Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Honoring the most famous African-American, this National Historic Site consists of Douglass' home and a visitor center and is dedicated to preserving his legacy of work on behalf of African Americans.
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4.5
192 reviews
Excellent
135
Very good
48
Average
7
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Wendy S
Austin, TX850 contributions
July 2024 • Friends
I went with a bunch people from my Masters in American History program for the reading of "What to a Slave is the 4th of July?" It made an already poignant historical site even more profound on Independence Day. It was crowded and hot but well worth the minor inconvenience.
Written 17 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ed P
1 contribution
Mar 2019 • Couples
The Frederick Douglass House is a great site to visit!
Site Interpreter/Ranger Kevin Bryant scores 11/10 for
his extensive knowledge of Douglass and passion about
Douglass’ life. I have been to a lot of battlefields, historical
sites and national parks, but have never seen or heard better!
Site Interpreter/Ranger Kevin Bryant scores 11/10 for
his extensive knowledge of Douglass and passion about
Douglass’ life. I have been to a lot of battlefields, historical
sites and national parks, but have never seen or heard better!
Written 24 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bhlraven1916
Atlanta, GA1,516 contributions
Apr 2018 • Solo
I just want to say out of all the different posts and contributions of me to TripAdvisor this had to be one of the best tours that I went on. The inside and out of the home is in impeccable condition and well-maintained I recommend that you get there for one of the inside tours of the home. I just want to give a shout out to Mr. Redmond Barnes who's a volunteer, extremely knowledgeable took his time to answer questions and just made the tour worthwhile, you don't even realize you've been in there for close to an hour and a half just listening to him and drop knowledge. There's a very nice gift shop too and the prices are fairly reasonable. All-in-all I must admit that I enjoyed myself and had a very good time. The staff is extremely friendly and I would go back again and I would recommend anybody that's coming to visit DC to stop by
Written 10 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KC_travel_enthusiast
Kansas City, MO84 contributions
June 2014 • Family
I have to be truthful the visit was disappointing. I took my teenager daughters by car service to this place because we are really impressed by the work of Frederick Douglass. The house and items are well preserved but none of the other buildings he used on the property are open, the visitor center is falling apart, the film is dated and the grounds are just mowed weeds. Little was said about the descendents. The saddest part is that I was unable to get a cab to come pick us up at this National Park in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. I was told by a local it was because the area is crime infested and cabs don't like to come there. I called all the cab companies and waited 30-45 minutes. The ranger needed us to leave so he could shut the tall spiked iron gates in order to close. I was told we could walk a few blocks to the metro although it was highly risky or wait outside the gates to see if a cab would come. I would encourage visiting but only by bus or car (there is a parking lot) and for the National Park to raise awareness that this park needs more care.
Written 25 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jujubee19
Dallas, TX64 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
I visited the Frederick Douglass National HIstoric Site with three elementary school aged children. We called on the way there to sign up for the tour and were able to get in, no problems for the 9:00 AM tour on a summer weekday. There is a free parking lot at the site. The visitor center (right next door to the house and parking lot) is where you can check in for the tour and pick up Junior Ranger booklets for the kids (all free of charge). The house itself is situated in a residential neighborhood on the street, but be aware that there is a steep hill in the front yard and that you will need to climb up some steps. There is also a steep staircase in the home. (No strollers)
A park ranger gives a guided tour of the interior of the house. Highlights for the children included seeing portraits of Frederick Douglass and his family, seeing his original hat and books, his desk, his checkers set, his piano and violin, kitchen with an old fashioned ice box and his dumbbells.
After the tour, we headed back to the visitor center to complete the Junior Ranger booklets. The kids used the information in the small display area in the visitor center to complete the questions in their books. Information in the center include a timeline and biography of Douglass's life, several artifacts under glass such as a cane given to Frederick Douglass that once belonged to Abraham Lincoln. Also, there are many quotes and photos as well as a life size statue of Frederick Douglass (a good place to take some photos).
