There are so many things to do in and around D.C. this week that it might be overwhelming to decide what to do. But this is exactly why Secret D.C. is trying to make your life easier by creating this list of the 10 best things to do in D.C. this week. There’s also something fun going on in the capital city whether it be a limited-time exhibit, a big show coming to town, or even the opening of a new place to eat or drink!
So, without further ado, here is our list of the best 10 things to do in D.C. this week that you won’t want to miss out on:
1. Take your friends, family, or partner to visit the Claude Monet Immersive Experience
The “Monet: The Immersive Experience” is now open to the public right here in D.C. and it is one of the most exciting developments for fans of fun and appreciators of art so far in 2024! The experience lets patrons dive right into and walk amongst some of Monet’s greatest works, making it not only incredibly impressive but also quite romantic. Fortunately, this exhibit will be in D.C. until April, so while there’s no time like the present to plan your trip, you’ll just make sure you check it out before it closes!
Location: 524 Rhode Island Ave NE
2. Enjoy the later sunsets of Spring with a drink at one of D.C.’s rooftop bars
With the unfortunately rainy weather D.C. has been having lately, taking advantage of the days when the weather is clear and crisp is crucial! Before you know it, D.C. is turned back into its typical swampy, sweaty summer self where the humidity puts a damper (pun intended) on all your plans.
While there are still sunny days that aren’t too hot or humid for an afternoon at one of D.C.’s best rooftop bars, you’ll want to capitalize on each opportunity.
3. Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience
This immersive experience is a favorite of ours for a reason! This fun and picturesque experience is great for you to take anyone and is fit for all ages, making for a memorable experience that everyone can enjoy!
Location: 5333 Wisconsin Ave NW
4. Visit the “Future of Orchids” exhibit at the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
You don’t have to be a plant lover to enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility that a room full of orchids has to offer! So even though this is an absolute must-visit for any plant lovers in D.C. this week, the fact remains that this is a great plan to keep in your back pocket to do with friends or even for a unique date idea!
The exhibit, which is a collaboration between the U.S. Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Gardens, opened on January 27th and will remain open until April, 28th. The exhibit features hundreds of live orchids as well as multi-media contemporary art pieces that convey the importance and necessity of environmental activism to ensure a sustainable future for these beautiful plants.
The good news is that if you can’t make it this week, no worries, but it’s a great spot to keep in mind in case you are looking for something fun!
Location: 8th Street Northwest &, G St NW
5. Walk through history at the immersive experience, “Titanic The Exhibition“
If you’re looking for a unique experience and an excuse to get out of town for a little while, then a day trip to National Harbor, Maryland to experience the immersive “Titanic The Exhibition” is the perfect plan for you. The narrated experience takes you through the history of the tragedy and explores the personal stories of passengers who were on board the “unsinkable” ship the night it went down. This experience will only be in town for a few more weeks, so you’ll want to check it out before it’s too late!
Location: 254 Mariner Passage at National Harbor
6. Experience the ‘Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper’ exhibit at the NGA
This week, take the opportunity to visit an exhibit dedicated to one of the great American abstract painters, Mark Rothko, at the National Gallery of Art. The exhibit displays over a hundred of Rothko’s iconic pieces that he painted on paper throughout his career, some from early on in his career and some that reflect the iconic style that Rothko is famously known for.
Location: National Gallery of Art
7. The Spy Museum’s “Bond in Motion” exhibit
Celebrating the decades of cultural influence and impact that the James Bond saga has had on society, The International Spy Museum’s latest exhibition is centered around the various vehicles seen throughout the character’s legendary cinematic history. Having just opened at the start of March, the exhibit has 17 iconic Bond vehicles including his iconic Aston Martin, motorcycles, submarines, and a few of the creative inventions from the Q branch. The tickets to this event have yet to go on sale, but tickets to the Bond In Motion exhibit only are listed at $13 per person, if you want to fully experience the Spy Museum, a combo deal between General Admission to the museum as well as the Bond exhibit is available starting at $40 for adults and $29 for children.
8. Dine out with a discount with the Spring Wine Fling
The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington is offering special discounts at participating restaurants all over the capital city until March 31st, which is when ‘Spring Wine Fling‘ ends. Those who participate in the deal can get a two-course meal and two glasses of wine from high-caliber eateries throughout the city for the reasonable price of just $55 per person, which is a good deal considering we’re amid peak bloom aka the biggest tourist season of the year in D.C.!
📍 Multiple Locations
9. Witness the beauty of D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms in Peak Bloom
D.C.’s Cherry Blossoms have officially hit peak bloom, nearly in record time! In fact, in the recorded history of D.C.’s Cherry Blossom’s Peak Blooms, there has only ever been one time where the Cherry Blossoms peaked before they did this year (which was on March 17th), and that was in 1990, when the Cherry Blossoms peak bloom took place on March 15th.
10. Check out the temporary free art exhibit that took over an empty 300,000 sq-foot West End office building
Artomatic is the newest free art attraction in the city and it will be running until April 28th! The art attraction has converted the former Urban Institute headquarters in the West End into an eight-story tall ‘museum’, broken down into sections dedicated to various forms of art, including: “visual art, performance, dance, film, spoken word, workshops and more,” according to the exhibit’s organizers.
The empty office space is slated for residential conversion by the city, which means that this may be your only opportunity to experience this before it closes!
The hours of the exhibit are:
Wed-Thurs: 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sun: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Mon-Tues: Closed
Location: 2100 M Street NW
11. Attend the newly rescheduled Bloomaroo at The Wharf this weekend
After Bloomaroo organizers canceled the event which was originally slated for this past weekend due to the forecasted storm on Saturday, which turned out to be one of the wettest days in D.C. so far this year, they announced that Bloomaroo 2024 would take place just a week later than originally slated. Now, Bloomaroo is scheduled for this weekend, Saturday, March 30th, from 2 pm to 9 pm at The Wharf and will feature all the same expected activities, including its iconic pink fireworks display to finish the night.