Grand Atlas Tours

14/03/2022

On this day in 1879, Albert Einstein was born! One of the memorials that guests love in DC is the Einstein Memorial, located along Constitution Avenue on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences. Check it out on a Grand Atlas tour!

04/03/2022

Meet 120 faces who may inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians. brings the largest collection of statues of women ever assembled together to highlight STEM innovators leading a variety of fields, all in 3D-printed bright orange. Whether they’re protecting wildlife, discovering galaxies, choreographing robots, or trying to cure cancer, these women make visible the work and achievements of .

Celebrate with us and our Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building, Smithsonian Gardens, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution with programs and activities, March 5 through 27. Visit si.edu/womensfutures for statue locations and to learn more.

05/02/2022

in , two of our nation's most important figures achieved their place in the U.S. government. It was in 1789 that George Washington was unanimously elected as our nation's 1st president. 12 years later, John Marshall was sworn in as Chief Justice of the . Their time leading their respective branches set precedents that still reverberate to this day.

Upon ratification of the Constitution, there was never a doubt as to whom the new republic would elect as . Washington was not a brilliant tactician or political thinker. But his character exceeded all others in the crucible for —exemplified no more so than his relinquish of power after it was achieved. Now, as president, he was tasked with legitimizing a new government, made of 13 disparate states that only joined forces in time of desperate need.

The growing divide between Federalists and Republicans threatened the American experiment in its infancy. In fact, within Washington's own cabinet was the leader of the Federalists, Treasury Sec. Alexander ; and leader of the Republicans, Sec. of State Thomas Jefferson. It was the respect that each faction had for Washington that helped him maintain national unity that many—including the president—thought might dissolve within 20 years. Many also assumed that he'd remain president until his death. But after two terms, Washington relinquished power one last and significant time. So revered was his example, no president sought a 3rd term for nearly 1 ½ centuries.

While Washington strengthened the executive by his character, Marshall strengthened the judiciary through his rulings. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Court established the supremacy of the federal government when in conflict with the states. While Marbury v. Madison marked ' 1st use of judicial review. Through the latter, Marshall set equilibrium in our system of checks and balances that's enabled our to prosper throughout .

13/01/2022

Check out this great info from the Capitol Historical Society!

in , 1808, American public official Salmon Chase was born. In his nearly unprecedented career, Chase served in each branch of government as Chief Justice of the , as a U.S. Senator in , Governor of , and Treasury Secretary under Abraham during the .

Chase was a vehement abolitionist who as a young attorney defended runaway slaves—and those who helped them—in court. He retained this ethos in his political career as leader of the Liberty Party, which supported abolition; and when he helped establish the Free Soil Party, which opposed slavery's expansion.

Buoyed by his growing prominence, Chase ran to be the nominee for president in 1860. At the time, he was one of the most highly revered in the nation and had arguably done more for the abolitionist cause than any in his party. Nevertheless, it was the relatively unheralded Lincoln who won the nomination as a third ballot compromise at the GOP convention. According to contemporary newspapers, Chase was “much chagrined and much dissatisfied with the nomination of so obscure a man.”

Lincoln knew, however, the importance of assembling a cabinet talented enough to bolster the nation in the lead up to the Civil War. “It seems to me not only highly proper, but necessary, that Gov. Chase shall take [the Treasury],” Lincoln believed. “His ability, firmness, and purity of character, produce the propriety.”

He was right. As Treasury Secretary, Chase helped secure a $50 million loan and worked diligently with Congress to institute necessary taxes and establish a national bank. The latter enabled the to issue a single currency and utilize bonds that ultimately helped it fund the army, win the war, and save the Union.

Photo: Chase and Lincoln in a cropped version of the “First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln” located in the Capitol (property of the U.S. )

05/01/2022

Looking to visit the Library of Congress? Note that tickets ($1 each) are required and that the building is open to visitors Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. You can secure tickets up to one month in advance at this link!

[Great Hall. View from the second floor west corridor. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.] Daily Monday Through Saturday Take a free one-hour walking tour of the historic Thomas Jefferson building to learn about its symbolic art and architecture. Volunteer docents tell t...

