Hidden Histories of Washington, D.C.

Even the nation's historical heart has its secrets. Uncover why bathtubs were built in the Capitol basement, which oddities are archived in the Library of Congress, and how a museum is preserving the soundtrack of D.C.'s streets.

This city is one of five iconic stops in Hidden Histories, a collection of episodes uncovering the best-kept secrets of each destination. Find our recommended episodes on Washington, D.C. below, and explore our Washington, D.C. guide on Apple Maps by searching for "Apple Podcasts."

  1. The Bathtubs or the Boiler Room

    02/26/2012

    The Bathtubs or the Boiler Room

    Tucked away in a basement mechanical room are two surviving marble bathtubs from a much more elaborate era of congressional life. Installed around 1860, the tubs were carved from Carrara marble in Italy and once belonged to a bathing room built for senators at a time when indoor plumbing was still uncommon. Today, surrounded by HVAC equipment, servers, and painted-over tile, the old baths feel almost absurdly out of place. But the bathtubs of the (2:28) United States Capitol are also a strange reminder of how ideas about government, luxury, preservation, and public space have changed over time. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  2. The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part One: The Remains of the James

    07/30/2024

    The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part One: The Remains of the James

    The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex -- but how did it get here? Join Ben, Noel and Max as they welcome Lizzie Peabody, host of Sidedoor, the Smithsonian Institution's own official podcast, to learn the stunning origin story of their favorite museums. In part one of this special two-part episode, we meet a young man named James Smithson. (01:07) Smithsonian Institution / Renwick Gallery   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. The Vietnam Memorial Controversy (1982)

    11/12/2020

    The Vietnam Memorial Controversy (1982)

    It’s November 12th. On this day in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened in Washington, DC. Jody and Niki discuss the controversy over the memorial’s design, the additions over the years, and how we memorialize forever wars. Check out the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Apple Maps. Find a transcript of this episode at: https://tinyurl.com/esoterichistory This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Our website is thisdaypod.com Follow us on social @thisdaypod Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

  4. The Truman Reconstruction (Entry 1343.LK1428)

    07/19/2018

    The Truman Reconstruction (Entry 1343.LK1428)

    In which a piano starts to fall right through the floor of a second-story dining room, and as a result, the White House gets a balcony, a bunker, and a bowling alley. Certificate #47967. (02:15) The White House

  5. The Known Unknown

    03/06/2019

    The Known Unknown

    The tradition of the Tomb of the Unknowns goes back only about a century, but (5:11) the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has become one of the most solemn and reverential monuments in the country. When President Reagan added the remains of an unknown serviceman who died in combat in Vietnam to the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in 1984, it was the only set of remains that couldn’t be identified from the war. Now, thankfully, there will likely never again be a soldier who dies in battle whose body can’t be identified. And as a result of DNA technology, even the unknowns currently interred in the tomb can be positively identified. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  6. This Beat Is the Real Heart of D.C.

    07/29/2025 ·  Bonus

    This Beat Is the Real Heart of D.C.

    Welcome to Unpacked, America 250, a mini series celebrating the music, art, food, and more that makes America, America—in honor of our nation's upcoming 250th anniversary. The mini series is part of Afar's "⁠52 Places to Travel in the U.S. This Year"⁠ package, and in this second episode, host Aislyn Greene takes us to Washington, D.C. to explore go-go music—the uniquely American sound that's been moving communities for fifty years. From Chuck Brown's groundbreaking fusion of funk, hip-hop, and Latin rhythms in the 1970s to today's global collaborations, this episode shares how a local D.C. music scene survived criminalization, gentrification, and decades of attacks to become the official music of the nation's capital. On this episode you'll learn: How Chuck Brown created Go-Go by blending funk, hip-hop, and Latin rhythms into something entirely new Why Go-Go is "one of the only Black popular music forms that have not been colonized" The role of D.C.'s "Chocolate City" era and summer job programs in nurturing neighborhood bands How the 1987 curfew laws criminalized Go-Go and forced an entire generation underground What the "Don't Mute DC" movement achieved and how it changed everything Featured Guest: Dr. Natalie Hopkinson, chief curator of the Go-Go Museum and Café, associate professor at American University, and author of multiple books on go-go culture Chapters 00:00:00 Meet Dr. Go-Go 00:00:32 Meet the ⁠Go Go Museum & Cafe⁠ 00:02:00 Chocolate City's Musical Roots 00:04:00 Don't Mute DC's Fight 00:06:00 Inside The New Museum 00:08:00 The Beat Goes Global Songs featured in this episode Chuck Brown: "Bustin' Loose" Parliament: "Chocolate City"Nelly: "Hot In Herre" Black Alley: "Noochie’s Live From The Front Porch" Michelle Blackwell: "Enjoy Myself" CCB: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" Chuck Brown: "Chuck Baby" Musicians featured in this episode Chuck Brown Black Alley Michelle Blackwell The Experience Band & Show Rare Essence Backyard Band CCB (Critical Condition Band) Pock3t Or kick things off with this go-go playlist. And read the transcript. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Garden Week: A Floating National Park

    Apr 22

    Garden Week: A Floating National Park

    Today we visit a hidden gem of Washington, D.C.: the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, an oasis of ponds filled with lotuses and waterlilies. This unusual National Park – the only aquatic gardens that are a National Park – were first dug in the 1800s by a Civil War veteran.  This week, we’re celebrating the arrival of spring with new and classic stories about unusual gardens around the world.  This episode is brought to you in partnership with washington.org. (02:08) Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  8. The Library of Congress is Full of Super Weird Stuff

    06/01/2023

    The Library of Congress is Full of Super Weird Stuff

    Since 1800, the Library of Congress has functioned as the national library of the United States. Don't let the name fool you -- this institution isn't just a bunch of dusty old tomes and long-forgotten letters from politicians. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of the weirdest things in the joint, from ancient cuneiform to human hair and, honestly, some stuff so lewd that we decided not to put it in the description. (03:58) Library of Congress See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  9. The Capitol Columns

    05/06/2011

    The Capitol Columns

    For more than a century, 24 massive sandstone columns stood along the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol, framing presidential inaugurations and helping define the building’s grand public face. When the Capitol was expanded in the 1950s, the columns were removed and left in storage along the Potomac, where they slowly deteriorated. After years of preservation efforts and bureaucratic wrangling, 22 of them were eventually installed at the U.S. National Arboretum, where the (0:28) National Capitol Columns now stand alone on a grassy hill, looking almost like the ruins of an ancient civilization. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.