During the late 1800s, Washington’s movers and shakers strolled the streets of Dupont Circle, where Massachusetts Avenue was the city’s premier residential address. Heiresses, industrial magnates, newspaper tycoons, and political elites built opulent mansions along the avenue, in architectural styles including Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, and Queen Anne. Designed to entertain and impress, these homes were filled with the finest artwork and furnishings money could buy.
However, this lavish lifestyle collapsed during the Great Depression, after which many of these magnificent mansions were sold and converted into embassies, social clubs, and offices. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a walk through the neighborhood as she provides views of grand homes such as the Walsh-McLean House (now the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia), Townsend House (now the Cosmos Club), Woodrow Wilson House (now a museum), and Franklin Delano Roosevelt House (now the residence of the ambassador of Mali).
Know Before You Go
- Tour participants meet by the Dupont Circle Fountain, 1 Dupont Circle NW, and conclude in front of the Phillips Collection at 1600 21st St. NW.
- Sturdy walking shoes, bottled water, and comfortable clothes are recommended.
- The tour involves 1.5 to 2 miles of walking.
Additional Date Options for this Tour
General Information
- Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
