Historically Designated Interiors
Historic preservation is almost always focused on the protection of a building or a structure's exterior. Because of this flexibility, residents of historic districts freely remodel the interiors of their homes while external facades are saved from the wrecking ball and incorporated into new construction. Nonetheless, DC's historic preservation regulations allow for the designation of "building interiors." Therefore, interiors are occasionally designated for their historic and/or architectural significance. Of the hundreds of landmarks in the District of Columbia, only 24 landmarks have historically designated interior spaces. This tour covers these landmarks.
Most of these interior spaces have been well-documented, and photographs are available on this website, as well as through other resources.
This tour can be completed by walking, public transport, or car.*
*Please keep in mind that most of these interior spaces are private and not open to the public. Some are public, but may require visiting at certain hours and/or booking a tour in advance. Please check individual websites for more information regarding public access.
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Sites 24
Eastern Market (and Interiors): Eastern Market is the longest-running remnant of the old market system, which supplied DC residents with produce, meat, and more in the decades before grocery store chains.
Although Capitol Hill had hosted a neighborhood market for decades, established by a presidential proclamation by Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s, it wasn’t until 1873 that a dedicated building…
Folger Shakespeare Library (and Interiors): The Folger Shakespeare Library's simple, modern exterior hides an Elizabethan interior with a full-scale 17th century English theater, and the world's largest collection of Shakespeareana.
The Folger Shakespeare Library was constructed on the site of Grant's Row, owing to the acquisition of the land in 1928 by Henry Clay Folger. Folger, a millionaire Standard Oil executive, devoted a…
District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds (and Interiors): With its remarkable murals and elegant design, the Recorder of Deeds Building stands out among DC's municipal buildings.
The District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds Building expresses the interplay between political aspirations, social struggle, the search for civic identity, and even the influence of global war on the…
Waffle Shop (and Interior): This small restaurant's exterior includes interesting features typical of diners of the era.
Built in 1950 on 10th Street NW across from Ford's Theatre, this diminutive restaurant is virtually the last remaining example of the stylish mid-20th century commercial storefronts that were once…
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (and Interior): Built in 1969-72, this library is DC's only work by the prominent twentieth century architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
The Martin Luther King Memorial Library (MLK Library) is a four-story steel and glass International-style building in downtown DC, designed by world-famous German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der…
Equitable Co-Operative Building Association (and Interior): This 1912 bank building, with a protected interior space, was the longtime headquarters of a significant local financial institution.
The Equitable Co-Operative Building Association is a monumental, one-story bank building in the Classical Revival style located on F Street NW in the Downtown Historic District. Designed by both…
Greyhound Bus Terminal (including Interior Lobby and Waiting Room): This Streamline Moderne former bus terminal is notable for both its design and its role in the Freedom Rides.
The Greyhound Bus Terminal, completed in 1940, is a classic Art Deco/Streamline Moderne landmark, with a design aesthetic that epitomizes the promise of the industrial age as the hope for the future.…
Warner Theatre Building (and Interior): From its earliest days showing silent films and vaudeville productions to its present use as a live venue, the Warner Theatre has been part of DC's entertainment landscape.
This ten-story theater and office building, originally known as The Earle and now currently known as the Warner Theatre, was designed in 1924 by noted theater architect C. Howard Crane and his New…
Federal-American National Bank (and Interiors): Constructed in the 1920s, this elegant Beaux-Arts style bank building exemplifies the architectural prowess of DC banks in the first decades of the 20th century.
Following the merger of two banks, this building operated as the headquarters for the new Federal-American National Bank. The bank building was designed by architect Alfred C. Bossom (1881-1965), in…
Benjamin Franklin School (and Interiors): This award-winning public school building is an important landmark of DC's public school system.
Built between 1865 and 1869, the Benjamin Franklin School was the flagship of a group of seven modern urban public school buildings constructed between 1862 and 1875 to house, for the first time, a…
Corcoran Gallery of Art (and Interiors): Since its founding in 1869, the Corcoran Gallery of Art has been a major proponent of American art and painting.
