Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Washington, DC

192  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

SHOPPING IN

WASHINGTON, DC

Washington’s vast selection of stores makes smart shopping malls and department stores
shopping in the capital a very pleasurable in the DC area can provide hours of shopping,
experience. Souvenirs can be found anywhere Georgetown offers visitors a far more lively
from fashion boutiques and specialist food and authentic environment in which to
stores to museum and gallery gift shops. The browse. It is a neighborhood packed with
many museums on the Mall and around the fashionable clothing boutiques and endless
city sell a wide variety of unusual gifts, repro­ interesting shops that sell everything from
duction prints, and replica artifacts selected antiques to hair dye, from one­dollar bargains
from all over the world. Although the many to priceless works of art.
Museum Shops
All the museums on the Mall
have a wide selection of
products on sale in their shops.
The National Gallery of Art
sells artwork reproductions,
books, art-related games and
children’s toys, and the National
Museum of African Art offers
a range of African textiles,
ceramics, basketry, musical
instruments, and books. In
Penn Quarter, the Smithsonian
American Art Museum shop
The shopping area at Union Station has decorative items, books, and
original handmade craft pieces.
The National Museum of
Opening Hours drugstores (pharmacies) and American History shop carries
Most department stores, supermarkets are open 24 hours. a range of souvenirs such as
shopping malls, and other American crafts, reproductions,
centers are open from 10am How to Pay and T-shirts, including
until 8 or 9pm, Monday through merchandise inspired by the
Saturday, and from noon until Goods may be paid for in cash, Star-Spangled Banner, as well as
6pm on Sunday. Smaller shops in traveler’s checks (in US dollars), a range of books on American
and boutiques are generally or by credit card. VISA and history. They also sell recordings
open from noon until 6pm MasterCard are the most popular from the 1940s to the 1970s,
on Sundays, and from 10 until credit cards in the United States, including Doo Wop, Motown,
6 or 7pm on all other days. while American Express is often, and Disco, from the Smithsonian
Convenience stores such as but not always, accepted. A tax Recordings and Smithsonian
local grocery stores may open of 5.75 percent is added to all Folkways labels. Products can
for longer hours. Increasingly, purchases at the cash register. be purchased online too.
Also well worth a visit, near
the White House, is the shop
Sales at the Decatur House Museum,
Department stores, such as home of Stephen Decatur, a
Macy’s in the Penn Quarter naval hero from the War of
area and Nordstrom farther 1812. It has a collection of items
out in Arlington, often hold related to Washington’s history,
sales during holiday weekends, art, and architecture.
including Memorial Day, the 4th For a selection of interesting
of July, Labor Day, and Columbus books on architecture, contem-
Day. Check the newspapers for porary design, and historic
advertisements to find good preservation, as well as a range
prices on electronics, jewelry, of toys, ties, frames, and gifts,
kitchenwares, shoes, and pay a visit to the National
Stalls selling an eclectic range of goods at clothing. White sales (towels Building Museum shop at
Eastern Market and bedlinen) occur in January. Judiciary Square.

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