Local Attractions

The KWDS site is just outside Baltimore, the largest city in Maryland. It is also an hour from Washington, D.C., with the world's largest library and some of the most important museums on the planet. Below is a list of links to places that you may wish to add to your itinerary either before or after the Symposium.

Transportation notes:

Public transportation in Baltimore is through the Maryland Transit Administration: https://mta.maryland.gov. Attendees can take MTA light rail from Timonium to downtown Baltimore. Many local buses traverse the downtown area.

Public transportation in Washington, D.C., is provided through Metrorail and Metrobus: http://www.wmata.com. Washington and its suburbs have six subway lines, but major repair projects may disrupt schedules, particularly on weekends. Check the website before you go.

Between Baltimore and Washington: Two commuter rail lines join the two cities, but only one of the lines runs on weekends. See https://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train for details.

Baltimore Attractions

Walters Art Museum
http://www.thewalters.org
Details: Greek and Roman art, medieval ivory artifacts, Old Masters
Nearest MTA light rail stop: Centre Street

Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum
http://archaeologicalmuseum.jhu.edu/
Details: Ancient Mediterranean world, ancient Egyptian artifacts
Visitors should make arrangements with museum before visiting.

Baltimore Inner Harbor
http://baltimore.org/article/baltimore-inner-harbor
Details: The prime visitor attraction in the city. Many restaurants, stores, water taxi rides, harbor cruises, and the historic ship U.S.S. Constellation.
Nearest MTA light rail stop: Convention Center

Maryland Science Center
http://www.mdsci.org/
Details: IMAX theater, planetarium, permanent and rotating exhibits on science themes for all ages.
Nearest MTA light rail stop: Camden Yards and walk several blocks toward Inner Harbor

National Aquarium
https://aqua.org/
Details: Family-friendly fish and other sea creatures.
Nearest MTA light rail stop: Convention Center or Camden Yards

Washington Attractions

The Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov
Details: Biggest library on the planet; research, tours and exhibitions. Closed on Sundays.
Nearest Metro stop: Capitol South (Orange/Blue/Silver)

National Gallery of Art
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb.html
Details: Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci, the only painting of his on display in the Western Hemisphere; Titian; Raphael; El Greco; Fra Angelico; Botticelli; etc. etc.
Nearest Metro stop: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Green/Yellow)

Folger Shakespeare Library
http://www.folger.edu
Details: World's largest collection about the Bard of Avon. Current exhibition: “Painting Shakespeare.” You can also see a copy of the First Folio.
Nearest Metro stop: Capitol South (Orange/Blue/Silver)

National Archives
http://www.archives.gov
Details: An original copy of the 1297 version of the Magna Carta, as reissued by King Edward I. Also, a couple of post-SCA-period parchment scrolls called the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Nearest Metro stop: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Green/Yellow)

Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection
http://www.doaks.org/
Details: House museum with many coins, manuscripts, and other artifacts from the Byzantine Empire.
Nearest Metro stop: Dupont Circle (Red) or Foggy Bottom-GWU (Orange/Blue/Silver), then take a bus (see museum website for details)

Washington National Cathedral
http://www.cathedral.org
Details: This Episcopal cathedral was designed in the neo-Gothic style, based on the English Gothic style of the late 14th century. Especially if you've never been to Europe, you may wish to have a look. One of the stained-glass windows contains a fragment of moon rock.
Nearest Metro stop: Tenleytown/AU (Red), followed by a southbound 30-series bus along Wisconsin Avenue (alternatively, walk downhill 1.5 miles along Wisconsin Avenue).

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
http://www.nationalshrine.com
Details: This large Roman Catholic church was designed in a neo-Byzantine, neo-Romanesque style of architecture.
Nearest Metro stop: Brookland/CUA (Red)

Smithsonian Institution
http://www.si.edu
Details: No one can possibly visit all 19 of the Smithsonian's constituent museums in a single day. Eleven of the 19 are along the National Mall, but still, that's a lot of buildings. Here are just a few highlights:

  • National Air & Space Museum: airplanes, spacecraft, Skylab, planetarium, IMAX
  • National Museum of Natural History: Hope Diamond, human origins, ocean exhibit, IMAX, butterfly garden
  • National Museum of American History: Star-Spangled Banner, First Ladies' gowns
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture: the Smithsonian's newest building.  You need tickets in advance to visit this museum.

Nearest Metro stops: Smithsonian (Orange/Blue/Silver) or L'Enfant Plaza (all lines except Red)

National Zoo
http://nationalzoo.si.edu
Details: Part of the Smithsonian. Giant pandas, elephants, great cats, small mammals, American bison, and many other creatures.
Nearest Metro stops: The zoo is equidistant from Woodley Park-Zoo and Cleveland Park, both on the Red Line. However, if you get off at Cleveland Park, you will walk downhill.

Many excellent guidebooks cover the rest of Washington's many attractions. Please note that the Washington Monument is closed until 2019 for major elevator repairs.