As most Washingtonians may already be aware, the United States Federal Government is officially undergoing a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass legislation that would fund the government’s operations past September 30th.
While the extent of the impact of the government shutdown on the District itself is not entirely clear at this point, if the 2018-19 shutdown is a reference, we can expect thousands of federal workers to be furloughed, and all “non-essential” duties will be suspended until legislation can finally be passed agreeing to fund the government’s operations.
What will be closed around Washington, D.C. during the Federal Government shutdown?
There is a long list of recognizable spots that Washingtonians may interact with daily, which depend on funding from the Federal Government to stay open and operate as usual.
Here is a list of likely places to stay closed during the government shutdown:
- Smithsonian museums – While the Smithsonian is capable of using funds saved from previous years to stay open temporarily, if the government remains shut down for an extended period, the Smithsonian could be forced to close its buildings when reserve funds run out.
- National Zoo – In the case of a shutdown, both the visitors’ center and the animal live cams will be closed. However, animal care will continue as usual to ensure the safety and well-being of all the zoo’s residents.
- Library of Congress
- Capitol Building – While the building itself will be open for Federal employees who are still working, all tours and public visits are expected to be closed.
- Ford’s Theatre Museum – The museum is linked to Federal funding; however, performances at the theatre are still likely to proceed as scheduled.
- Any area of the National Park’s system that is not considered “openly” accessible – While the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial will not be closed to the public, things like the interior of the Washington Monument, restrooms, tours, trash collection, and visitor services are likely to be closed.
What is going to stay open around Washington, D.C. during the Federal Government shutdown?
While the District’s locally funded resources will stay open, there are a few places around the District that often rely (at least partially) on federal funding, but despite this, here are a few spots that are likely to stay open:
- Outdoor monuments and memorials – All areas that would otherwise be openly accessible, like the National Mall, Rock
- Openly accessible areas of the National Park system – While the visitor center will be closed, National Parks with open paths to the public, like Rock Creek Park, will still be accessible.
- Privately funded museums
- Spy Museum
- Planet Word
- National Museum of Women in the Arts
- Philips Collection
How else might the shutdown impact Washingtonians?
Most of the travel around the District will be unaffected by the shutdown, but Washingtonians flying out of the District can expect some delays and longer wait times at the airport.
Fortunately, Amtrak is unaffected by the shutdown, meaning that trains from Union Station will continue as scheduled.
On a more positive note, many spots around the District have put out discounts, deals, and happy hour specials for the occasion.
In particular, many bars around the District will be offering “Federal ID deals“, where Federal employees can get special deals and reduced prices on meals or drinks when they share their official federal government employee ID.