Photo by Adam Fagen.
Last week, DCist was treated to a preview of the National Building Museum’s annual ghost tour, which runs through the end of October. The bottom line: It was awesome. Below we expand on that idea in six points.
The National Building Museum Is Even Creepier At Night Than You Imagined
While the National Building Museum’s ghost tour is informative and entertaining, it can get a bit hammy at times. The guide’s commitment to the “ghost” part of the narrative is admirable, but also a bit distracting from the true gem of the tour: How creepy the building is at night. With the rooftop windows allowing the moonlight to flood in and cast a ghastly shadow on everything, your pulse is bound to beat a little bit fast just from the sheer atmosphere. Touring through the twisty, dimly lit corridors of the museum, I found myself—against my better judgement—absolutely more anxious and on edge than I should ever be for a “historical ghost tour” in a national museum. — Matt Cohen
All of The People Involved Give It 110 Percent
Nothing is worse on a ghost tour than a languid tour guide who seems like they’d literally be rather be anywhere else than giving a ghost tour. That is not the case with the National Building Museum’s ghost tour. Our guide, Cathy, exhibited full commitment and enthusiasm during the tour, even when things got downright silly. With an enthusiastic, committed guide who knows their shit, even the most jaded tourists can’t help but play along, because otherwise, why even bother coming? — Matt Cohen
You Get To Interact With A Ghost
As opposed to other museum tours, where you’re asked to keep your hands and questions to yourself, this tour requires participation. At the beginning of the tour, you’ll either be given a lantern or a flashlight. These will come in to play as your travel through the building. At one point, our own Matt Cohen was recruited into leading the group because he’s a “big, tall man.” — Sarah Anne Hughes
It’s Not That Scary
If you avoid ghost tours because you scare easily, this is a nice option. That’s not to say the ghost doesn’t paint a spooky tale with her words; it’s just that no one with a chain saw covered in blood jumps out from behind a curtain, or something like that. This DCist editor will, however, admit to yelling a profanity at one point when she was startled by a specter. — Sarah Anne Hughes
You’ll Learn Things!
Of course, the focal point of this ghost tour is historical, given that it is at, you know, a museum. From the minute you walk in, there’s spooky facts and anecdotes about D.C.’s history plastered around the entrance. During the tour, you’ll learn interesting tidbits and urban legends about the museum—like how there are shoes buried beneath the floorboards to ward off bad spirits—that make it well worth your time and money. Even if you don’t buy into the actual “ghost” tour of the narrative, the history part is aces. — Matt Cohen
That Press Release
The National Building Museum announced the ghost tour in what may be the most excellent press release ever written. Don’t you want to reward them for that? — Sarah Anne Hughes
The National Building Museum’s ghost tour began last night and will run five more times in October.
October 13, 9:15 pm
October 20, 8 pm and 9:15 pm
October 31, 8 pm and 9:15 pm
