Washington Things to do in Washington

The Smithsonian institution lies to the south of the Mall, and is a collection of some 14 separate museums and galleries encompassing everything from modern art to palaeontology and natural history, and is an easy place to lose weeks of your life trying to see everything.

The collections are utterly comprehensive, and the galleries easy to navigate. The obligatory souvenir shop at the end is as large as many supermarkets, and is a great place to pick up gifts for people.