Cultural Tourism DC

This review is for the annual Embassy Open House aka Passport DC event they put on every spring. I’ve gone every year since I moved here and it’s one of the best events DC has to offer. I’ve never actually gotten a passport and did the stamps and check in though. I usually get a map and go to the places that interest me most. Why?
First, it’s free!
Second, typically 50 embassies open their doors to the public and give you a taste of their culture.- where they do that at?
Third– When I say taste i mean that literally and figuratively. Most embassies have food, dancing, singing, performances, ambassadors, drinks (rum, sodas, mixed drinks, coffee, teas, etc) and of course, tourism information.
Fourth– It’s FUN!
Tips:
Wear comfy shoes – While some embassies are next door to each other, some others are hike up a hill (there are shuttles but that will slow you down)
Bring Cash– After the free samplers, you may want to purchase a bigger position and its a cash only affair.
Go Early– If you want to see a lot of embassies go early because at mid day the lines get pretty long. Event is 10 – 4
Best Embassies– Australia (long but quick moving line), Nicaragua (long lines), Peru, Indonesia (long lines), Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago.
Definetly an event you want to check out next year.

I was lucky enough to be in DC during this years Passport DC event. The event was a bit chaotic, but was free so I really could not expect much. Needless to say, it did exceed my expectations.
Passport DC is when participating embassies open up their doors for visitors to see what it looks like inside and to learn about the specific country of that embassy. If you want a passport to get stamps from the embassies, you’ll have to pay $ 5. If you dont care about the passport, then the event is free.
The event starts at 10am but we arrived early at around 945am. The Cultural Tourism DC offered free shuttles to different areas where the embassies were located. The free shuttle routes were: Mass Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, and Foggy Bottom/​Georgetown shuttle. The complimentary shuttle service ended at 4pm.
A lot of the embassies we went to had VERY LONG lines. We were delayed due to crowds or security screening. Japan had the rudest embassy security. There was no explanation of the process and the «security» guard became frustrated with us. She yelled at us and then said «I can tell you have never gone through airport security before». After she said that, she threw my cell phone out of the «screening bin» and my phone fell to the ground. I’m pretty sure TSA has never done that during my airport screenings. Sounds like someone needs to learn how to be a security screener. Thankfully everyone working at the Japanese embassy was nice and the food they served was good. They gave away delicious mochi dessert.
Indonesia had the prettiest architecture on the inside. Brazil gave the best bags (canvas, not plastic) and offered delicious tasting soda. Turkey and Belize had good food (for purchase) and Zambia offered a lot of food to eat for free. Korea did not give out passport stamps but did translate English names into the Korean language. I thought that was very cool!
Overall a great experience.

I also attended this tea service at the Willard provided by Cultural Tourism DC through Living Social. It was a total scam…
As advertised, it was not provided in the Peacock Hall, but rather some cramped, rushed banquet hall. There was a limit «one scone» and the service rude and rushed…
finally, there was no historic tour of the hotel, and no organization provided by Cultural DC. One lady running it tried to BS me that the tour already started, but they were basically telling people to go to the free, public museum room near the entrance… something I didn’t have to pay $ 60/​person for!
Still fighting Living Social now to get my money back, but they’ve canceled the rest of these… total scam, will never deal with Cultural Tourism DC again.

Willard Tea through LivingSocial was extremely disappointing. My husband and I have been to various afternoon teas of all different price ranges with various costs. I was expecting more from the Willard… and more for my money.
I have all of the same qualms as the reviewer (Mariann G.) before me: false advertising about what we were paying for. I paid $ 120 + $ 20 parking for an extremely rushed tea service. The coupon advertised we’d have at least two hours tea service and then an hour tour of the Willard. Within twenty minutes, my husband and I were finished with our tea. Ten minutes after that, the curator of the hotel came in expressing how she was «running out of time» to tell us about the hotel. Where was the «tour» of the hotel?
If I had gone with the Willard’s standard tea (without going through Cultural Tourism), I would have paid $ 40 less, received more food, a more intimate seating for two, free parking, my own choice of tea, no rush, and the same access to Willard History Gallery as the public.
I was embarrassed to have hyped this day up to my husband, and I left this experience feeling ripped off.

Each year, Cultural Tourism DC puts on some of my favorite (and free!) DC events: Embassy Open Houses (Passport DC and the EU European Open Houses), WalkingTown/​BikingTown tours, and the Fiesta Asia festival on Pennsylvania Avenue (halo-​halo, yum!)
As a Dupont Circle resident, I walk by numerous embassies every day, and wonder what they’re like inside. Through Passport DC, dozens of embassies open their doors to the public on two weekends each spring. They often have free refreshments (e.g. vegemite at the Australian Embassy, coffee at the Rwandan Embassy), music and dance performances (the Trinidad and Tobago party was a joy), impressive architecture (such as the Indonesian Embassy’s grand Beaux-​arts mansion), and numerous photo opportunities.
The WalkingTown/​BikingTown Tours can be even more interesting. I’ve taken walking tours about Dupont Circle LGBT History; WMATA murals, mosaics, and sculptures; Georgetown spies; H Street NE development; U Street Jazz; and even a sailing tour of the Potomac. The tour guides are knowledgeable and great storytellers. Anthony Pitch, a historian and author, leads an emotionally moving tour about Lincoln’s Assassination. WMATA’s CEO at the time, Dan Tangherlini, personally led a behind-​the-​scenes riding tour of the Metro system (We had our own special little train!). My favorite tour of all time may be geology professor Callan Bentley’s mind-​boggling tour of DC’s Geologic Saga (around Rock Creek Park). And every single one of these tours was free!

This is a wonderful local not-​for-​profit that works with over 230 community-​based, heritage and cultural organizations to host events that educate event participants on local, national or international cultural pursuits and hertitage. I’ve volunteered with this organization on their WalkingTown DC event, that uses tour guides to explain the history of various DC neighborhoods, and their Passport to DC event. The experience working with them is beneficial for the volunteers who volunteer their time and for the locals and tourists who participate in these events. I loved volunteering to help a embassy describe their culture and heritage to residents in the spring. Not only is it a great way to service the local community, but a wonderful way to meet people who share your same interest in volunteering and improving cultural relations.