Visiting Washington, DC is a uniquely exhilarating experience. As the capital of the United States, it boasts an array of historic buildings and exhibits, and it thrives at the intersection of education and history, bridging the past with a forward-thinking future. Travel destinations here are as cutting-edge as they are steeped in history. Not to be missed are the vibrant seasonal events, especially the breathtaking cherry blossom season in spring. Best of all, many of the museums offer free admission!

You'll never exhaust the possibilities of things to do, see, and explore. This city constantly offers something novel and something timeless—making it an ideal venue for AV enthusiasts with its wealth of showcases and events, particularly those centered on educational and museum-focused art and entertainment. Here are five recommendations to explore during your next trip to DC (plus a bonus review!)

1. ARTECHOUSE

ARTECHOUSE is an innovative immersive tech experience. While they have multiple locations in New York and Houston, DC’s was the first and at the forefront of their pioneering art—and they offer custom seasonal immersive showcases such as the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Cherry blossom season in DC is a magical experience, one that ARTECHOUSE enhances with its unique and inspiring blend of technology and interactive art. 

It’s a must-see no matter the time of year, but especially in spring. Walk through a room with floor-to-ceiling projections. Sit on the floor and be absorbed. The accompanying music completes the surreal journey. There are also other rooms with interactive displays and projections that react to your motion or touch. They also host talks with artists and scientists, making this an educational and memorable choice for current AV tech and science interest.

Recommended Reading: AV on the Menu: The XR Bar at ARTECHOUSE

2. Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience

In a similar immersive technology meets museum and art installation, Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience is currently a must-see. There are rooms with 360 degree projections to experience some of Monet’s most iconic impressionist paintings in a way you can’t traditionally at the National Gallery of Art. This is why AV is so compelling, new perspectives and ways of interacting with traditional art and creating new art all on its own at the forefront of technology. Sit and revel in Monet’s work with a floor-to-ceiling projection highlighting the painter’s most famous pieces as well as Monet’s life overall. 

For those who want even more than that, there are also VR journeys through Monet’s inspirations as well as a more museum-like narrative experience—and there’s even an interactive section where your drawings are projected on the wall! Claude Monet: The Immersive Experience is perfect for AV fans who are also art enthusiasts. It’s also an engaging choice for parents trying to get their children excited both about traditional art and technology. 

3. Museum of Illusions

Who doesn’t love illusions? The Museum of Illusions boasts more than 80 exhibits with a variety of optical illusions and other immersive experiences meant to be quite mind-bendy! It’s such a strange and memorable museum. Like many museums in DC, this is perfect for the family and for those who love edutainment destinations. You’ll walk through an infinity room full of mirrors, grow and shrink as you walk through rooms—and, in true DC fashion, there are historic elements and illusions as well. 

It’s perfectly suited to anyone visiting DC for its culture and museums and unique combination of entertainment opportunities. The Museum of Illusions also offers birthday parties and team building options, which would make for memorable and silly bonding experiences. Pretend to put a friend’s head on a platter, what isn’t to love about that?

4. Albert Einstein Planetarium - The Air And Space Museum

When in DC, especially with family or space enthusiasts, the Air and Space Museum is a must-visit destination. Likewise for space and AV fans, the Albert Einstein Planetarium is such a thrilling immersive look at the stars and the cosmos beyond Earth. The best part about DC’s museums is how many exhibits are either free or affordably priced! This was something I didn’t take advantage of when I first moved to the region, but it can be very helpful in budgeting events to see with the family especially. 

The planetarium has some regular free shows monthly as well as ticketed events and group shows or field trips! There’s options for younger children’s shows as well as guided tours of constellations and other points of interest in the evening sky. It’s also worth noting that the rest of the Air and Space Museum has several other immersive exhibits that change throughout the year—and, as with many museums in the city, it’s free! So be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to tour cutting-edge museum exhibits at such an accessible price point.

5. Laurie Anderson: Four Talks

For multimedia art aficionados, the Four Talks exhibit at the Hirshorn museum will be sure to captivate your attention. Unlike some of the other more tech-heavy experiences on the list, this is an immersive audiovisual art installation that’s quite unique and low-tech but still does captivating work at the intersection of art and technology. Constant sounds play in a room designed for you to read Laurie Anderson’s work on the walls, see sculptures that accompany the ever-present text, and listen to her explain it all through a self-guided app accompaniment.

Impressively, Laurie Anderson painted everything on the walls and floors without any advanced preparation—she simply let the thoughts on all sorts of topics flow forth and see what it created visually. The text creates a sort of augmented reality wall, with your interpretation of what the text means acting as the vehicle for immersion.

Bonus: Planet Word

I had to include Planet Word because it's an incredibly fun concept—an immersive language museum! The exhibits are voice-activated, and the galleries breathe life into words. The museum also features sections dedicated to immersive and AV-focused experiences. This is yet another AV marvel that capitalizes on DC’s strengths: a rich, historic museum culture combined with a vibrant love of learning that appeals to all ages and offers unique perspectives.

Check out our full review of the Planet Word Language Museum right here on AVIXA Xchange!