National Theatre
National Theatre is a public theatre in downtown Washington, D.C., just east of the White House. Its origins go back to 1835. Add White House, 0.3 mi away, to a visit.
A theatre inside Washington
You can stay in Washington
National Theatre is inside Washington, which has 247 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 36 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Established in 1835
National Theatre dates from 1835. About ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 67–80°. When to go ↓
An airport 3 miles away
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) has airline service, about 3 miles from National Theatre.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Warm months and cold ones
Here is how the weather at National Theatre changes month by month.
National Theatre
National Theatre is a public theatre in downtown Washington, D.C., just east of the White House. The theatre functions as a venue for live stage productions and has a seating capacity of 1,676. Despite its name, it is not a government-funded national theatre, and instead operates as a private, non-profit organization.
Founded in 1835, National Theatre is the second-oldest continuously operating theater company in the United States after Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, which was founded in 1808. The original theatre was destroyed by fire in 1873. It was quickly rebuilt, but this second structure was destroyed in a second fire in 1885. A third structure opened as the New National Theatre in 1885 and operated under this name into the 1920s. In 1922 a major renovation and expansion was undertaken of that theatre which remains the current theatre.
- Type
- Theatre
- Established
- 1835
- Wikipedia readers
- 11K a year
Where to sleep near National Theatre
The nearest towns with places to stay are Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3United States Triumphal Arch
- 4Smithsonian Institution
- 5Arlington National Cemetery
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Ford's Theatre
- 8National Mall
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From National Theatre | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | in town | — | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 4 mi west | 5 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Alexandria | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Bethesda | 8 mi northwest | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Tysons | 11 mi west | 15 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| College Park | 9 mi northeast | 15 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| National Harbor | 8 mi south | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| Lake Arbor | 11 mi east | 15 min | 13 13 hotels | 14,335 | $461K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near National Theatre
Within 3 miles you can add these well-known places.
Big draw1in town National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw2in town National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw32 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw4in town MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw52 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw6in town National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw7in town National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a year
Big draw8in town National park siteNational MallPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mall: Raul654 at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Michael Shields at e, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting National Theatre
Is National Theatre in Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Washington, DC.
When is the best time to visit National Theatre?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 67–80°.
How far is National Theatre from Baltimore?
About 36 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to National Theatre?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 3 miles away.
Where should I stay near National Theatre?
Washington (in town, 247 places to stay), Arlington (4 mi, 58 places to stay) and Alexandria (6 mi, 44 places to stay).
What locals in Washington say
People in Washington have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.