From 9 to 13 December, more than 25,000 Earth and space scientists will flock to Washington, D.C., for AGU’s Annual Meeting 2024. After jam-packed days attending talks, presenting posters, exploring the exhibit hall, loading up on swag, networking over endless coffee, and playing with puppies (for, er, science?), attendees might be wondering how to extend their science binge outside the conference center.

Luckily for them, the D.C. metro area has events to keep the science times rolling. Here are just a few places to visit in and around D.C. during AGU24.

Around the City

On 10 December, author Anna Farro Henderson will speak at Busboys and Poets on K Street about Core Samples: A Climate Scientist’s Experiments in Politics and Motherhood. On 12 December, Astronomy on Tap DC is presenting “Geology on the Rocks,” with accessible planetary geophysics talks, drinks, and prizes at the DC9 Nightclub.

The National Mall is a museum hot spot, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is the destination for Earth sciences. A collaboration with NASA led to the new Earth Information Center at NMNH, which connects sky-high views from satellite observations with on-the-ground research. The museum’s Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky exhibit one floor down demonstrates the impact of light pollution on our fading night skies.

For the more space-minded person, the National Air and Space Museum showcases innovations and pioneers in flight and space exploration. The D.C.-based museum regularly hosts stargazing, planetarium shows (for adults and kids), and solar observing. A long train ride or car trip can bring you to the museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., to roam among historic planes and space vehicles and be immersed in stories about sustainable cities, butterflies, and space exploration in its IMAX theater.

The visitor’s center at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., gives tours of the facility and hosts permanent exhibits on the Sun, solar system, and beyond, as well as a rocket garden and astrobiology walk.

And, of course, you can stop by AGU’s headquarters at 2000 Florida Avenue to tour the net zero building and explore its Earth and space science museum.

The Great Outdoors

Take some time to escape the conference center and see some of the outdoor geologic sights the city has to offer. A curated archaeology tour of D.C. buildings reveals the capital’s secret geologic history, with fossils and minerals embedded in the stones used to build some of the city’s iconic buildings. Theodore Roosevelt Island, nestled between D.C. and Arlington, Va., boasts 18 miles (29 kilometers) of accessible forest trails, interesting geologic and cultural histories, and excellent birding views. The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail winds through forest, fields, and marsh and river ecosystems, as well as historic neighborhoods and hot spots in the District and Maryland.

For those who want to travel a little farther afield, the D.C. region is nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the fall zone of the Potomac River, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The unique confluence of geologies has something for everyone. And those looking for a souvenir to take home can travel out to Maryland to hunt for fossils in Calvert Cliffs State Park or search for shark teeth in Purse State Park. Adventurers can even paddle through a tidal freshwater marsh in Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.

Start planning your science-filled trip now!

—Kimberly M. S. Cartier (@AstroKimCartier), Staff Writer

Citation: Cartier, K. M. S. (2024), Explore Washington, D.C.’s science scene, Eos, 105, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EO240540. Published on 2 December 2024.

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