It gained popularity for being simple to implement: 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, followed by 30 minutes of low‑intensity exercise.

“It is something that a lot of people are reading about or finding on Instagram or TikTok,” said Dr. Allison Parker-Fahey, a primary care family medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente. “It’s a trend that, I think, will actually benefit a lot of people.”

The idea originally came from “The 4-Hour Body,” a 2010 book by Tim Ferriss, and has since become a popular social media trend. But Parker-Fahey said you don’t have to be strict about the number 30. The real focus is on building sustainable habits around nutrition, movement, sleep and stress.

“It’s not really magic, but the principles are sound,” she said. “A protein-rich morning plus gentle movement can support steady energy, more stable blood sugar and fewer cravings later in the day.”

She recommended incorporating protein from natural sources such as eggs, Greek yogurt, fish, beans and nuts.

Parker-Fahey recommends adding movement to your morning by starting small and specific. For example, take a 10-minute walk with a friend.

“Aiming for more consistency over perfection,” Dr. Parker-Fahey said.

Rather than treating the 30-30-30 rule as a rigid diet, use it to shape your morning routine in a positive, sustainable way. Parker-Fahey said it can work for women, men and children.

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Merck’s Lipfendra, the brand name for the drug enlicitide, belongs to a class of medications known as PCSK9 inhibitors. Until now, these drugs were only available as injections. Lipfendra is a tablet taken once a day and is the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor to win FDA approval.

“Treating cholesterol more aggressively or more fully is our best chance to lower the risk for heart disease for millions and millions of Americans,” said Dr. Allen Taylor, chairman for cardiology at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. “Whatever your cholesterol number is, it probably should be lower.”

Taylor called the pill a breakthrough in expanding the medication’s reach, letting patients choose between an injectable every two weeks or a daily pill.

“Despite the availability of the injectable drugs, as safe and effective as they are, they’re vastly underutilized,” he said. “More options available for patients will increase the odds that we get more people effectively treated.”

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with high levels of “bad” cholesterol among the biggest risk factors.

“When your cholesterol is too high, your arteries suffer through developing buildups. And those buildups develop over decades to ultimately lead to things like strokes, heart attacks and premature death,” Taylor said. “We know from studies that this class of drugs reduces those risks.”

Lipfendra is meant to be used alongside statin medications, diet and exercise. A pair of clinical trials showed it reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or “bad cholesterol,” , respectively.

The list price is $10.50 per day or $315 for a 30‑day supply. A Merck spokesperson said they expect out‑of‑pocket costs to be lower and it “will be available to patients in a matter of weeks.”

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Grammy Award-winning artist Lizzo, who is also a classically trained flutist, will reimagine her biggest hits with the National Symphony Orchestra. Local ensemble DCFlutes will open the show.

“I’m just very excited to get to play this music and I’m mostly excited to meet Lizzo,” Aaron Goldman, one of the co-conductors of DCFlutes and principal flutist with the National Symphony Orchestra, said.

Goldman founded DCFlutes in 2010 and the ensemble has played in New York, Chicago and across the D.C. region. But the Lizzo concert in front of thousands of people will mark their largest audience yet.

“It was great fun going through Lizzo’s tunes and thinking about what would work for a flute ensemble,” Goldman said. “What would sound good [and] what would translate well.”

About 30 local student flutists will also join them on stage to perform a medley of Lizzo’s hit songs. The young musicians include students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program, the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras and the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras.

“It was important both for Wolf Trap and Lizzo’s team, and for DCFlutes, to really open this up and make this a bigger event,” Goldman said. “Having the kids involved just makes it that much more special.”

Goldman, who has played the flute since he was 6, praises Lizzo for elevating the instrument and bringing it to a wider audience.

“I’m going to talk to her about her flute journey [and] how flute got her to where she is,” Goldman said. “Her flute playing was where she began.”

Lizzo will perform at 8 p.m. on July 7 at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia.

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The Great American State Fair on the National Mall wraps up on July 10 with the theme “The Next 250: Innovation.” The Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s marketplace, which brings together artists and makers from diverse backgrounds, remains open through July 12.