Founded in 1869 by Washington philanthropist William Wilson Corcoran, the Corcoran Gallery of Art was originally located at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Rapid growth forced the…
Christian Heurich House (and Interiors): Often called the "Brewmaster's Castle," this grand Gilded Age mansion stands as a testament to German immigrant Christian Heurich's entrepreneurial success in DC.
Built between 1892 and 1894 for successful German-American brewer Christian Heurich (1842-1945), the Heurich House is the city’s finest and best-preserved example of Richardsonian Romanesque…
The Northumberland (and Interiors): An early apartment building by Harry Wardman, the Northumberland was also a pioneer in cooperative housing.
The Northumberland, designed by Albert H. Beers and built between 1909 and 1910 by Harry Wardman, presents an eclectic classical facade that blends harmoniously with the buildings that surround it…
Park View School (and Auditorium Interior): This school is distinctive among the District’s elementary schools for its large auditorium.
In 1911, the quickly developing Park View neighborhood was in need of an elementary school for its 600 children. In 1916, after years of advocacy by the Park View Citizens’ Association, the 16-room…
Shrine of the Sacred Heart (including Interior): This parish has been described as “one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the Archdiocese of Washington.”
Shrine of the Sacred Heart, located just off 16th Street NW at Park Road, is a monumental religious space with a century of significant social history.The church was dedicated in December 1922 after…
John Joseph Earley House (including Interior Spaces): This was the longtime residence of sculptor John J. Earley, who created the “Earley Process” for formulating colorful aggregate-based concrete.
This two-story rowhouse within the Mount Pleasant Historic District was designed by prolific DC architect Waddy B. Wood (Wood, Donn & Deming) and constructed by John H. Nolan for self-described…
The Wyoming (and Interior of Entrance Pavilion): The Wyoming is one of only a small number of pre-World War I luxury apartment buildings remaining in Washington.
In its essentially unaltered state, the Wyoming stands as a reminder of the elegance and the quality of design, workmanship, and materials characteristic of the Golden Age of the apartment building in…
Barney Studio House (And Interiors): While currently serving a diplomatic role as the Latvian Embassy, Studio House was once a space specifically designed for artistic expression and activism.
Constructed between 1902 and 1903, this semi-detached row house was the second to be built in Sheridan Circle and remains architecturally distinct from the neighboring Beaux-Arts mansions. Designed by…
Alban Towers (and Interiors): This luxury apartment complex was built to be stylistically compatible with its neighbor, the National Cathedral.
Situated diagonally across from Washington National Cathedral on one of the highest points in the city, the Alban Towers apartment complex is notable for its distinctive architecture. In 1925, a…
Wardman Tower and Arcade (Wardman Park Annex, Interior Lobby, and Hotel Entrance Piers): This luxury hotel developed by Harry Wardman has towered over Connecticut Avenue since 1928.
Built in 1928, the Wardman Park Annex peers onto the road below from its hilltop site at the intersection of Woodley Road and Connecticut Avenue NW.Its height—140 feet above street level—has made it a…
William L. Slayton House (and Interior): Located in Cleveland Park, the William L. Slayton House is one of the few houses designed by I.M. Pei.
Designed in the International Style, the William L. Slayton House is one of only three houses known to have been designed by world-renowned architect I.M. Pei. Pei, primarily a corporate architect but…
Sedgwick Gardens (and Interiors): This early Art Deco-style apartment building offered luxury living to Washingtonians in the 1930s.
Designed by Mihran Mesrobian in 1931 for Max Gorin, the president of the Southern Construction Company, Sedgwick Gardens is a significant Art Deco building. Mesrobian designed many significant…
3901 Connecticut Avenue NW (and Lobby): This Tudor Revival-style apartment building is one of many luxury buildings along Connecticut Avenue.
The garden-style construction at 3901 Connecticut Avenue NW fulfilled many of the aesthetic and logistic needs of the residents that lived there. The building had direct streetcar access that allowed…
Chevy Chase Arcade (and Interior of Arcade): The Chevy Chase Arcade is an excellent example of a small-scale commercial arcade — unique in Washington, DC.
A notable landmark in the Chevy Chase commercial strip, the Chevy Chase Arcade was planned by the Chevy Chase Land Company as one of four business centers, alternating with apartments, along…Tour curated by: DC Preservation League