Washington Dc: Real And Reel

Washington DC with all its grand monuments and stately architecture has always been a favorite setting for films over the decades. Over 200 films of various genres, not just political and historical movies, have chosen to include many of the city’s landmarks in their iconic scenes. For many, their first look at the US capital is through a movie. Though many of the scenes in these movies were shot on sets recreating the exteriors of the nation’s capital and the interior of its buildings, any film enthusiast will still marvel and be amazed seeing the actual structures that made some of these movie scenes memorable. Chasing these sites seen in movies and recreating some of the scenes can be a fun activity for your next educational tour in Washington DC.

Here are some of DC’s landmarks that became settings of many of our favorite films.

1. Washington Memorial

This memorial standing at 550-feet tall is the tallest structure in Washington DC, a fitting tribute to the country’s first president. We have probably all seen this imposing obelisk through a flyby scene of the National Mall in many movies. It is also one of the first ones to be destroyed in disaster movies. In the movie 2012, we saw the Washington Memorial broken in half and crashed at the refugees gathered at the White House front lawn after a strong earthquake struck the city. In Spiderman: Homecoming, we witnessed the titular character scale its height to rescue trapped tourists inside its elevator. The memorial might be oftentimes featured in a bad light but the elevators going up are perfectly safe. It recently underwent restoration and maintenance, so there will be no need to worry if you want to climb up the observation gallery on top for an amazing view of the National Mall and the Federal City.

2. Lincoln Memorial

If you grew up in the 90s or just a fan of 90s classic films, you will probably recognize the Lincoln Memorial Reflective Pool in the award-winning movie Forrest Gump during the scene when Gump was running through the length of the pool towards the love of his life, Jenny. The National Treasure franchise features many DC landmarks. On its first installment, it is on the Lincoln Memorial steps where the character Benjamin Franklin Gates decided that the only way to protect the Declaration of Independence is to steal it. Also, in the second Night at the Museum movie, the great statue of Abraham Lincoln in its chambers came to life and did a great help during the final battle of the Smithsonian.

3. National Archives

Speaking of National Treasure and the Declaration of Independence, the National Archives building is highly featured in the first film of the franchise. He first saw the facade of the building when the character of Ben Gates and Riley Poole, met with Archives curator Abigail Chase to tip her about the threat to steal the Declaration of Independence. Later in the movie, we are taking a tour of the building as the two main protagonists discuss their plan to steal the document to protect it. Aside from the Declaration of Independence, the National Archives also keeps important historical documents on the country’s founding such as the Bill of Rights, the original copy of the Constitution, the Louisiana Purchase among others. Just do not try to steal any of those during your visit. There are not any known hidden maps on their reverse side. These documents are national treasures as they exist.

4. The Smithsonian Museums and Galleries

If you mention Smithsonian and movie in one sentence, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is the second installment of the Night at the Museum trilogy. Aptly subtitled The Battle of Smithsonian, the movie revolves around the adventures of the main characters as the museums around the National Mall come to life when the magical tablet of Ahkmenrah is brought to the Smithsonian archival storage. The building prominently depicted in the film were the Smithsonian Castle where the villains set their headquarters and the final battle took place, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and the National Portrait Gallery where the exciting chase for the tablet of Ahkmenrah from painting to painting took place, the National Air and Space Museum where we saw characters Larry Daley and the came-to-life wax figure of Amelia Earhart met the Tuskegee Airmen and flew the Wright Flyer to escape the enemies. The giant octopus that came to life and swam the Lincoln Memorial Reflective Pool is fictional but it was inspired by the giant squid specimen stored at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Also, you may find the Einstein bobblehead figures cute but they are also just a fun addition to the exhibits. However, you can find a larger-than-life bronze statue of the great scientist at the National Academy of Science’s Einstein Memorial.

5. Jefferson Memorial

Located outside the National Mall, the memorial to Thomas Jefferson is rarely seen in movies. However, this imposing Pantheon-inspired structure at the banks of the Potomac River had made quite a few cameo appearances. In Captain America: Winter Soldier, we see Steve Rogers jogging along with the columns of the front portico of the building. In National Treasure: The Book of Secrets, the conversation between Ben Gates and FBI special agent Sadusky confirming the existence of the President’s Book took place outside the Jefferson Memorial while feeding ducks. Whether or not you are having a confidential conversation with a federal agent, the Jefferson Memorial is a good place to hang out by the Potomac River, especially in spring when the cherry blossom trees around are in full bloom.

6. The US Capitol

The other dominant feature of Washington DC’s horizontal skyline, aside from the Washington Memorial, is the large dome of the US Capitol building. Being such an icon of the city, it also became its metonym. Even if the movie is shot outside the federal district, the dome of the Capitol is often added digitally on the background to imply that the scene is set in DC. In the comedy film, Evan Almighty where the main character played a congressman who was chosen by God to build a Biblical ark, the ‘Great Flood’ caused by a dam collapse went all the way through the National Mall with the ark stopping right in front of the Capitol. In the period film, Wild Wild West, we saw the dome being constructed as the main characters rode horses towards it. It also became the symbol of rebirth in the film Deep Impact as the first stones of rebuilding were laid on a destroyed Capitol building after the Earth was devastated by asteroids from outer space. When it’s not flooded or blown out by space rocks, you can tour the US Capitol through the Capitol Hill Visitor Center located at the lower levels of the building. If you are lucky, you may also get seats on a session of the Senate or the House of Representatives and witness how the laws of the land are enacted.

7. Library of Congress

If the National Archives was prominent at the first installment of the National Treasure movies, the Library of Congress plays an important role in the sequel. After ‘kidnapping’ the President in Mount Vernon, the protagonist Ben Gates proceeds to the Library of Congress to check out the President’s Book, the secret book by presidents, and for the President’s eyes only. As released by the President, Ben, Riley, and Abigail looked for the book in the restricted section of the Library. They found the book of secrets at a secret compartment in one of the shelves of the section. The book is said to contain the nation’s greatest secrets such as the Watergate scandal, Area 51, and the movie’s main plot arc - location of the city of gold, among other conspiracy theories. Even if the President’s Book is true or not, a visit to the Library of Congress is still worthwhile. It is the biggest library in the world, and who knows what ‘secrets’ you can discover in the pages of its books and manuscripts.

8. White House

Any political, historical, disaster or action-thriller film set in DC is not complete without a shot of the White House - whether it’s the front lawn, the south portico, the offices, or the Oval Office. Who would not recognize the iconic shot of the south portico being blown out by aliens in the 1996 hit movie Independence Day? Perhaps every film studio has their version of what the Oval Office looks like. The action-horror film Abraham Lincoln” Vampire Hunter which fictionalized the life of the 16th President depicts a Civil War-time White House in many of its scenes. Science fiction apocalypse movies like 2021 and The Day After Tomorrow have shown government officials preparing to face disaster and making important decisions in one of its many offices. Although the Oval Office and the rest of the West Wing are not accessible to the public, a tour inside the White House is possible by requesting through your representative in Congress or your embassy if you are a foreign national. The tour takes you to the public places in the East Wing of the Presidential Home and allows you to take a look at its famed Rose Garden. But if any chance a tour of the White House is not granted, guests can still get a glimpse of what the White House is like through the White House Visitor Center. The center houses exhibit related to the history of the White House and its occupants, the Presidents, and the First Ladies. It also has a large scale model of the White House complex.

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The Lincoln Memorial is very prominent in the movies Night at the Museum: The Battle of the Smithsonian and Forrest Gump.