Two big events are coming up in August. High school athletes from across the country will compete in the 2026 Patriot Games from August 9-11, with scholarship prizes at stake. Then the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will be the first-ever IndyCar race in D.C. on August 22 and 23.

Local museums have ongoing exhibits for America’s 250th birthday. At the National Museum of American History, “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness” showcases 250 objects spanning from the 1700s to today. At the National Gallery of Art, “Dear America” explores how artists have reflected on the American experience over the past 250 years.

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From presidential homes to private estates, some of the most famous landmarks in the United States not only draw millions of visitors a year, but also provide unique insights into the nation’s history and culture.

Mount Vernon

George Washington’s Mount Vernon, located just outside Washington, D.C., is one of the most visited historic estates in the United States. The property began as a modest one-and-a-half-story farmhouse built by Washington’s father, Augustine Washington, around 1735. Washington’s half brother Lawrence later lived there and named the estate after British Admiral Edward Vernon, under whom he had served.

After inheriting the property in 1761, George Washington expanded the house several times, raising the roof and adding wings, the cupola, and the iconic piazza. The mansion grew to roughly 11,000 square feet and its wooden exterior was rusticated to resemble stone.

Today, visitors can tour the mansion, gardens and historic outbuildings, as well as the tombs of George and Martha Washington and a memorial honoring the enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate.

Biltmore Estate

Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately owned home in the United States, spanning approximately 178,000 square feet. George Washington Vanderbilt II built the sprawling French Renaissance chñteau, which was completed in 1895. His grandfather, Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, had amassed the family fortune in shipping and railroads.

The mansion contains about 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms, and houses an extensive art collection featuring works by artists such as Renoir and Monet. The estate also included its own planned village to support workers and staff who maintained the property.

Today, the estate is owned and operated by descendants of the Vanderbilt family and attracts more than one million visitors annually.

Graceland

Elvis Presley was just 22 years old and already an international star when he purchased Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, for $102,500 in 1957.

The mansion was built in 1939 for Ruth Brown Moore and her husband, Dr. Thomas Moore, and they named it Graceland after her Aunt Grace Toof. Presley later added several signature features, including the famous music-themed gates and a kidney-shaped swimming pool. His Polynesian-themed den, known as the Jungle Room, even served as a makeshift recording studio.

Elvis lived at Graceland for two decades and died there in 1977 at the age of 42. Today, Graceland welcomes over 600,000 visitors each year, although the second floor remains a private area and is still closed to the public.

Hearst Castle

The glamorous Hearst Castle in California reflects the extravagance of the Gilded Age and the vision of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The estate began as “Camp Hill,” a family ranch where Hearst camped with his philanthropist mother and mining tycoon father.

In 1919, Hearst inherited thousands of acres and began developing the estate with architect Julia Morgan. The property eventually grew to include 165 rooms, 127 acres of gardens and opulent pools. Hearst also created one of the largest private zoos in the country, featuring animals such as lions, tigers, zebras, camels and kangaroos.

The estate hosted many famous guests, including Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Cary Grant and Greta Garbo. After Hearst’s death in 1951, the family donated the estate to the State of California, and today it is one of the state’s most visited landmarks.

The White House

The White House is one of the most famous and recognizable buildings in the world. George Washington helped select the site and oversaw early planning, but he died before construction was completed. So John Adams became the first president to live there in 1800.

At the time, it was not called the White House. It was known as the President’s House or Executive Mansion until Theodore Roosevelt made its current name official in 1901. During the War of 1812, British troops set the building on fire, destroying much of the interior.

In the 19th century, the White House had an open-door policy, meaning members of the public could walk in and visit the president. Today, the building contains 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms and six levels, along with features such as a bowling alley, movie theater and swimming pool. It continues serving as a symbol of the U.S. government.

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The SoberRide service is offered on nights after big celebrations, including St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo and Halloween, through the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program.

“July Fourth is actually a big one,” WRAP President Kurt Erickson said. “People don’t think about it as a drunk driving holiday, but nearly 40% of U.S. traffic deaths on July Fourth specifically involve drunk drivers.”

A $15 credit on Lyft rides will be available in D.C., Maryland and Virginia from 4 p.m. on Independence Day until 4 a.m. the following day. To claim your credit, use the code that will be posted at 3 p.m. Saturday on .

