The official destination marketing organisation for the US capital, Destination DC, is relaunching its ‘DC is Open’ campaign to amplify the message that, despite the federal government shutdown, the city is open and continues to welcome business and leisure travellers. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed, while others work without pay due to deadlock between Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Some federal attractions have closed while others remain open. The disagreement centres around access to healthcare, with Republicans arguing that Democrats want to give undocumented immigrants free healthcare and attach subsidies to federal funding measures. Democrats deny this is the case.
“We acknowledge the false perception that when the federal government shuts down, DC does, too. We want visitors to know most of DC’s attractions and experiences actually remain open,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC. “Fall is a busy season for convention and leisure travel, so we’re spreading the word that visitors can still enjoy iconic attractions, stay in our incredible hotels, dine in our acclaimed restaurants and experience theatre, sports, nightlife, arts and cultural events.”
Tourism is crucial to DC’s economy. A record 27.2m people visited the nation’s capital in 2024, spending $11.4bn, resulting in $2.3bn in tax revenue and supporting 111,500 jobs. As a result, thanks to tourism, each DC household saves $3,608 in taxes, according to MMGY Travel Intelligence, S&P Global Market Intelligence, the National Travel and Tourism Office and the US Department of Commerce.
Prospective visitors can find the latest information and timely deals at washington.org/dcisopen, as well as a list of more than 100 unaffected places to go and things to see and do. Open air parks and memorials on the National Mall remain accessible.
All free Smithsonian museums, including the National Zoo, will remain open through at least 6 October, with further updates to come. The National Gallery of Art will remain open through at least 4 October.
Additional attractions that remain open include the new Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, the National Building Museum, Folger Shakespeare Library, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Phillips Collection, Rubell Museum, Washington National Cathedral, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden and the National Children’s Museum. Interactive attractions like The People’s House, Planet Word, Museum of the Bible, Museum of Illusions and the International Spy Museum are also unaffected.
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is fully open and hosting two citywide conventions in October: Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting and exhibition (13-15 October) and the American Dental Association’s SmileCon (23-25 October). Other meeting venues around the city, including the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, remain open.
Metro and public transportation will operate as normal and DC government services will continue, including sanitation, schools, parks and ancillary services.
DDC debuted its ‘DC is Open’ campaign during the October 2013 US government shutdown. The messaging was also utilised during the last government shutdown, December 2018-January 2019, and the city’s post-pandemic recovery in 2021.
