If you have RSVP’d an excursion to Washington, DC on Wednesday, July 29, please read the following important information regarding the logistics.
Boxed lunches and bus departure
- Boxed lunches will be available in the Charles Carroll Room between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m.
- The buses will depart at 1:15 p.m. from Parking Lot HP, directly across Campus Drive from Stamp. Please see the attached map and proceed to the buses immediately after collecting your lunch.
- You must show your excursion ticket before boarding the bus.
- You may eat your boxed lunch on the bus.
Arrival and pickup in Washington, DC
The buses will drop participants off at approximately 2:00 p.m. (or 2:15 p.m. depending on traffic situation) at Madison Drive NW and 7th Street NW, on the National Mall.
The buses will pick participants up at 5:15 p.m. from the same location. We strongly recommend returning to the meeting point a few minutes earlier. Please save the location on your phone and allow sufficient time for your return walk.
You will have approximately three hours to explore the National Mall on their own.
Suggested itineraries
Some suggested itineraries are provided below by ChatGPT but plenty of other itineraries are possible given the multitude or museums and tourist attractions nearby. The times are approximate; if your arrival or museum entry is delayed, shorten your itinerary rather than returning late.
Option 1: Air and Space, the U.S. Capitol, and the Botanic Garden
Approximate walking distance: 2–2.5 miles.
- 2:00–3:20 p.m.: Visit the National Air and Space Museum. Admission is free, but a free timed-entry pass is required: Museum information and passes
- Participants without an Air and Space pass may instead visit the nearby National Museum of the American Indian, which is free and does not require a ticket: Museum information
- 3:20–3:40 p.m.: Walk to the west front of the U.S. Capitol.
- 3:40–4:05 p.m.: View and photograph the Capitol and its grounds.
- 4:05–4:30 p.m.: Visit the U.S. Botanic Garden. Admission is free and no ticket is required: Visitor information
- 4:30–5:00 p.m.: Return to Madison Drive and 7th Street.
Option 2: Natural History, American History, and the Washington Monument
Approximate walking distance: 2–2.5 miles.
- 2:00–2:10 p.m.: Walk to the National Museum of Natural History.
- 2:10–3:10 p.m.: Visit selected highlights, such as the Hall of Fossils, Ocean Hall, and the Hope Diamond. Admission is free and no ticket is required. Museum information
- 3:10–3:20 p.m.: Walk to the National Museum of American History.
- 3:20–4:10 p.m.: Visit selected highlights, such as the Star-Spangled Banner and the American Presidency exhibitions. Admission is free and no ticket is required. Museum information
- 4:10–4:30 p.m.: Walk to and view the Washington Monument from the outside.
- 4:30–5:00 p.m.: Return to Madison Drive and 7th Street.
Option 3: National Gallery of Art and major monuments
Approximate walking distance: 2.5–3 miles.
- 2:00–3:10 p.m.: Visit the National Gallery of Art. Choose either the West Building for classical European and American art or the East Building for modern and contemporary art. Admission is free and no ticket is required: Gallery information
- 3:10–3:35 p.m.: Walk along the National Mall to the Washington Monument.
- 3:35–3:50 p.m.: View and photograph the Washington Monument from the outside.
- 3:50–4:10 p.m.: Walk to and visit the World War II Memorial.
- 4:10–5:00 p.m.: Return to Madison Drive and 7th Street.
Return to campus
All return buses will stop at both:
- The Hotel at the University of Maryland
- Parking Lot Q, the closest bus stop to Pyon-Chen Hall
Participants staying at Pyon-Chen Hall are reminded that dinner will be served at Yahentamitsi Dining Hall until 7:00 p.m.
Additional information
Please wear comfortable walking shoes, bring water, and be prepared for warm summer weather, with the possibility of some rain showers. Smithsonian museums conduct security screening, so limiting the number and size of bags you carry will help reduce entry delays.
Finally, if you want to stay late in the D.C. and explore some of the pubs and restaurants in downtown, you can always take the metro back to College Park. On Wednesday, metrorail’s general operating hours are 5:00 a.m. to midnight but please check the metro website for more accurate information. From the National Mall, you can walk to Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter and take a Green or Yellow Line train directly toward College Park-U of Md.
We hope you enjoy the excursion! Stay safe!