Last year, WRAP did 600 rides. Because of celebrations happening for America’s 250th anniversary, more than 2,000 rides will be available this year.

“Almost four times what we did last year,” Erickson said. “We’re anticipating more people being in town, we’re anticipating more people probably being in need of this.”

WRAP has experienced a major increase in ridership.

“The first three campaigns of this fiscal year, we’ve seen a doubling of ridership,” Erickson said. “We’re trying to keep up with that.”

He said he wants people to plan ahead and reminded people a designated sober driver is not the person who drank the least, but the person who’s abstained completely.

“This is a safety net that’s going to be in place for these high-risk, high-alcohol consumption holidays,” he said. “Independence Day is definitely one of them.”

WRAP’s SoberRide program has helped over 103,000 D.C.-area residents since the local, life-saving program began in 1991.

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“Leaving on the holiday itself is typically the best game plan when you’re looking for less stress,” said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for the travel app Going. “There are deals out there but being a little bit flexible on the ‘where’ and ‘when’ you’re leaving is going to give you the best bang for your buck.”

Nastro found affordable flight options, leaving on July 4, from D.C. to New Orleans, Nashville, and the West Coast.

“It’s one of the best days to be in the airport, because there is no one around,” Nastro said. “Flight prices at this point are going to be less leaving on the Fourth and then coming back a day or two later.”

Also. consider forgoing the big cities as your destination and choosing a smaller town instead.

“Don’t go to the usual suspects,” said ĂÛÌÒÊÓÆ”app Travel Contributor Peter Greenberg. “Every small town in America is going to have a July 4 celebration, so head there.”

He recommends visiting the midwest and exploring the lesser-known parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa or Indiana.

“The flyover towns are my secret getaway because they have so much to offer, and people don’t think about it,” Greenberg said. “That’s where I would go, because you’re not going to be disappointed.”

With airfare and gas prices high, this summer is being dubbed “Backyard Summer,” as “staycations” and road trips see a rise in popularity. Often large cities will run promotions only for locals, offering deals on attractions and hotels.

“Maybe you’re not going super far, but you are having that out-of-home experience that can make it feel like a true vacation,” Nastro said.

The low-stress, budget-friendly trips are reminiscent of vacations Americans took during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We got a chance to discover our own communities [and] our own neighborhoods that we never took seriously, or we took for granted,” Greenberg said. “This is the time to do it again, simply because of the cost of travel.”

According to AAA, about 72 million Americans will travel during the week of Independence Day this year.

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It’s an innovative way to control the D.C. area’s mosquito population. For the first time, a Silver Spring, Maryland, business is releasing hundreds of thousands of infected mosquitoes this summer.

“We’re releasing 600,000 in total within the DMV for 2026,” said Todd Montgomery, owner of Bee Safe Mosquito Control. “Hopefully, we’ll increase that for next season.”

They’re releasing male mosquitoes infected with the gut bacteria Wolbachia, called ZAP males. Males don’t bite, and when a ZAP male mates with a female mosquito, she will no longer be able to produce offspring.

“When they mate with a female, they actually cause that female to then become infertile for the rest of her life,” Montgomery said. “She’s going around laying eggs that will never hatch.”

The program targets the aggressive Asian Tiger Mosquito, one of the most common species in the D.C. area, which can transmit Dengue Fever, Zika and Yellow Fever.

ZAP males are shipped from Kentucky-based MosquitoMate, which has nationwide EPA approval to use the mosquitoes as a biopesticide. The technology is relatively new in the United States but has already proven successful internationally.

“In parts of South America, they have reduced Dengue [fever] cases by over 98% using Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes,” Montgomery said. “The introduction of males in order to control the population is a technique that has been tried time and time again. And it’s worked really well against many species.”

Google’s parent company Alphabet has plans to release up to 32 million Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of its Debug program. Bee Safe Mosquito Control is the only company offering this service in our region.

“We’re definitely the first in the DMV to do this,” he said. “We’re a tiny, small business that started four years ago. So it’s super cool that we’re at the forefront of it.”

