Leisure

Restricted Access

Cracking DC’s Most Private Museums

This town isn’t short on museums. It’s not short on tourists, either. What you need for your next game-changing date or impress-the-hell-out-of-the-parents weekend is a museum where you’re there basically alone. A museum that you normally can’t even get into. Unless you start planning now...

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 1

Glenstone

The Sights: This 200-acre estate on a leafy street in Potomac is one of the largest private collections of modern American art in the world.
The Strategy: Pathologically private until a few years ago, the owners have now opened up the collection to a limited number of private tours—that book a month out.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 2

The Kreeger Museum

The Sights: This 24,000-square-foot, 1960s-era mansion on Foxhall houses impressionist paintings, American art and a large sculpture garden.
The Strategy: They hold tours twice a day. But you want something more exclusive. Fine. Become a benefactor and they’ll give you private tours and the ability to throw private parties there.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 3

US Secret Service Museum

The Sights: Well, it’s only one room of memorabilia, but that includes counterfeit bills and pieces of armored presidential limousines.
The Strategy: You must be cleared and escorted by an agent, so start making friends with one. The Old Ebbitt Grill is a good place to start.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 4

US Capitol Dome

The Sights: It’s not really a museum. But here, 180 feet up, you can get a close look at the mural on the ceiling, and grab an unparalleled view of the Mall.
The Strategy: You must be escorted by a congressman, so ask for a make-good on that campaign contribution. And hurry—the dome is closing for a two-year renovation in December.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 5

CIA Museum

The Sights: Equipment, clothing and weapons dating back to the origins of the Cold War, much of it designed specifically for intelligence ops.
The Strategy: Being that it’s at CIA headquarters, it’s strictly off-limits to civilians. So you better start cozying up to the right people. No, not Jason Bourne.