Culture of Washington, D.C. facts for kids

The culture of Washington, D.C. is special because it's the capital of the United States. The federal government being here has helped create many important cultural places. In the early 1900s, the U Street area became a key spot for African American culture.

Museums and Monuments

Jefferson Memorial at dusk

Smithsonian Castle

National Museum of the American Indian

Mt. St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery

Washington, D.C. has many famous landmarks and is a popular place for tourists. The National Mall is a big open space in the middle of the city. It has many monuments to American leaders and connects the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capitol building. The Washington Monument stands tall in the center of the Mall. Other important spots nearby include the Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The world-famous Smithsonian Institution is in D.C. It's a group of museums, like the National Air and Space Museum, where you can see planes and rockets. There's also the National Museum of Natural History, full of amazing animals and dinosaurs. The National Museum of American History shows you how America grew, and the National Zoo is home to many different animals.

Beyond the Smithsonian, D.C. has other great art museums. These include the National Gallery of Art and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

The Library of Congress and the National Archives keep thousands of important American history documents. At the National Archives, you can see the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Other interesting places in D.C. are Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot, and the International Spy Museum, which is full of spy gadgets and stories. You can also visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the beautiful Washington National Cathedral.

Architecture

Washington, D.C. has many different building styles. You can see neoclassical buildings, which look like ancient Greek and Roman temples, and Georgian buildings, which are often brick and symmetrical. There are also gothic buildings with pointed arches, and more modern styles. Because of a law called the Height of Buildings Act of 1910, buildings in D.C. are not allowed to be super tall. This makes the city's skyline look wide and spread out.

Performing Arts

Kennedy Center

Washington is a big center for the arts, with many places to see live shows. Theater started here in the early 1800s. The National Theatre opened in 1835. For a long time, the DAR Constitution Hall was the main concert hall, until the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1971.

In the past, some venues like Constitution Hall had unfair rules that kept people apart based on their race. In 1939, singer Marian Anderson was not allowed to perform at Constitution Hall. Instead, she sang at the Lincoln Memorial to a huge crowd. The U Street Corridor was a key area for African American culture. Before the 1968 riots, the Lincoln Theatre on U Street (known as "Washington's Black Broadway") hosted famous artists like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.

Today, places like Arena Stage put on many different plays. The Shakespeare Theatre Company is known for its amazing Shakespeare performances. The Kennedy Center is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, and the Washington Ballet. It also hosts many other music and stage shows.

D.C. has cool music clubs too, like Madam's Organ Blues Bar and Blues Alley. The U Street area has many spots where you can hear live jazz. Famous people from Washington in entertainment include singer Marvin Gaye and comedian Dave Chappelle.

Music

Washington, D.C. has its own special music style called go-go. It's a type of R&B music that focuses on percussion and live performances with non-stop dance rhythms. It's called "go-go" because it "goes and goes and goes!" The most famous go-go artist was Chuck Brown. Other well-known go-go bands include Rare Essence and Trouble Funk.

Washington was also very important for the start of punk rock in the United States. Famous punk bands from D.C. include Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Even today, many people in Washington love punk music. The area also has a strong history of indie rock music.

D.C. is home to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, which helps young people learn about music and other arts.

Television Shows and Movies

Washington, D.C. is often seen in TV shows and movies. Many of these stories are about the government, like The West Wing or House of Cards. Others are about security groups, like Get Smart. Some shows, like Murphy Brown, focused on reporters in D.C.

The city has also been the setting for many movies, often about politics or security. The White House and monuments on the National Mall appear in films a lot. D.C. has even hosted movie premieres for big films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Empire Strikes Back.

Sports

Washington, D.C. is home to many professional sports teams.

Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals

The Capital One Arena in Chinatown is where the Capitals, Mystics, and Wizards play. It also hosts concerts and other big events. Since it opened in 1997, the arena has helped bring new businesses and homes to the Chinatown area.

D.C. United, the city's soccer team, has won many championships and is one of the most successful teams in MLS history. Many people consider Washington to be a very passionate soccer city.