The company began releasing ZAP males in early June and will continue through September. The service costs about $1,000 and the business has already sold out for the season.

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Founded in 1967, Columbia is still praised for its quality of life, safety, schools and job market.

“Although there are other planned communities in America, this is probably the best example of one,” said Erin Berry, archivist at the Columbia Maryland Archives.

Columbia was the vision of developer James Rouse, who assembled designers, architects and experts from a range of fields to help shape the community. Raised in Easton, Rouse sought to combine the benefits of small-town life with the advantages of living in a city.

“He gathers these groups of experts in transportation, religion, family life, education,” Berry said. “They are the ones who showed James and his companies and his planners what they needed in order to make a community thrive.”

Rouse chose to build Columbia in Howard County, between Washington and Baltimore. In 1963, he announced he had acquired 14,000 acres of land for the project.

Berry said Rouse, a deeply religious man, was committed to creating a desegregated community before federal law required it.

“He wanted all people of all backgrounds, all means, all races, all religions to have a place here in this community,” Berry said. “And he started doing that before he legally had to.”

According to Berry, Rouse acted when concerns surfaced that a builder and its real estate agents were steering Black and White families into separate neighborhoods. She said he sent employees and their families to investigate. After confirming the allegations, Rouse removed the builder from Columbia and issued a memo stating such practices would not be tolerated.

“He was just a human being who wanted better for the people of America,” Berry said. “I think that’s kind of rare to find somebody who talks the talk, but also walks the walk.”

Berry said historical records show Rouse also made efforts to work with minority-owned businesses because he wanted the local economy to serve all residents.

She recalled the story of a researcher who moved to Columbia as a child and lived near Rouse. The researcher remembered visiting his home for tea and growing up in a community she felt welcomed everyone.

“When she was growing up, she experienced this community that was welcoming to everybody,” Berry said. “That’s what she experienced as a young Black woman in America during the 70s, while a lot of other people, unfortunately, did not have that experience.”

Nearly six decades after its founding, Columbia continues to be cited as a model of urban planning. In 2026, WalletHub ranked the community the 13th happiest city in the United States based on factors including income, environment and well-being. The city also ranked among the top 10 for three consecutive years from 2022 through 2024.

“This community is still here. It’s still thriving. It’s still trying. The people are passionate,” Berry said. “Just the simple fact that people still want to live here is a success.”

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“No such thing as a safe tan,” said Dr. Tola Oyesanya, a dermatologist with the Kaiser Permanente Lutherville-Timonium Medical Center in Maryland. “Any tan caused by sun exposure is a dangerous tan.”

The trend primarily targets Gen Z, with videos of “tanfluencers” encouraging people to skip the sunscreen and spend more time in the sun, especially on high UV index days when there’s a bigger risk of sun damage.

Tanning booths are even worse, Oyesanya said, producing radiation exposure 10 to 15 times stronger than the midday sun.

“Tanning is basically a sign of our skin being damaged by these UV radiation rays,” she said. “The more tan you are, the more cumulative sun exposure you get over time, the higher the risk of skin cancer.”

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. It’s estimated one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes.

“It’s really scary, because it really shows how powerful social media misinformation is,” Oyesanya said. “So many young people are getting their medical information from influencers who have no medical training and no background to make the claims that they are making.”

Tanning also increases the risk of premature aging. Oyesanya warned young people that a tanned complexion now will likely bring regrets in the future.

“It causes wrinkles, it causes brown spots on the skin, it causes the loss of elasticity of the skin,” she said. “All of this is going to contribute to early aging of skin that makes people look leathery and orange.”

To protect your skin, Oyesanya advises using sunscreen every day, at least SPF 30 to 50. Reapply every two hours normally but every 45 minutes if you’re sweating or swimming.

Try to avoid the peak hours of sun, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you still want that summertime glow, over-the-counter sunless tanners or spray tans are safe.

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“They’re very relieved,” Jason Zellman, their attorney, said. “I think they feel like there was justice.”

Latin teacher Robert Rigby and stay-at-home mom Vanessa Hall are both active with the Fairfax County Public Schools Pride organization and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In January and February of 2025, they became the subject of posts from conservative X feed “The Virginia Project,” run by David Gordon.

