Museums & Galleries in Chantilly

Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. escorts guests on an interactive journey through American history. Only here, the past isn't manifested through movies, but through wax. Inside, The President's Gallery brings visitors face-to-face with all 44 US presidents, from Harry Truman to Abe Lincoln and his signature spinning bowtie. Cultural leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., stand tall nearby, and rock stars such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan compose silent jam sessions in the Vintage Music Room. Hollywood stars, sports heroes, and nonpresidential political figures round out the collection, which can be visited 365 days a year.

Since opening in 1921, The Phillips Collection has nurtured an exquisite collection of modern and impressionist works by canvas camouflaging masters such as Renoir, Rothko, Bonnard, O'Keeffe, van Gogh, and Degas. In celebration of its 90th anniversary, the internationally recognized Dupont Circle landmark will orchestrate a rich bouquet of programs, exhibitions, and events throughout 2011 before blowing out the 90 candles blazing on its birthday cake.

Considered to be the country's only public museum devoted to the history of global espionage, the International Spy Museum teems with multimedia displays, hands-on activities, and educational events. Filled with low-lit halls and mysterious doors, the museum backs up its exhibits with experience; many of its board members, staff, and speakers are former spies. Executive Director Peter Earnest, for one, spent more than 35 years in the CIA and its National Clandestine Service; frequent speaker Oleg Kalugin once held a position as major general of the KGB. Through special talks and an array of exhibits, the group reveals several hundred years of spy techniques and gadgetry, showcases connections between real spies and pop culture, and draws from international backgrounds to grant a global perspective.

In the School for Spies exhibit, visitors peruse glass cases filled with submarine recording systems, buttonhole cameras, and audio bugs spanning more than 60 years of OSS, CIA, and KGB activity. Children test spy tactics and midnight kitchen infiltration as they crawl through a mock ventilation system, and visitors of all ages can inspect an Aston Martin DB5 from the film Goldfinger. Groups can walk through a re-created stretch of the Berlin Tunnel, and a spy code begs to be cracked in the Spies Among Us exhibit. For an additional charge, guests can opt to embark on a simulated covert mission entirely based on real intelligence case files in Operation Spy, a one-hour interactive exhibit during which participants ride in simulated truck beds and use video surveillance to find leaked nuclear-trigger technology in a fictional country.

Deemed one of the world’s 12 coolest museums by the Sunday Times, the Newseum uses new technology to tell the history of newspapers, journalism, and groundbreaking photography. Beyond the museum's 74-foot engraving of the First Amendment and its glass atrium, 14 permanent exhibits include the News Corporation News History Gallery, where 10 touch screens offer time lines, games, close-up views of publications, and a live cam of Tom Brokaw's nose. Several theaters screen documentaries that focus on journalistic issues, and the temporary Photo Finish exhibit displays legendary sports photographer Neil Leifer’s work, including a shot of a victorious Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston while announcing his career transition to badminton. The Berlin Wall Gallery shows how news shaped the story of the wall being torn down, with eight 12-foot sections of the wall on display.

Owned and operated by artist Kelly Hutchinson, Kelly's Art & Frame is home to a 2,800-square-foot art gallery where original paintings, watercolors, and limited-edition prints line the walls. Onsite custom framing services combine archival materials and meticulous work to properly preserve drawings, sculptures, and cherished pieces of ABC gum. With fellow artist Carol Fogelsong, Kelly also leads art classes, teaching the fundamentals to students during intimate group sessions.

Its red roof shining from the banks of the Potomac River, historic Mount Vernon bears the torch of gentleman planter and inaugural commander in chief George Washington via the home where he lived for 40 years. It takes about three hours to explore the estate, a visit which begins with a walk through the grounds and a short film before proceeding to a guided tour of the mansion. There, time-travelers visit 1799—the year Washington died—as recreated by preserved original furnishings and detailed reproductions. The home's windows look out on 50 acres of plantation, with 12 original structures, gardens, and a forest trail hemmed with holly and laurel. The museum and education center weaves a rich audio-visual tapestry of the general's life, filled with 23 theaters and galleries and 700 original artifacts that include his famous dentures.