A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.

An unassuming, powerful monument north of the U.S. Capitol bears witness to the resilience of Japanese Americans during a time of grave injustice.

The hidden offices underneath Memorial Bridge have been locked up since 1976.

A historic ruin just 20 feet away from a busy highway onramp.

This lovely pocket park is one of the most under appreciated in D.C.

An overlooked oasis of quiet on the grounds of Washington's monumental basilica.

This poor little statue is the most vandalized memorial in Washington.

Once the supplier for noteworthy projects like the National Cathedral, this old brickworks now lies abandoned.

This sandwich shop has a century-old elevator behind a sheet of plexiglass.

A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.

The remains of Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, serve as a tool to educate about conservation.

Obscure Freemasons still live in D.C.’s largest private residence.

A hoard of sky catalogs, astrophysical journals, even the works of Galileo and Copernicus.

Light bulbs, scrap wood, and tinfoil comprise this homemade throne of the gods.

These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.

The only Civil War battle in Washington D.C. took place near this highest natural point in the city.

Where the U.S. government kept its actual treasure, before Fort Knox.

Perhaps the most scandalous statue of America's first president.

The most accurate timepiece in the world.

The privately owned cemetery that holds room for Washington's finest when they step down from life.

Decades before the scandal, this staircase on the river was a literal "water gate."

A celebrity from the late Cretaceous period.

Housing the National Women's Party since 1929, this historic house is now a monument to the fight for gender equality.

Seemingly unremarkable items like empty sushi trays, chef hats, and freshness stickers are being preserved so future generations can look back on this beloved cultural import.