Unscripted by Guided Tours DC, 400 7th Street NW, Washington D.C., DC (2025)

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day! Today, Americans honor their country with the 249th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Often, festivities include fireworks, food, drink, and frozen treats.

Did you know that according to some historians, 4th of July fun 1850s style, may have been what killed 12th President Zachary Taylor?! Reportedly, Taylor enjoyed a “frozen” dairy treat after coming home from attending oratory celebrations all day. He requested many different sorts of cherries be brought to him as he enjoyed his iced milk. 5 days later, he passed away from gastroenteritis. Was it brought on by his 4th of July revels or just the unsanitary living conditions in DC at the time? You be the judge.

Sit back, relax, enjoy the fireworks and be careful out there!

Photo Creds:
1: Fireworks 1. -07-05. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress www.loc.gov/item/2023696137/
2: Zachary Taylor, half-length portrait, head in profile to the right. Brady, Mathew B. [Between 1844 and 1849] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .
3: Smalltown July 4th Parade. July 4. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .
4: Washington Monument in progress circa 1865. Bell & Bro Photographers. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

07/03/2025

The America Unscripted tour is an iconic Americana tour touching on the most important documents and objects on display in Washington DC. Covering both the National Archives and the Museum of American History these 2 hours will fly by as your guide weaves together the Declaration of Independence to Captain America’s shield and everything in between.

Due to small group size, these tours sell out quickly. Make your reservations in advance at unscripted.tours!

Photo Credits:

1: National Archives South Facade, Photo by Liam Gideon
2: National Archives rotunda, Photo by Liam Gideon
3: Abraham Lincoln’s top hat from the night of the assassination, Photo by Lia

07/02/2025

For this History Wednesday we are thinking about one of our favorite parts of summer celebrations: fireworks. There is a tradition of beautiful pyrotechnics in American Independence Day celebrations, but their place in history dates back long before 1776. Nearly 2000 years ago Ancient China debuted a version of fireworks, they were used in Feudal England, and in the modern day, fireworks have illuminated celebrations across cultures and borders. Every Independence Day, the National Parks Service hosts a fireworks display on the National Mall so brilliant that people travel to DC to witness it in person. This July 4th remember the ancient history behind the dazzling displays.

#1776

Image Credits:

1: July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. Photographer: Carol Highsmith, 2008

2: Yao Wen-han, Joyous Celebration at the New Year ca. 18th Century

3: The Family of Henry VII with St George and the Dragon. Artist: Unknown, 1503-9

4: The Declaration of Independence / painted by John Trumbull ; engraved & printed by Illman Brothers., 1876. https://www.loc.gov/item/2018645792/.

5: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's, renowned Independence Day (July 4) fireworks display. Photographer: Carol Highsmith, 2019

07/01/2025

Today we are celebrating National Postal Workers Day. This day marks the official founding of the United States Postal Service. From Abraham Lincoln to Walt Disney, people from every walk of life have found work mail carrying!

Image Credits:

1: Photograph shows a postal worker carrying a bag of mail and a bundle of the magazine The Literary Digest dated May 22, 1920. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.30262/

2: Benjamin Franklin ca. 1785. Artist: Joseph Siffred Duplessis

3: The World Columbian Exposition Stamp, ca 1893. Courtesy of the National Postal Museum

4: Photograph of Abraham Lincoln, once Salem, Illinois’ postmaster, by Photographer Mathew Brady, housed in the National Portrait Gallery. Photographer: Liam Gideon, 2025

5: The Spirit of St. Louis (Plane of Charles Lindburgh, Airmail Pilot and Famed aviator). Photographer: Liam Gideon, 2025

6: Prof. S.F.B. Morse. The great inventor of the telegraph c. 1870. Artist: Unknown https://www.loc.gov/item/2003674300/

7: Harry Truman, once a postal carrier, c1945 June 27. https://www.loc.gov/item/96523444/

8: Unscripted Tour Guide Jim, delivering the Lincoln Assasination tour. Photographer: Liam Gideon, 2025

06/30/2025

Vroooooom….. National Corvette Day!

Today in 1953, the first Corvette rolled off the assembly line. This symbol of Americana became the quintessential American sports car, only rivaled by the Ford Mustang. Its evolution since the 1950’s illustrates how car design has grown and changed, with newer models favoring a more aerodynamic design.

To see this beautiful original Corvette in the Air and Space Museum join us on the Smithsonian Highlights tour. Book now at unscripted.tours!

Photo creds

1: The 1953 corvette at Air and Space, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.

06/29/2025

It's National Camera Day!

Today we celebrate arguably the most important invention since the written word - the camera. Invented in 1816 in France by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, the first cameras were simple wooden boxes, in which light was focused through a lens and onto a thin piece of film coated in silver iodide. The image was developed in darkness by the photographer.