There is also a film in the visitor center. The film was probably around three decades old. Just a note to parents, there are graphic images of a young man being whipped with blood running down his back in the film. The "N" word is also used several times, so use parental discretion.
There is a bookstore at the center as well with a decent children's book section and several biographies of Frederick Douglass written for children.
The visitor center has a bathroom, but no food. It took around two hours to tour the house, see the film, read the information in the displays, visit the bookstore and complete the Junior Ranger booklets.
This is an amazing educational field trip - completely FREE that would enhance anyone's understanding of Frederick Douglass, his life, times and legacy. Educational and inspirational. A great treasure for the community.
Another field trip to complement this would be to visit the African American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC which is also free. Two of Frederick Douglass's sons served in the 54th regiment in the Civil War.
A park ranger gives a guided tour of the interior of the house. Highlights for the children included seeing portraits of Frederick Douglass and his family, seeing his original hat and books, his desk, his checkers set, his piano and violin, kitchen with an old fashioned ice box and his dumbbells.
After the tour, we headed back to the visitor center to complete the Junior Ranger booklets. The kids used the information in the small display area in the visitor center to complete the questions in their books. Information in the center include a timeline and biography of Douglass's life, several artifacts under glass such as a cane given to Frederick Douglass that once belonged to Abraham Lincoln. Also, there are many quotes and photos as well as a life size statue of Frederick Douglass (a good place to take some photos).
There is also a film in the visitor center. The film was probably around three decades old. Just a note to parents, there are graphic images of a young man being whipped with blood running down his back in the film. The "N" word is also used several times, so use parental discretion.
There is a bookstore at the center as well with a decent children's book section and several biographies of Frederick Douglass written for children.
The visitor center has a bathroom, but no food. It took around two hours to tour the house, see the film, read the information in the displays, visit the bookstore and complete the Junior Ranger booklets.
This is an amazing educational field trip - completely FREE that would enhance anyone's understanding of Frederick Douglass, his life, times and legacy. Educational and inspirational. A great treasure for the community.
Another field trip to complement this would be to visit the African American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC which is also free. Two of Frederick Douglass's sons served in the 54th regiment in the Civil War.
Written 5 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
julia7178
Washington DC, DC53 contributions
July 2013 • Couples
We came to the Frederick Douglass house on a Saturday afternoon and were a little overwhelmed at first by a couple tour bus crowds occupying the visitor's center. Once the crowds filtered out, however, we were able to enjoy our experience there a little more. The film presented in the visitor's center was good and worth viewing. Once in the main house, our tour guide (Lisa) was fabulous and clearly had a passion for the history behind the place. The tour was "short and sweet" compared to other historical tours we've done in the past. The guide kept us moving through the different rooms and we didn't feel like we were standing around forever. The children in our tour group had been showing signs of impatience as we waited on the house porch to begin the tour, but once we started moving the kiddos were fine and didn't seem bored on the tour. In sum, this historical site accomplished its goal- we didn't have much prior knowledge about Frederick Douglass before coming here, but left with a new respect and appreciation for his extraordinary life and character.
If you have a chance, follow the driveway around to the back of the house, to see some more of the grounds and a reconstruction of the Growlery (Douglass' more scholarly version of today's "man cave.") Also, our tour guide pointed out that copies of Douglass' autobiography sell for only $1.50 inside the visitor's center bookshop if you want to read about his life in his own words.
As for the Anacostia neighborhood having a reputation for being "rough"- I work in the neighborhood and I actually find it quite beautiful, with tree-lined streets and lots of historic homes. It's not the war zone that first-time visitors to Southeast DC might be lead to expect. I recommend the Frederick Douglass house in its own right, but also for visitors who are looking to go off the tourist trail and see a part of DC they might not see otherwise. I will surely be returning here with out-of-town guests who come to visit us in DC!
If you have a chance, follow the driveway around to the back of the house, to see some more of the grounds and a reconstruction of the Growlery (Douglass' more scholarly version of today's "man cave.") Also, our tour guide pointed out that copies of Douglass' autobiography sell for only $1.50 inside the visitor's center bookshop if you want to read about his life in his own words.
