United States federal reserve

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‘The Fed,’ is the Olympus of the Gods of the American Economy. Housed in a monolithic white building that closely resembles a Soviet ministry, it is largely off-limits to members of the public, with access to the building and its notable art collection limited to college students and adults with a research interest in the Federal Reserve.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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1. National Academy of Sciences

0.11 MILES

Made up of approximately 2000 members, including almost 200 Nobel Prize winners, these are the folks the government hits up for scientific advice (whether…

2. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

0.15 MILES

In a city of classic, white-marble monuments, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands out on the National Mall for its stark modernism. Designed by 21-year…

3. Albert Einstein Memorial

0.16 MILES

The grounds in front of the National Academy of Sciences feature DC’s most huggable monument: Robert Berks' bronze 1978 statue of Albert Einstein. The…

4. State Department

0.17 MILES

The headquarters of the American diplomatic corps is a forbidding, well-guarded edifice – modernist, monolithic and unfriendly. In stark contrast are the…

5. Department of the Interior Museum

0.17 MILES

Responsible for managing the nation’s natural resources, the Department of the Interior operates this small museum to educate the public about its current…

6. Vietnam Women's Memorial

0.19 MILES

The tree-ringed Vietnam Women's Memorial, showing female soldiers aiding a fallen combatant, was added to complement the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1993.

7. Signers' Memorial

0.21 MILES

Honoring those 56 visionary men who signed the Declaration of Independence, this memorial in Constitution Garden shows how diverse this group of signers…

8. Three Servicemen Statue

0.21 MILES

In 1982, opponents of Maya Lin’s Vietnam memorial design insisted that a more traditional sculpture be added to the monument. As a result, sculptor…