Ticket Hall

Beyond the Closet Walking Tour

5.07 reviewsThe White House

  • 2h 30m
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • Guided in English
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

Today Washington DC is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly jurisdictions in the country with gay-friendly laws, an inclusive school curriculum, anti-discrimination protections, and marriage equality. But from the 1940s-1970s, this city was ground zero for actively uncovering closeted gay federal government employees and firing them without justification. On this walking tour, you’ll see Washington DC’s iconic government buildings through the eyes of the committed government servants who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation. You’ll see the sites where the brave few chose to fight back and demand their civil rights. And you’ll see where they built their own communities and paved the way for today’s more inclusive city. Our country chose fear over competence and denied the service of hundreds of eminently qualified researchers, diplomats, and leaders. But in the end, learn how this discrimination caused the LGBTQ community to organize, to unite, and to emerge from the closet. ​

Inclusions

What's included

  • Guided walking tour only

What's not

  • Customers should bring own water for consumption during tour
  • No food provided to guests during tour. Customers should bring food if needed for health purposes.

Itinerary

  1. Learn the experience of LGBTQ persecution during the 1940s-1960s and see the sight of the first protest in the US for LGBTQ a rights.

    15 min

  2. Learn of the first openly gay woman who served in a presidential administration.

    10 min

  3. Learn about the first gay bookstore in Washington DC and its community influence including starting the Capital Pride parade

    15 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

5.0

  • 57
  • 40
  • 30
  • 20
  • 10

Ratings come from 7 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Meeting point
Meet at southeast corner of Farragut Square directly across I Street from Tatte Bakery and Cafe..
Pickup
Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group size
Up to 15 travellers
Operated by
Beyond The Landmarks
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How it compares in Washington DC

  • Its from-price is 70% below the median of the 767 experiences we list in Washington DC.
  • Its length is typical for the group.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 299 of 767.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Washington DC

Washington, DC is the US capital, a planned city on the Potomac, with a National Mall of monuments and museums and cherry trees in spring.

Washington was planned as a capital in the 1790s, with broad avenues radiating from the Capitol. The National Mall stretches from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, past the Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool. Memorials to Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr stand around the Tidal Basin, where cherry trees bloom in late March or early April. The White House stands just north of the Mall.

Top-ranked sights in Washington DC: The White House, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial.

See all 767 experiences in Washington DC

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

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