The 12 Best Washington DC History Tours

1.Guided African American History Tour with Reserved Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,180 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $89Our pick

This 3.5-hour Washington, DC tour links Black Lives Matter Plaza, the Lincoln and MLK memorials, Lincoln Park, and the African American Civil War Memorial. A guide such as Dre or Elvis leads the bus and walking stops, then leaves you at the National Museum of African American History and Culture with a complimentary timed-entry reservation.

“Enjoyed the company of the guide/driver as well as the travelers on the tour, very nice and welcoming”

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2.DC Monuments & History Guided E-Cart Tour-Blankets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 450 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $52

Ride through Washington, DC, by electric cart on a two-hour guided tour with stops at the Capitol, National Mall memorials, and White House. Guides such as Lorenzo, Feyzi, Elmira, and Fernando add history, jokes, photos, and local detail. Blankets are provided, but the cart may be open-air, so dress for wind and cold.

“We truly enjoyed our trip on the golf cart. It was something different and a lot of fun. Our driver was great and very informative. We would recommend this to everybody.”

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3.Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – Exclusive Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $89Top rated

Spend about two hours with a private English-speaking guide at Washington’s Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. You’ll see the Hope Diamond, Dom Pedro Aquamarine, Egyptian mummies, dinosaurs, mammals, Ocean Hall, live coral, and Phoenix the whale. Guides such as Leigh, Meghan, Christopher, and Rebecca are praised for lively storytelling and family-friendly pacing.

“I took the tour of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum this past weekend. My tour guide was excellent as she was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the displays that she showed us. In the couple of hours of the guided tour I learned a lot more than if I just walked by the exhibits myself.”

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4.African American History Tour with Museum of African American History Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Join guide Kenny for a 3.5-hour, small-group tour of African American Washington, traveling by air-conditioned vehicle and on foot. See the Capitol, White House, Lincoln and King memorials, LeDroit Park, Howard University, and historic theaters. The tour ends with same-day admission to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“You will learn some little know facts and Mr. Kenny was an absolute pleasure. The stops were just long enough to enjoy the sites and take plenty of pictures. He also shared some great eating spots.”

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5.Washington, DC: African American History Tour & Museum Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 312 reviews · 210 minutes - 4 hours · from $89

Travel by air-conditioned bus through Washington’s African American landmarks with guides such as Dre, Elvis Pate, and Andre. Visit Howard University, U Street, Lincoln Park, and the African American Civil War Memorial before using reserved entry to explore the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on your own.

“Our guide Dre is very knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. Highly recommend this tour.”

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6.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 159 reviews · 2 hours · from $75

Spend two focused hours inside Washington’s Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History with an English-speaking guide such as Nur, Maurice, or DC. Your guide leads you to major dinosaur, gemstone, mummy, plant, animal, and human-history displays, adding context and helping you avoid wandering through the museum’s 145 million specimens.

“loved the tour person he did a great job explaining to us has alot of knowledge”

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7.D.C: Monuments & History Guided Open-Air Bus Tour-Day &Night

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 92 reviews · from $40

Ride through Washington, D.C. in a small, climate-controlled van with guides such as Fernando, Breanna, Sully, and Alex. In two hours, you’ll see Capitol Hill, the White House, the National Mall memorials, and more, with short stops for photos. Choose daylight or evening, and expect history, city views, and limited walking.

“My aunt was in town visiting and wanted to see the national mall and monuments but without walking for hours. This tour made it easier for her to see the monuments while also getting to enjoy the sites without wearing out her feet or getting overheated in the warm weather. If you're on the mall you can't miss the tour bus, its unique American flag design is really cute! We could explore a few select stops on foot but it was optional so you didn't have to leave the bus if you didn't want to. There were multiple points on the tour where my aunt could check out places up…”

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8.DC: Ghosts of Georgetown Haunted History Nighttime Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 80 reviews · from $39Best value

Walk Georgetown for 90 minutes with an English-speaking guide such as Sonia, Amelia, Sarah, or Trevor. Hear tales of curses, crime, haunted houses, Civil War hospitals, and a coffin-sleeping eccentric before finishing at the Exorcist Steps. The tour is family-friendly, costs $39, and includes access to the Old Stone House yard.

“We enjoyed this tour! Our guide Trevor was knowledgeable and personable and was a great host throughout. We’d definitely recommend!”

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9.DC: Georgetown History & Architecture Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 69 reviews · 2 hours · from $39

Spend two hours walking historic Georgetown with guides such as Vicky, Wesley, Becca, or Ingeborg. See the C&O Canal, Old Stone House, Kennedy homes, Victorian houses, Martin’s Tavern, the Wave Wall, and Georgetown University while hearing stories about Black Georgetown, immigrants, women, presidents, and celebrities.

“If you are visiting DC, book a tour with Ingeborg! We had the best time, Inge was incredibly engaging, knowledgeable, fun, funny, and an excellent tour guide. Inge brought Georgetown and it's history and architecture to life. I will recommend this tour company and tour guide to everyone and I hope I can return to DC soon and do another tour - maybe the Ghost Tour next time! Thank you, Ingeborg!”

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10.African American History Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · 2 hours

Meet your English-speaking guide at the National Museum of African American History and Culture for a private, two-hour visit. Guides such as Nur, Michael, Koura, and Hur focus on key exhibits, connect African American history to global influences, and keep children involved. The tour may also include a short National Mall introduction.

“This was a guided tour for 5 adults. Nur was about 30 minutes late, however, the tour was excellent. He was knowledgeable, well informed on current events and skillfully guided us through the very busy museum. He spoke clearly over the noise of the crowd.”

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11.National Museum of Natural History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 32 reviews · from $86

Explore Washington DC’s National Museum of Natural History with an English-speaking guide in a private or small group of up to eight. See the Hope Diamond, Dom Pedro Aquamarine, real mummies, Ocean Hall, Phoenix the whale, fossils, narwhals, and giant animals. Guides including Leigh, Tim, Brenda, Tony, and Richard tailor the route to your interests.

“We had a blast with our guide Brenda! She went out of her way to engage our whole family in each area of the museum, pointing out the different exhibits and the most interesting facts based on our interests. Other people stopped to listen everywhere we went. This was our first visit and I feel the experience was definitely worth it. Skipping the opening lines was also a big plus!”

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12.Smithsonian Natural History + Air & Space Museum Tour 8ppl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 5h 30m · from $174

Spend 5.5 hours with a local English-speaking guide at Washington’s Natural History and Air & Space museums. See Henry the elephant, the Hope Diamond, the renovated Fossil Hall, the 1903 Wright Flyer, and Apollo 11’s command module. Tours are private or limited to eight people, with guides such as Amanda, Tim, Brenda, Leigh, and Richard.

“Leigh was absolutely brilliant . We spent four hours together, two in each museum. She is extremely knowledgeable and gave us real insight into the collections and exhibits.”

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