk past the Smithsonian Castle, the original Smithsonian building and an iconic example of Victorian Romanesque architecture.

Visit the Freer Gallery of Art, which along with the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is now known as the National Museum of Asian Art, where collections span thousand of years of artistic traditions from across Asia, including ceramics, sculpture, paintings, textiles, and decorative arts.

Optional add-on: Explore the National Museum of African Art, featuring traditional and contemporary works that highlight the artistic diversity of the African continent.

Finish the afternoon at the Renwick Gallery, renowned for its collection of contemporary American craft, decorative arts, and immersive large-scale installations housed within a restored nineteenth-century building.

Optional add-ons: Browse the area's independent galleries, or if schedules align, descend into Dupont Underground, an innovative arts venue housed within a former underground streetcar station.

Explore Embassy Row and Dupont Circle, where grand Gilded Age mansions, elegant Beaux-Arts architecture, embassies, cafés, and tree-lined streets create one of Washington's most attractive neighborhoods.

Stroll alongside the historic C&O Canal Towpath, which runs along a once important commercial waterway, before admiring Georgetown's beautifully preserved Federal-era buildings.

Spend the morning exploring Georgetown, one of Washington's oldest neighborhoods, known for its Federal and early nineteenth-century architecture, brick townhouses, and charming streets.

Visit the Old Stone House, the oldest unchanged building in Washington, then continue to The Museum at Dumbarton Oaks and the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, where exceptional collections of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art are complemented by magnificent formal gardens.

Optional add-on: Tour Tudor Place, a historic Federal-style mansion that offers insight into early American life through its architecture, furnishings, and gardens.

Visit the Washington National Cathedral, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, celebrated for its soaring architecture, intricate stone carvings, and spectacular stained glass.

Optional add-on: Wander through the peaceful Bishop's Garden, whose medieval-inspired landscaping complements the cathedral's Gothic design.

Finish the afternoon at The Phillips Collection, America's first museum of modern art, where an intimate setting showcases works by Renoir, Rothko, O'Keeffe, Van Gogh, and many other renowned artists.

Enjoy an evening performance at the historic National Theatre DC, where Broadway productions, concerts, and touring performances continue a theatrical tradition dating back nearly two centuries.