In 210 years, we’ve made incredible leaps and bounds; developing video communication and in 1969, a camera was one of the first objects on the moon. You can see some of the cameras from the space program on our Smithsonian Highlights tour! Book today at: unscripted.tours

Photo creds

1: 1990’s Nikon camera and lenses at Air and Space Museum, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.
2: A TV camera mounted to the outside of the Apollo 11 Command Module, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.
3: A camera mounted on the nose cone of the Saturn V, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.
4: Early aerial film camera used in movies, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.
5: A camera used by crewmembers aboard the Apollo missions, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.
6: A camera mounted to the outside of the ISS, Rett Dean, Unscripted Tours.

06/28/2025

Shane brings a smile to our faces when he regularly breaks into song or drops the perfect pop culture reference around the office. As a tour guide, he brings a unique worldview to his tours and loves to engage guests in the conversation.

Take a tour with Shane this summer and leave with a smile on your face and whistling a happy tune!

Photo Credits:
Photos of Shane on tour at the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office and clowning around in downtown DC.

06/27/2025

Helen Keller, the first blind/deaf person to ever receive a bachelors degree, was born in Connecticut on this day in 1880. She became a prominent suffrage activist and an inspiration to countless generations of Americans who continue to hear and feel her story. After she died in 1968, her ashes were interred at the National Cathedral here in DC. Happy 145th birthday Helen!

Photo Creds

1:Whitman Studio, photographer. Helen Keller, no. 8. October 28. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .
2:Helen Keller, -1968. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .
3:Statue of Helen Keller inside Capitol, Christopher Williams, Unscripted Tours.

06/25/2025

Today is International Day of the Seafarer! Established in 2010 by a Diplomatic Conference in Manila, Philippines, International Day of the Seafarer seeks to recognize the “unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole.” This day of observance was created to honor those who serve the world as sailors. Not just those serving in navies, but those who work on merchant ships and supply boats, those whose work props up our global economy.

To learn more about the sights described in this post check out our Capitol Hill, Arlington Cemetery, or Dark History: Georgetown tours. Today we are so grateful for those who spend their days at sea.

Photo Credits:

1: George Washington Crossing the Delaware. Artist: Emanuel Leutze, 185. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

2: River Boat of the Potomac. Artist: George Wallis, 1853 https://www.loc.gov/item/2004662176/

3: Nationals Park, baseball stadium, Washington, DC. Photographer: Carol Highsmith https://www.loc.gov/item/2010630934/

4: The 1987 dedication of the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Photographer: Carol Highsmith https://www.loc.gov/item/2011632660/

5: United States Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade John F. Kennedy, 1942. Photograph by Frank Turgeon Jr. Courtesy of John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. https://www.nps.gov/articles/kennedyww2.htm

6: JFK’s Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery. Photograph: Liam Gideon, 2025

7: The Lone Soldier at The United States Naval Memorial. Photographer: Liam Gideon, 2025

06/24/2025

The Lincoln Assassination tour is one of our most popular tours and our guides regularly say that it is their favorite tour to give.

Read along to learn why this tour regularly sells out weeks in advance.

Photo Credits:

1: Lincoln Statue in Ford’s Theatre Museum, Photo by Liam Gideon
2: Tour Guide Jim Garrett telling guests about the movements of John Wilkes Booth on the day of the assassination, Photo by Liam Gideon
3: Sites and streets of DC, Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
4: The bedroom where Lincoln died at the Petersen House, Photo by Liam Gideon.

06/22/2025

Meg joined Unscripted Tours after more than a decade living and working in Washington, DC. She brings her local knowledge to every tour. If you want recommendations for where to eat, best shows or venues, Meg is your source.

Jump on a tour with Meg to get the real history and local flavor that only a resident can bring to the party. Book now at unscripted.tours

Photo Credits:
Photos of Meg on tour at the US Capitol Visitors Center, the Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History.

06/21/2025

Today we celebrate Make Music Day, an international celebration of the creation and community music fosters. On this day everyone, young or old, beginner or professional, is invited to join in bringing music to the world around them. Here are some of the amazing pieces on display in the National Museum of American History, a beloved stop on our Smithsonian Highlights tour! If you are interested in learning more, check us out at unscripted.tours!

Image Credits:

1: Prince’s “Yellow Cloud” Guitar, 1983 Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

2: Costume Worn for a Choir Competition on Glee, 2010. Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

3: Conga Used by Emilio Estafan, 1980s. Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

4: Paul Simons Guitar Used for His Concert in Central Park, 1991. Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

5: John Coltrane’s Saxophone, 1965. Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

6: Dizzy Gillespie’s Trumpet, 1977. Photographer: Riley Kozal, 2025

7: Lin Manuel Miranda’s Costume from Hamilton, 2015. Photographer: Liam Gideon, 2025

Unscripted by Guided Tours DC

07/04/2025

07/03/2025

07/02/2025

07/01/2025

06/30/2025

06/29/2025

06/28/2025

06/27/2025

06/25/2025

06/24/2025

06/22/2025

06/21/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category