I’m a pretty big fan of Dan Brown, so of course I purchased a copy of The Lost Symbol the week that the book came out. I read it in a day and really enjoyed it (though “Angels and Demons” remains my favorite of the “Robert Langdon” books). More than any other reaction I garnered from the book, I was left with an increased desire to visit some of the historical landmarks of Washington D.C., which is where the book took place.

I’ve always wanted to go, but now I really want to go. Without giving away any of the plot lines of the books, here are four of the landmarks featured in “The Lost Symbol”:

The Library of Congress, along with being the largest library in the world, is “the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress.” The Thomas Jefferson building, which hosts the Library of Congress Experience, is located on 1st Street S.E., between Independence Avenue and East Capitol Street, on Capitol Hill. It is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. There is no charge to visit, though entrance wait times sometimes exist, and vary from 15 to 45 minutes. Tours occur daily, and various concerts, exhibitions, and other events occur throughout the year.

The Washington Monument was built in honor of George Washington, and was constructed in stages between 1848 and 1884. It is located near the west end of the National Mall, between the U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, and stands over 555 feet tall. It ranges in thickness from 15 feet at the base, to 18 inches at the top. Operating hours for the Monument are 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Entry is free but requires a ticket – tickets can be reserved in advance for a transaction fee by going online at Recreation.gov. Tickets for same-day visits are on a first-come first-served basis and can be obtained from the Washington Monument Lodge along 15th St., beginning at 8:30 a.m. Visitors can take a short elevator ride to the top of the monument and see views of the entire Washington D.C. area, for up to thirty miles.

The US Capitol Building houses the US Senate and House of Representatives. The Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is accessed via the East front at First Street and East Capitol Street, NE. Tours are available daily, for free, but advance reservations are required. Exhibitions include the US Constitution, the House and Senate Theaters, and the Statue of Freedom.

The Smithsonian is a complex of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and a zoo. Visitor information, including locations, hours, and maps, is extensive, so visit The Smithsonian’s website for more information. Most museums, including the Smithsonian Castle, the Air and Space Museum, and the American History Museum, are open daily from 10:00 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Tours of the various museums and exhibits are scheduled daily. Per the Smithsonian’s official website,

“The Smithsonian Information Center in the Castle is centrally located at 1000 Jefferson Dr., SW, Washington, D.C. Ten of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., span an area from 3rd to 14th Streets between Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km). Because you will do a lot of walking between and within museums, plan to wear comfortable clothing and shoes!”

It is best to visit all four landmarks by using the Washington Metro public transportation. Visit their website for details.

If you are coming from New York, here is a resource for tours from New York to Washington DC.

Photo credits (in order of appearance):
- “USA Flag catches the wind” by Will Palmer on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Jefferson Building (Library of Congress)” by Cliff 1066 on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Washington Monument” by Cloud Soup on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Capitol” by Alykat on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Smithsonian Castle Garden” by David Paul Ohmeron Flickr Creative Commons.