What's New in Washington, DC
Friday, May 8
Boo at the Zoo Runs Oct 16-18 at the National Zoo. Altair Opens First DC Location Downtown. Plus 4 places open right now with real prices and hours.
Smithsonian National Museum of American History is free. Ruby slippers, Julia Child's kitchen, all free
Worth knowing this week
Boo at the Zoo Runs Oct 16-18 at the National Zoo
Trick-or-treating, a kids dance party, pumpkin patch photo ops, and nighttime animal house visits at the Smithsonian's National Zoo from 6-8:30pm.
Washingtonian · 2026-10-12
Altair Opens First DC Location Downtown
New York import Altair opened October 15 with a New American menu featuring hyperseasonal dishes like honeynut squash ravioli and charred scallops.
City Cast DC · 2026-10-15
Bajo Opens in Shaw: Spanish-Japanese Fusion in Blagden Alley
Chef Max Rivera (ex-minibar) and Sarah Montell bring tapas, yakitori, and crudos to a listening bar in Blagden Alley with Spanish wines and sake.
City Cast DC · 2026-10-15
Think you know Washington, DC? Test yourself →
Spot the fake venue. Guess which opened first. Name the neighborhood.
New on CityCheck
Recently verified listings in Washington, DC.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
National Mall — Hope Diamond and a T. rex, completely free
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
National Mall — Actual Wright Flyer and Apollo 11 capsule, free
Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute
Woodley Park — Giant pandas and 2,100 animals, totally free
National Children's Museum
Penn Quarter — All hands-on, all for kids 0-12
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
National Mall — Ruby slippers, Julia Child's kitchen, all free
Open right now
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - Millennium Stage
Daily at 6pm (Millennium Stage); building open 10am-9pm
DC Public Library - MLK Library
Mon-Thu 9:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9:30am-5:30pm, Sun 1-5pm
Union Stage
Show nights, check schedule
Room 808
Show nights only, check schedule
Daily challenge: How well do you really know Washington, DC?
3 quick games. Takes 2 minutes. Locals average 70%. Play now →
69 places tracked in Washington, DC · Updated daily