“They were referred to by a nickname, Rigby Halling, which was a combination of their last names,” Zellman said. “And then the defendant defined Rigby Halling as a pair of notorious child sex perverts who, for some reason, have free run of FCPS.”

Zellman called the allegations malicious and heinous. The pair was also accused of being part of a child abduction scheme.

“He was also accused of being part of a grooming gang,” Zellman said. “She was accused of having access to children to ask and talk to them about sex.”

During trial, the defense argued the case was about politics, and liberal versus conservative viewpoints. But the juries ruled the social media posts were defamatory, awarding Rigby $350,000 and awarding Hall $700,000.

“I know neither Mr. Rigby nor Ms. Hall did this for the money. (They) did this to send a message that, first of all, these statements were untrue. And that there has to be a consequence for making such blatantly untrue statements.”

Zellman called the case a cautionary tale.

“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but you’re not entitled to make false factual statements accusing others of crimes,” he said. “Your words matter, they have an impact, and just because you’re anonymously posting behind a computer doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want.”

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“A brilliant woman who thought that we ought to treat housing as a public good, the way we treat the fire department or the police department,” said Elizabeth Deakin, professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley. “That doesn’t mean there’s not a big role for the private sector, but it also means that the public sector has responsibilities to make sure we’re okay.”

Published in 1934, laid out her vision for addressing the nation’s housing crisis and is considered one of the most influential housing books of the 20th century.

“It’s a seminal book that drew upon her experience living and working in Europe about how to provide housing,” Deakin said. “Especially housing that’s dignified and affordable and safe for people of all incomes, but, in particular, for people of lower income.”

Bauer served under three U.S. presidents. She advised Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman and continued shaping federal housing policy into the Eisenhower administration.

She was the primary author of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, a landmark New Deal law enacted during the Great Depression. The legislation created the United States Housing Authority to fund low-cost public housing and support the clearance of unsafe slum areas. Local housing authorities operated the projects, and the construction program created jobs during a period of widespread economic hardship.

“Real estate interests were sharply opposed to many of her ideas, especially the idea of government funding and subsidies for housing or government-provided housing,” Deakin said. “But she prevailed in Franklin Roosevelt’s administration.”

Over time, Bauer became critical of some of the outcomes of the law. She concluded that it gave local governments too much control over where public housing was built and who could live there, contributing to segregation by income and race.

According to Deakin, those outcomes were not Bauer’s intent and did not reflect her vision for public housing. Bauer later advocated for higher-quality, mixed-income housing developments.

“It’s really important. The idea that you don’t just do something, pass the law, set it and forget it, walk away, you’re done,” Deakin said. “You make changes. You advocate for doing it better. You correct mistakes that you made.”

At UC Berkeley, Bauer Wurster Hall was renamed to honor both Bauer and her husband, architect and former dean William Wurster. The building houses the College of Environmental Design.

Bauer taught at the university for decades and became the first woman to join its Department of City Planning. Some of Deakin’s colleagues knew her personally.

“They all described her as a woman who is passionate, full of energy, always interested in ideas, always interested in trying to make things better,” Deakin said. “Those are impressive things for academics to say about another academic.”

Bauer was a pioneering housing advocate whose work continues to influence discussions about housing policy. “Modern Housing” was republished in 2020. The back cover of the new edition notes that, amid today’s affordable housing challenges, Bauer’s ideas for creating humane and dignified housing remain relevant and urgent.

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The dishwasher

Josephine Garis Cochran often said her servants chipped her heirloom dishes while washing them, but she also did not want to wash the fine china herself.

“If nobody else is going to invent the dishwashing machine, I’ll do it myself,” she said, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Born in Ohio, Cochran came from a family of inventors and was drawn to engineering. When her husband died in 1883, she felt an urgency to turn her idea into reality.

Her design was the first to use water pressure instead of scrubbers, with custom-built racks to hold dishes securely in place.

With the help of a mechanic, she built a prototype and received a patent for her “Dish Washing Machine” in 1886. She later founded the Garis-Cochran Dish-Washing Co., which eventually became part of what is now KitchenAid.

Her practical, convenient design became the foundation for the dishwashers we rely on today.

