Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/704649
WASHINGTON DC GIVES PLANNERS A WIDE ARRAY OF HISTORICAL VENUES TO PLAN THE NEXT SUCCESSFUL MEETING BY CYNTHIA MOLUSK Get away to Washington, DC and enjoy exceptional venues and meeting sites to hold conferences and events of any size. From free world-class museums, monuments and memorials to one-of-a-kind festivals, performanc- es and events, there's no city like it. With beautiful granite, limestone and dramatic 100-ft. curved glass entry, the Walter E. Washington Con- vention Center is an outstanding architectural and cultural treasure in a city that already harbors so many remarkable buildings. The facility is located between two of the most fas- cinating neighborhoods in Washing- ton, DC: the historic Arts District/U Street/Shaw district and the revital- ized Downtown/Penn Quarter/China- town district. The Walter E. Washington Conv- ention Center contains, 2.3 million total sq. ft. with more than 700,000 sq. ft. of prime exhibit space with 30- ft. columns on 90-ft. centers as well as 198,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 77 meeting rooms. Ideally located on the Georgetown University campus, in D.C., the George-town University Hotel and Conference Center's meeting rooms feature all the necessary technology and amenities required for a success- ful meeting or event. This venue is equipped with 14 meeting rooms and a total meeting space of 13,500 sq. ft. DC's award-winning hotels are as well known for their attentive service as for their must-have amenities. With nearly 30,000 hotel rooms in the city, there's a style and price point for every visitor. Heading the list is the area's newest and largest property, the majority African-American-room Marriott Marquis Washington, DC If you're interested in learning about DC's African-American her- itage, start your exploration with a visit to the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Community Museum. Located in a historic African-American neighborhood southeast of the Capitol, the museum houses a collec- tion of approximately 6,000 objects dating back to the early 1800s. The history of this neighborhood — home to orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass — is explored throughout the museum. Opening September 24, 2016, The National Museum of African American History and Culture will be a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African-American experience, what it means to their lives and how it helped us shape this nation. A place that transcends the boundaries of race and culture that divide us, and becomes a lens into a story that unites us all. The museum is under construction on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on a five-acre tract adjacent to the Washington Monu- ment. Be sure to pay a visit to the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, located at his home, Cedar Hill. When Douglass bought the nine-acre estate, he became the first African- American to buy a home in the Old Anacostia neighborhood. Tour the 21- room Victorian mansion or take part in a program to learn about Douglass' efforts to abolish slavery. Set high in the hills, the house and its grounds also open up onto one of the most b r e a t h t a k i n g views of the city. Don't forget to contact Dest- ination DC for assistance in planning your conference, con- vention or other event in the Washington area. President/CEO Elliott Ferguson and his staff are eager to provide planners with a variety of services to ensure a seamless meeting in the city. The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Baltimore/Wash-ing- ton International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and the Washington Dulles International Airport all provide both national and international flights to the Washington DC/Baltimore area. B M & T ••• March/April 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 52 AREA GUIDES WA S H I N G T O N D C • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Marriott Marquise Washington, DC 1,175 Grand Hyatt Washington, DC 897 Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel 794 The Capital Hilton 544 Embassy Suites Washington, DC Convention Center 384 Hamilton Crowne Plaza 318 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Walter E. Washington Convention Center Total Exhibit Space 198,000 sq. ft Meeting Rooms 77 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Destination DC – 800 635-MEET www.washington.org The National Black Chamber of Commerce – (202) 466-6888 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Photo Credit: Destination DC ELLIOTT FER GUSON