The city also hosts the annual Legg Mason Tennis Classic tennis tournament and two big marathons, the Marine Corps Marathon and the National Marathon.

Cuisine

Ben's Chili Bowl in U Street

Washington, D.C. has a lively food scene. A "half-smoke" is considered D.C.'s special hot dog, and it's very popular at a famous restaurant called Ben's Chili Bowl. "Mumbo sauce" is a unique D.C. condiment, and "jumbo slice" pizza is a favorite in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.

Many famous chefs work in D.C., like José Andrés. The Georgetown Cupcake shop even had its own reality TV show! The "Gin Rickey" cocktail was invented in D.C. in 1883 and is now the city's official drink.

Media

Newspapers and Magazines

The Washington Post is the oldest and most widely read daily newspaper in D.C. It's known for its important reporting, like uncovering the Watergate scandal. There's also a free daily paper called Express that summarizes news, sports, and entertainment. Other popular papers include The Washington Times and the free weekly Washington City Paper. The magazine Washingtonian also has many readers.

There are also newspapers that focus on specific communities, like the Washington Blade and Metro Weekly for gay issues, and The Washington Informer for African American issues. Street Sense focuses on issues of homelessness. Many neighborhoods have their own local newspapers too.

Television

The D.C. area has many local TV stations. Major channels include WRC 4 (NBC), WTTG 5 (Fox), WJLA 7 (ABC), and WUSA 9 (CBS). There are also PBS stations like WETA 26. A regional news channel, News Channel 8, covers local news. You can even watch many TV stations from nearby Baltimore in the D.C. area.

For Spanish-speaking viewers, there are channels like Telemundo WZDC 25 and Univision WFDC 14.

Several cable TV networks have their main offices in the D.C. area. These include C-SPAN on Capitol Hill, Black Entertainment Television (BET) in Northeast Washington, and Discovery Communications in Silver Spring, Maryland. Major national news channels like NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and CNN also have a big presence in Washington.

Radio

NPR's national headquarters in NoMa

The D.C. area has many different radio stations. Some popular music stations include WIHT 99.5 FM (Hot 99.5) for pop music and WWDC 101.1 FM for alternative rock. For urban music, there's WPGC 95.5 FM and WHUR 96.3 FM. Talk and sports stations include WJFK 106.7 FM and WTEM 980 AM.

National Public Radio (NPR) has two local stations: WAMU 88.5 FM, which plays NPR shows and BBC news, and WETA 90.9 FM, which plays classical music all day. NPR's national headquarters is also in Washington. The Voice of America, which is the U.S. government's international radio service, is also based here.

LGBT Community

Washington, D.C. has a noticeable and diverse LGBT community. The Dupont Circle area has historically been a central spot for LGBT culture. Every year, on the Tuesday before Halloween, there's a fun event called the High Heel Drag Queen Race.

Latino Community

The Latino community in Washington, D.C. is growing fast and is very active. The Mayor's Office even has a special division called OLA (Office of Latino Affairs) to help the Latino community.

Many places offer services in Spanish, like medical centers and government offices. The public transportation system, Metro, also provides information in both English and Spanish. There are several Spanish newspapers and bilingual schools.

Latin music is popular throughout the city. You can find bilingual staff in many supermarkets, pharmacies, and restaurants. Spanish is the second most spoken language in D.C. after English.

The D.C. area has the largest population of people from El Salvador outside of El Salvador itself. There are also many people from Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia. Many universities and colleges in the area have programs to support Latino students.

• Health: Places like Mary's Center and La Clinica del Pueblo offer services in Spanish.
• Education: Schools like Oyster Elementary and Bell Multicultural High School serve the community.
• Higher Education: Universities like George Washington University and Georgetown University have programs for Latino students.
• Entertainment: The Gala theater company presents plays all year, and there are frequent concerts by top Latin music artists.
• Newspapers: The Washington Hispanic and El Pregonero are popular Spanish newspapers.
• Neighborhoods: While Latinos live all over the city, you'll find many in areas like Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Shaw.