Museums & Galleries in Washington, D. C.

Though spectral forms and shadowy figures still reside in The Haunted Cottage, its greatest legacy is as the occasional vacation home of assassin John Wilkes Booth. Also known as the Booth House, The Haunted Cottage is home to paranormal researcher Vince Wilson, who helms the haunted abode's ghost tours and maintains the paranormal library and history museum, where guests can spy a vampire skeleton among other supernatural exhibits. All this knowledge pours from Vince's mouth during tours and investigations, which pair breakdowns of the house's 150-year history with actual equipment designed to catch ghosts, from cameras and digital recorders to EMF meters delicately hoisting a morsel of cheese.

The Haunted Cottage also strives to school spirit-seekers with paranormal-research training that cycles through parapsychology topics such as extrasensory perception, hypnosis, and psychic healing.

American Civil War Wax Museum, tucked in the historical and geographical shadow of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, immerses visitors in the history of the fledgling Union's internal war with realistic scenes and life-size wax figures dressed in historically accurate attire and equipment. Patrons embark on a self-guided journey through a number of detailed exhibits, such as the Battle Room, which simulates the battlefield experience with a digital audiovisual presentation, or the animatronic Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address, just as the first robot Lincoln did nearly 160 years ago. Across the way, Veteran's Park coaxes erstwhile museum-striders to soak in the historic surroundings on a bench or beneath a shade tree while relaxing among chirping birds. Since opening in 1962, the museum has broadened the historical knowledge of more than 8 million visitors and has hosted such notable orators as former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

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.