Washington, D.C., home of the 2026 PCCA Mid-Year Meeting, is a city built to inspire. Marble monuments rise above tree-lined avenues, and the Capitol dome gleams against a sky that has watched over American history for more than two centuries. Whether you’re drawn to its iconic memorials, world-lass museums, vibrant neighborhoods, or storied dining scene, the nation’s capital invities you to slow down, look up, and take it all in. The heart of the city beats along Pennsylvania Avenue, where the Willard InterContinental sits just two blocks from the White House and minutes from the National Mall. Step outside the hotel and you are within walking distance of the Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Ford’s Theatre, and the bustling restaurant scenes of Penn Quarter and CityCenterDC. History Museums The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is home to more than 1.8 million objects and more than three shelf-miles of archival collections, encompassing everything from the original Star-Spangled Banner to Lincoln’s top hat. The countless artifacts form a fascinating mosaic of American life and comprise the greatest single collection of American history in the world. The National Museum of Natural History promotes understanding of the natural world and our place in it, showcasing the history of our planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another. The National Air and Space Museum displays thousands of objects, including the 1903 Wright Flyer and Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country’s memorial to the millions of people killed during the Holocaust. The International Spy Museum boasts interactive exhibitions and installations, the foremost collection of spy artifacts in the world, and first-person accounts from top intelligence officers. Veterans Memorials The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial lists the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and women who died in combat or are listed as missing in action, and includes the Memorial Wall, the Three Servicemen Statue, and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. The Korean War Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 1995 and redesigned in 2022, features a Wall of Remembrance, 19 “On Patrol” statues, and a Mural Wall to commemorate the Americans who worked and fought under the most trying of circumstances and those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom. Art Museums The National Gallery of Art houses a collection of more than 150,000 paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings that span the history of Western art. The Smithsonian American Art Museum captures the aspirations, character, and imagination of the American people throughout three centuries. The Renwick Gallery, a branch of the museum, is home to its collection of contemporary craft and decorative art. The National Portrait Gallery displays portraits of “men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States.” The Phillips Collection, in Dupont Circle, houses superb works by Renoir and Rothko, Bonnard and O’Keeffe, van Gogh and Diebenkorn. Exploring Our Nation’s Capital
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