As for the Anacostia neighborhood having a reputation for being "rough"- I work in the neighborhood and I actually find it quite beautiful, with tree-lined streets and lots of historic homes. It's not the war zone that first-time visitors to Southeast DC might be lead to expect. I recommend the Frederick Douglass house in its own right, but also for visitors who are looking to go off the tourist trail and see a part of DC they might not see otherwise. I will surely be returning here with out-of-town guests who come to visit us in DC!
Written 27 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1Jaybee1
Newport News, VA1,243 contributions
July 2019 • Couples
There was just a $1 fee to hold the reservation. The tour started with a film about Douglass' life. The visitor center had artifacts, a store and some history from his life. The tour of his house was very informative. I hadn't imagined that he had lived somewhere so grand....especially for the times. If you are in the area, scheduled one of the hour tours.
Written 31 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prawet J
Washington DC, DC12,784 contributions
July 2019 • Solo
I finally got to go inside the house after a few tries. To start, if you want to visit the house, it is free but you need a ticket. Call or go online to reserve your space. I was lucky to get in but waited for two hours. The house is the house. Things are original and visitors can identify with all the things. The lesson learned (from the ranger-guide) is priceless. It is another side of history of power struggle and the fight for equal. It looks easy on the map but it is not that easy. Plenty of parking if you drive. The location is a few blocks from Martin Luther King Jr. street on W street. If you drive from Eastern Market, take 11th Street SE all the way across the river.
Written 13 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brendan S
Arlington, VA2,152 contributions
Dec 2018 • Solo
This National Historic Site contains a very small visitors' center and the house where Frederick Douglass lived for 20 years before his death after he moved to DC.
The visitors' center has a nice 15-minute video on the life of Douglass, which is worth seeing because the house tour is mostly about Douglass' time at the house rather than his life and work. The house tour is about a half hour long and includes all of the rooms on the first and second floor. What's great is that the House is substantially unchanged both on the exterior and interior from when Douglass lived here. It also contains many of the original furnishings and personal items of Douglass including his violin and shoes and chair at the head of the dining room. This really brings the history alive in a way that houses that have been redecorated and furnished with reproductions just can't.
The house can only be viewed on a guided tour, for which you get tickets at the visitors' center.
The visitors' center has a nice 15-minute video on the life of Douglass, which is worth seeing because the house tour is mostly about Douglass' time at the house rather than his life and work. The house tour is about a half hour long and includes all of the rooms on the first and second floor. What's great is that the House is substantially unchanged both on the exterior and interior from when Douglass lived here. It also contains many of the original furnishings and personal items of Douglass including his violin and shoes and chair at the head of the dining room. This really brings the history alive in a way that houses that have been redecorated and furnished with reproductions just can't.
The house can only be viewed on a guided tour, for which you get tickets at the visitors' center.
Written 21 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monty0980
Washington DC, DC124 contributions
Jan 2018 • Solo
Went here on a Saturday morning and so glad that I did. It’s located on a hill that overlooks D.C. To understand the significance of a former slave, turned freedom fighter, owing a property like this in the 1800’s is what determination looks like. No excuses!!!!!
Written 9 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Call ahead but generally NPS sites are closed Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Written 30 March 2018
It looks like you have to get timed tickets to get in. Are they only available on line? Or will they have some available on site? It looks like they are sold out on the day I want to go.
Written 20 March 2018
You should call the park number to be sure but you should be able to go in and get tickets the day of. But it’s always best to call the individual park for the best information.
Written 21 March 2018
Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery in Maryland and rose to become a national leader of the abolitionist movement. He was an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman.
Written 28 March 2016
Rachel T
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Who created this memorial and why?
Is there a significance to this location on why the house is built here?
Written 2 June 2015
The memorial is based in the house Mr. Douglass bought when he was working in DC, so is there because of the house.
Written 3 June 2015
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