16/12/2021

On this date in 1773, a significant event in the American Revolution occurred: the Boston Tea Party! Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dumped hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act.

Did you know the American Antiquarian Society, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, holds in its collection a vial of actual tea-infused harbor water from 1773?

14/09/2021

Check out this great post from the White House Historical Association—it might just be something you didn't know!

23/08/2021

The Smithsonian is always doing interesting things!

The Ocean Sole project creates art from ocean debris.

08/07/2021

Great news—the National Gallery of Art is the first major museum on the National Mall to no longer require timed tickets for entry. Just walk in after this week!

🎟🎟🎟

⬆ Next week, you won’t need one of these to enter our East or West Buildings anymore…

That’s right ✨ Starting July 12, passes will not be required to visit and our daily hours will return to 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“This announcement represents another step toward fully realizing our mission of welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity,” said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art.

Learn more ➡️ go.usa.gov/x667w

📷 by

24/06/2021

Today we offer a trivia question: How many people have been president?




You may be thinking 46. Indeed, Joe Biden is the 46th president of the United States—but the answer is actually 45—Grover Cleveland served non-consecutive terms. Thus, he counts as both the 22nd and 24th presidents but was, by all contemporary accounts, one person!

21/06/2021

The Smithsonian Institution—a Grand Atlas favorite—always has its finger on the pulse of the internet!

This Monday mood comes the August 1897 issue of The Inland Printer, a printing industry magazine. You can explore digitized issues in Smithsonian Libraries and Archives: https://s.si.edu/3gPj1Te

14/06/2021

Happy ! The Flag Act of 1777 was passed 244 years ago during the Second Continental Congress, adopting the Stars and Stripes design as the official flag of the United States! Pictured below is a replica War of 1812 Fort McHenry flag at 30x42 feet!

(Photo by Justin Hillman)

11/06/2021

The National Building Museum is set to bring back their summer block party after a hiatus in 2020. Several different art installations will appear outside the museum throughout the month of July in a socially distanced manner! https://dcist.com/story/21/06/10/national-building-museum-opens-summer-block-party/

After skipping its typical summer exhibit last year due to the pandemic, the museum is now exhibiting a series of art installations.

10/06/2021

Arlington House, the former home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee high atop Arlington Cemetery has reopened after a long restoration process. Visitors can expect emphasis about those enslaved on the property as part of the new exhibits displayed. https://www.npr.org/2021/06/08/1004433194/arlington-house-the-robert-e-lee-memorial-reckons-with-its-history-of-slavery

Arlington House has reopened after a 3-year renovation. It seeks to memorialize Robert E. Lee and acknowledge his role in the Confederacy while also telling the story of those enslaved there.

07/06/2021

The Brood X Cicada invasion is in full effect in the DMV! This amazing phenomenon last took over the area in 2004, just a few weeks after the dedication of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall! Since then we have seen the creation of many more important DC sites such as the MLK Memorial, Air Force Memorial, Eisenhower Memorial, Disabled Vets for Life Memorial and the World War I Memorial among several others. What do you want or expect to see honored in our nation’s capital between now and the next time the cicadas are back in 2038?

Cicadas p*e a lot during warm days. And when thousands of cicadas are perched overhead on tree branches, it falls to the ground like a gentle rain. Alright, have a good one!
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Just kidding, there’s more. Brood X is heeerrreeeee! You may see or hear them in several eastern parks this summer. They can ingest a lot of tree fluids and when you got to go...you got to go. Don’t look up! (Don’t worry, it’s harmless.) Brood X are periodical cicadas. They generally live underground for 17 years.

Why do they do they come out in large numbers every 17 years? By coming out in huge numbers, all the predators that eat cicadas can get their fill and there will still be plenty of cicadas left to breed and perpetuate the species. It’s a survival strategy call prey satiation. There are more cicadas than all the combined predators can eat. Common predators include birds, racoons, opossums, foxes, mice, shrews, frogs, toads, turtles, fish, and a fungus called massospora.⁣
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Image: Cloudy with a chance of p*e? (Another reason to wear a hat when on a hike.) Close-up of a periodical cicada that feature orange and red colors. NPS/Nortrup⁣
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05/06/2021