The air conditioner

One of the world’s first modern electrical air conditioning systems was installed at the Sackett & Wilhelms printing plant in Brooklyn in 1902.

New York engineer Willis Carrier was tasked with solving a summer humidity problem affecting the printing press and causing quality issues.

Carrier’s invention used coils that could humidify or dehumidify the air, allowing the plant to maintain consistent conditions and operate reliably year‑round. This is the fundamental science behind the more advanced air conditioning systems we use today.

Carrier received a patent for his “Apparatus for Treating Air” in 1906, and his spray-type air-conditioning technology quickly spread to factories, offices and laboratories, eventually moving into homes by 1914.

Carrier’s work reshaped the world, and he was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century in 1998.

The home security system

The next time you check your doorbell camera or set the alarm for your house, think about Marie Van Brittan Brown. She invented one of the first home security systems with her husband, Albert Brown, an electronics technician.

They lived in Queens, New York, with their two children. Brown worked long shifts and odd hours as a nurse, and the family was concerned about the high crime rate in their neighborhood. So she designed a security system that included several elements.

Peepholes were put in the front door at different heights, and a camera could slide up and down on the opposite side. Monitors placed anywhere in the house showed the camera images.

There was two‑way communication to speak to the person outside, and pushing an alarm button would alert the police immediately. Many of these features can be found in security systems used today.

A patent for their “Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance” was obtained in 1969.

Brown is also credited as a pioneer of closed‑circuit television technology for home security. Her idea kept her own family safe, and transformed how millions of people protect their homes.

The vacuum cleaner

An Ohio janitor named James Murray Spangler invented the first portable electric vacuum cleaner. He worked as a sweeper at a department store but also suffered from asthma, and the dust would irritate his lungs.

Spangler added an electric motor and fan blades to a wooden soap box attached to a broom handle, and came up with the idea to use a pillowcase to collect dust, the first cloth filter bag.

He received a patent for his “Carpet Sweeper and Cleaner” in 1908, and his creative solution revolutionized how people clean their homes.

Spangler founded the Electric Suction Sweeping Company and got the attention of his cousin’s husband, William Hoover, who was a leather merchant at the time. Hoover bought Spangler’s patent and took over the company, renaming it the Hoover Company.

He utilized door‑to‑door salespersons to increase the vacuum cleaner’s popularity and turned Hoover into a common household name. Spangler stayed with the company, working as superintendent.

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When colonists arrived in the area more than 250 years ago, Georgian architecture was the most common house style. Named for Great Britain’s King George, Georgian homes are symmetrical, with flat-fronted, relatively non-ornamental facades and gable roofs.

“That’s what most people think of when they think of a house. They draw a box [with] the triangle on top. That’s a gable roof,” said Joe Himali, a licensed real estate broker and architecture influencer who leads walking tours in the District. “It is very popular in our area, and you’ll see that specifically in Georgetown. You’ll see it also on Capitol Hill.”

After the American Revolution, however, Georgian became an undesirable name. With the Federal Party in control of the U.S. government, the style became known as Federal. Similar to Georgian architecture, Federal homes were lighter and slightly more decorative.

“The most important difference between Federal and Georgian is generally the front door,” Himali said. “You’ll have what’s called a fanlight, or a window above the door that’s sort of a half arch.”

Federal homes also typically featured sidelights, narrow windows on either side of the front door.

Today, both Georgian and Federal homes are often referred to as Colonial.

“If you’re looking in Northwest D.C., and you see these houses in American University Park, they call them Center Hall Colonials,” Himali said. “That’s actually generally a Georgian or Federal style house, but we just don’t call it that anymore.”

After the Federal style came the Greek Revival movement, which tied back to the earliest democracy. The goal was to connect the history of the new nation to ancient cultures as a way to legitimize the U.S. governmental structure. Greek Revival homes are symmetrical and often white, with large front columns.

One hallmark characteristic of Greek Revival architecture can be seen at the Supreme Court and National Archives buildings.

“Above the columns, there will be a big triangle,” Himali said. “That is called a pediment, and that pediment is a major style choice with the Greek Revival.”

Another detail is dentil molding, small blocks resembling teeth beneath the roofline.

