Experts' Choice Award Smithsonian Institution Building
What the experts agree on
The iconic red-sandstone "Castle" (1855) serves as the Smithsonian's heart on the National Mall, offering visitor information and housing the institution's administrative offices while embodying Smithson's original vision of advancing knowledge and
“Smithson requested that it be an institution promoting research and the dispersal of academic knowledge.”
– Time Out
Frommer's "Built in 1855, this Norman-style red-sandstone building, popularly known as "the Castle," is the oldest building on the Mall." Full review
Not For Tourists "Storm the castle for information."
U.S. News & World Report19.0
"More than 1,500 animals call the Smithsonian's 163-acre National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute home, from Asian elephants to great apes to sea lions." Full review
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Also, be sure to look up every now and then as you stroll beneath the Orangutan Transport System (called the O Line): Chances are you'll spot orangutans swinging along cables between eight steel towers.
Michelin Guide 1 Star
"With plants and landscaped environments an integral part of its concept, the Smithsonian's National Zoo is both a "biopark" presenting more than 2000 wild animals." Full review
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The Panda House with its famous residents is one of the zoo's most popular highlights.
Travel + Leisure "The Gothic Revival-style castle was completed in 1855 and houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center."
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January 29, 2022
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