The Decatur House plans to display historic artifacts this summer from post presidency George Washington when he got into the distillery business! https://dcist.com/story/21/06/03/george-washington-liquor-letters-decatur-house/

This time next week we could all probably use a drink. The National Capital region has a great history of producing liquor, and there was a time when Americans could enjoy a whiskey made by a distillery established by the President of the United States. Granted it was the first President George Washington, but about three miles to the west of his home at Mount Vernon was a gristmill and distillery in operation until about 1808. The gristmill was inherited from Washington’s father and fully rebuilt in 1771, supplying flour and other food products to the nearby plantation. When the whiskey distillery was established in 1797 it quickly became America's largest, shipping bottles from the docks of Mount Vernon to all parts of the country. Washington continued to manage the enterprises until his death in December of 1799, at which point his nephew took over until the buildings were purchased by a local businessman. By 1808, nothing was being produced on the property anymore and the buildings were completely razed by 1850. Today, visitors to the park are able to tour a replica building of the gristmill constructed in the 1930s after the land was acquired by the state. In 1997 it was turned over to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, operator of the nearby attraction who in turn completely renovated the property and rebuilt the distillery, which was finished in 2007.

(Gristmill on the left, distillery on the right. Photo by Wayne Thume)

31/05/2021

A tradition that began over five decades ago, soldiers plant a small American flag in front of every gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day Weekend... over 450,000 of them! We honor and salute those brave men and women who have served on this day of national day of remembrance.

(Photo by Eric Lewis)

28/05/2021

Visitors who need a break from the crowds around the National Mall can always get some peace and quiet in the number one rated city park system in the country!

From the Trust for Public Land: "The Trust for Public Land announced today that Washington, DC, ranked 1st on the annual ParkScore® index, improving from last year's second-place finish. Washington climbed ahead of defending champion Minneapolis, which finished third. Saint Paul placed second and

26/05/2021

Great news from the Smithsonian Institution!

The Smithsonian will fully reopen this summer. Ten museums will reopen between June and August with added health and safety measures. Many will have reduced hours. Visitors will need to reserve free, timed-entry passes for most locations. See the full schedule and reopening information:

Learn about visiting our museums and zoo.

26/05/2021

in 1868, impeached President Andrew Johnson was acquitted by the US Senate by one vote and remained in office. Johnson’s presidency was controversial from the start, as he was appointed after the assassination of Lincoln and did not support the protection former slaves.

(President Johnson’s impeachment by Theodore R. Davis via Wikimedia Commons)

25/05/2021

The Smithsonian National Zoo is apparently not the only place to see a North American river otter in the District of Columbia!

The Tidal Basin had an unexpected visitor.

24/05/2021

ICYMI: The National Zoo has reopened to the public, giving visitors their first opportunity to see the new panda cub, Xiao Qi Ji!

The pandemic delayed in-person visits to see the giant panda cub.

21/05/2021

Civil War nurse and teacher Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881. The organization has gone on to help those in need around the globe in providing emergency relief for natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The ARC headquarters is located adjacent to the Ellipse on 17th St NW just a stones throw away from the White House south lawn.

(Photo via GPA Photo Archive)

18/05/2021

As more of Metro’s four decade old cars are permanently retired, riders can expect to see new state of the art trains take over the tracks starting in 2024!

Next-gen Metro cars will let you charge your phone and see your exact location.

17/05/2021

The National Gallery of Art has reopened, with a new vision for the future.

The museum has a new logo and mantra as its director, Kaywin Feldman, moves to diversify the collection and the staff.

14/05/2021

Both Ford’s Theater and the Peterson House have reopened to the public! Make sure to get your tickets in advance, of course.

11/05/2021

Visitors to the White House will now be able to traverse the beautiful Lafayette Park on the north side once again!

Before Trump's photo-op in front of a church near the White House, protesters were forcibly removed from nearby Lafayette Square. The park had remained close since then.

07/05/2021

The Mayor and other DC officials aim to make travel and hospitality a top priority for the city’s recovery process post pandemic!

Visitor spending dropped by 68% during the pandemic. Now officials want to lure tourists back.

05/05/2021

For all of the Star Wars fans out there, get ready to see a real live X-Wing at the newly renovated Air & Space Museum!

Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history.