25. March 2025
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Museums & Exhibitions

German American Heritage Museum (Washington D.C.)

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

German American Heritage Museum

5 USD
German American Heritage Museum
4

Rating

 4.0/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Interesting exhibition
  • Very good location
  • Nice staff

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Comparably small

As I am traveling to the United States rather frequently and also love to follow Feli from Germany (formerly German Girl in America), I am very interested in German-American history, relations and cultural differences. While being in Washington D.C. in April 2024, I thus had to have a look into the German-American Heritage Museum there. A nice fact that the small museum was just a few steps away from the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center I stayed in. Here is my review.

 

German American Heritage Museum – Location & Admission

The museum is driven by the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA. It is located right in the heart of the city. Capital One Arena is just across the road. If you want to get there by public transport, It is around the corner from the Gallery Pl-Chinatown stop of the Washington Metro (Green, Red and Yellow Line).

The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 to 17:00. Admission is 5 USD.

 

German American Heritage Museum – The Visit

While the reception of the museum is located on the first floor of the building, the exhibition is one floor above. You can roughly divide it into a couple of sections. A major part is looking at German-American history. There is a timeline on one wall with some key topics and events featured on major signs. Some showcases also display some historic items. Even though there is no strict structure in the one-room exhibition, I would also name the influence of German culture in the United States in that context. For example, the German American Heritage Museum has quite a focus on the different Sängerbünde, singing / choir associations based on German singing traditions.

A minor part of the museum is also dealing with German-American topics nowadays. For example, the museum showcases German soccer or the German-American political relations. There are also some “typical German” inventions like buildings with low energy consumption, which are featured on separate displays. Like the whole museum, documentation is in English only.

 

German American Heritage Museum – Services

The reception staff was very helpful and friendly. You can also take an elevator to the exhibition, if you prefer. The Heritage Foundation is also doing regular events and publications. You can take them with you. One of them made me smile, as it in fact featured Feli and her YouTube channel work during a visit in the US-American capital.

 

German American Heritage Museum – My View

Finally, the German American Heritage Museum is too small to be a must-visit when you are in Washington. However, the interesting exhibition, the good location and the low admission turn it into an interesting place. Especially if you are interested in the relation and history between the countries, it is definitely worth a visit.

 

Flyctory.com in Washington D.C.

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