(Ron Edmonds/AP Photo)
Sites off the Mall
Stephanie Merry | Updated 07/18/2011
Escape from the touring masses by heading to these worthwhile spots off the National Mall's beaten path.
Marine Corps Memorial
Arlington, VA
Victorious Marines are perpetually in the process of raising the American flag over Iwo Jima at this Arlington memorial.
Mount Vernon
Alexandria, VA
George Washington's home displays everything from his ivory dentures to the will in which the first president freed his slaves.
National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
Sharing the Old Patent Office Building with the American Art Museum, this locale specializes in famous faces of presidents, actors, musicians and more.
Phillips Collection
Washington, DC
D.C. gains art cred by housing America's first museum of modern art, known for its impressive collection of impressionist paintings.
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Chantilly, VA
The Enola Gay, Space Shuttle Enterprise and an IMAX theater can all be found at this suburban extension of the Air and Space Museum.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
While not everyone is a fan of the venue's architecture, the free Millennium Stage shows and grand flag-draped Hall of States warrant a visit.
Washington National Cathedral
Washington, DC
This towering example of Gothic architecture has been the setting for the memorial services of numerous presidents and luminaries.
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