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Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Immaculately maintained home of the founder of the infamous Church of Scientology. The curator, one of the world's top experts on Hubbard (and a practicing Scientologist), will lead you on an interesting tour (lasting up to two hours) that covers Hubbard's biography and a sanitized version of the church's overall history and belief system.
The L. Ron Hubbard House is a writer's house museum located at 1812 19th Street NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., USA. Public tours are given on a regular basis. After L. Ron Hubbard established Scientology in the 1950s the building housed offices of the Founding Church of Scientology and it is where he performed the first Scientology wedding. Hubbard's personal office was located in the building from 1956 to 1961. The Founding Church is now located at 1424 16th Street NW.
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Museum covering the history and political situation in Palestine.
Small, offbeat museum showcasing human rights abuses in China, particularly the Láogǎi, the Chinese prison system of "Reform through Labor". Includes artifacts from prisoners and panels with explanations and statistics. The museum was founded by Harry Wu, a well-known Chinese dissident who served 19 years in laogai prisons, but who left behind a troubled legacy after mismanaging funds for the museum. You may have to knock loudly for the curator to realize you're there.
Small museum with exhibits depicting the contributions made by American Jews in the United States military. Includes artifacts (e.g. medals) and several videos.
The Phillips Collection, opened in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. Featuring a renowned permanent collection of nearly 2,500 works by American and European impressionist and modern artists, the Phillips is internationally recognized for its incomparable art and for its intimate atmosphere. Housed in founder Duncan Phillips' 1897 Georgian Revival home, The Phillips Collection is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest small museums.
Kalorama is a quiet, stately neighborhood, northwest of the circle and is home a few hidden gems. Based on Rome's famous Spanish Steps, these once led up to the Kalorama Mansion, from which the neighborhood gets its name. They now lead up the steep hill to a small fountain and a nice city view, which is best appreciated on a summer night.
Cosmos Club
Almost completed rebuilt by heiress Mary Scott Townsend in 1899, the house features a Beaux Arts, Louis XVI French-inspired design. Townsend lived there until she died in 1931. For a period of time before World War II, Sumner Welles, the son-in-law of Mary Scott Townsend and Franklin D. Roosevelt's Under Secretary of State, lived in the Townsend Mansion. The Cosmos Club, a private social club, bought the house in 1950, and continues to occupy the mansion.