The Industrial Revolution helped usher in Victorian architecture, known for elaborate and decorative elements. Unique curves and shapes could now be machine-made rather than crafted by hand.

“It sort of took a mishmash of different things and mixed it all together in a big pot, and came up with these crazy architectural styles,” Himali said. “Turrets sticking out, conical roofs, and asymmetrical shapes. The front doors on the left, a big tower on the right, and these weird windows all over the place.”

Victorian homes were generally larger houses for the upper middle class. Several styles fall under the Victorian umbrella, including Queen Anne, Italianate and Second Empire.

Himali said his favorite is Romanesque Revival, which features a Roman arch surrounded by short columns. One example is the Heurich House Museum in Dupont Circle.

“[It’s] very dark and brooding, but it’s just exuberant on the inside,” Himali said.

The pendulum later swung back toward the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized humanity and imperfection in construction. Homes featured exposed natural wood, color, increased light and stronger connections to nature. A popular Craftsman home type was the bungalow, found in Northeast and Southeast Washington.

After World War I, Americans were feeling optimistic, fueling the Art Deco movement. New materials such as stainless steel and chrome symbolized modernity during the machine age. Two well-known Art Deco buildings in Washington are the Kennedy-Warren Apartment Building and the Greyhound bus terminal.

“You’ll see a lot of this machine-look stainless steel,” Himali said. “Sleek lines and then very angular.”

Modernism arrived after World War II and is now commonly referred to as Mid-Century Modern. The movement aimed to strip away decoration in favor of a more egalitarian approach. International Style buildings often featured rows of concrete and glass windows.

“This is also where you get the term ‘form follows function’ or ‘less is more,’” Himali said. “[It’s] almost a socialist point of view, that we don’t need ornamentation.”

But criticism of Mid-Century Modern’s strict, machine-like appearance led to Postmodernism, which reintroduced bold shapes and colors and encouraged homeowners to express personality through design.

“We don’t need to have square walls with 90-degree angles,” Himali said. “Let’s do 30-degree angles, and we’ll drop the ceilings to eight feet, and we’ll popcorn ceilings up.”

Today, architecture in Washington often blends historic character with modern design elements, including high ceilings, open floor plans and large windows. The city stands out for its range of home styles, reflecting centuries of changing tastes and technologies.

To book a walking tour with Himali, visit .

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In May 2025, water from a broken pipe caused significant damage at the Cambridge, Maryland, museum, destroying parts of the exhibits. Linda Harris, director of events and programming at the museum, said they were processing the insurance claim when an anonymous donor stepped in to help.

“Something miraculous happened. I had a foundation that followed me on Facebook and said, ‘We want to help you,’” Harris said. “I thought this is a time to just do this thing completely differently.”

After visiting other museums to get ideas, she realized they needed more movement, lights and sound, especially to engage younger visitors. Eventually, you’ll be greeted by a life-sized hologram of Tubman standing near the entrance to welcome you inside. The museum walls are now covered in eight murals representing Tubman’s life, with plans to add narration and music.

“The music is important because it’s the music that started at the belly of slave ships. It’s the sound that evolved into the modern music we know now,” Harris said.

Tubman was born in Dorchester County in 1822 and was one of nine children who developed a deep knowledge of the outdoors. She made about 13 rescue missions and helped approximately 70 enslaved people escape.

“It’s [a] rich, powerful history,” Harris said. “And it needs to be told the right way.”

Not only did Tubman fight in the Civil War, serving as a scout and spy for the Union Army, she also helped lead a military raid that freed hundreds of enslaved people. She later worked with Susan B. Anthony and other suffragists, speaking publicly about freedom and women’s rights.

“What made this part of the Eastern Shore, even the state of Maryland, insanely wealthy was slavery and that story has to be told,” Harris said. “We have to understand what happened, why it happened and how my ancestors built this country.”

The museum will reopen on June 13, although work will continue throughout the summer.

“Come and visit us here. You will find who you are. And my mantra in life is [to] find the Harriet in you,” Harris said. “Think about her courage, resilience, community, self love. If you espouse those virtues, it makes you a pretty incredible human being.”

Learn more about the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center on .

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