Dumbarton Oaks

Absolutely stunning. One of of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the city and a great place to go anytime of year as the foliage/​greenery varies season to season. Somehow I only go to Dumbarton when I want to impress visiting guests and then I always kick myslef for not going on a regualt basis since it would be the perfect place to sit and read. While the estate is usually busy, it manages to be secluded and peaceful at the same time with its elaborate layout.
Cons: limited hours (opens at 2 in peak season, closed Mondays), hard to get to on public transportation
Pros: student and senior discounts, decent on-​street parking, close to lots of beautiful houses, a city park and cemetery if you want to make a day of walking and taking everything in (you should!)

Gorgeous gardens nestled in upper Georgetown. Well worth it for a walk and conversation when the weather is nice. Don’t worry if there is a line to get in. It moves pretty quickly.

This was my first visit to Dumbarton Oaks and I will absolutely be back. It is beautiful!
The DO estate is one of those Georgetown gems that I just don’t expect. It’s off the beaten path but definitely within walking distance of the main M street drag. There is a $ 10 entrance fee for the garden for 8 or so months of the year but the visit is well worth the cost.
The gardens feature reflecting pools, a rose garden, and ambling paths that look like they go on forever. It is serene, peaceful a zen experience for sure. Every possible seasonal flower is represented and they even have a Japanese Garden. The grounds are beautiful and there are benches galore or plop down a blanket to enjoy the scenery.
The back mansion lawn just screams Victorian white costumes and croquet. Mansion tours are also available but I was so overwhelmed by the gardens that it will have to wait for my second trip.
Highly recommend DO as a great place in the city to reconnect with nature and disconnect from the modern world.

Do not stand in line if you cannot get tickets before 4:00pm
I cannot review this place for what it is (past the ticketed entry), but what happened to us was truly a result of incapable /​unprofessional staff.
There was a long line (~50 people) to get the tickets, and it was taking for ever for the line to move. ~4:15 pm I went ahead and asked one of the employees about how long does it take to checkout the gardens and was informed that the closing time is 6:00pm. Assuming that an hr is enough, we stood in line for nearly 45 mins, and when were close to get our tickets (another 10 people in front of us), the staff informed us that they are stopping the sale of tickets.
I hope to see this garden some time soon, but I’ll let this 1 star review as is, if they don’t fix their management of ticket sales.
Note: The line for tickets moves excruciatingly slow (not sure why). Be prepared for a long wait if you see a line with 20+ people.

Neat museum and lovely garden/​grounds.
Very peaceful for a mild afternoon in late February.

Dumbarton Oaks was the Georgetown estate of Robert Woods and Mildred Barnes Bliss. Donated by them to Harvard University which operates a major academic center for students and visiting scholars in the museum which is also open free to the public and features a collection particularly known for its holdings of Byzantine and Meso-​American works, the later housed in galleries designed by architect Philip Johnson. Adjacent are several landscaped acres of gardens to which admission is charged. The museum is accessible, but much of the garden is on a steeply sloped lot that includes steps and can be difficult to navigate. The museum includes a gift shop and small special exhibition space. Public events are held both onsite and at the nearby building in which visiting fellows are housed.

A wonderful gem in Georgetown! I LOVE this garden. This place is magically in design and selection of the wonderful romantic pockets all throughout the property. Definitely worth a visit.

We went to the gardens and the museum, we did not go into the residence itself– that option is a tour only option and there are no tours in August.
Museum: free and incredible. The Byzantine galleries were especially well curated and the items were incredibly well preserved– like 100% pristine condition. Also, they have a painting by Goya, which was neat.
Gardens: these cost 10 bucks a ticket and honestly I don’t think I would recommend them. They were enormous, especially for being in the city, but I do not think they were particularly well kept and there was no map given or really information about anything available. I would recommend visiting the museum only.

I LOVE this garden. Let me say it again, I love this garden. I’ve visited in the fall and now in the summer and there’s something new to see, hear, and smell each time you go.
Dumbarton Oaks can be a little challenging to get to as it’s nestled in Georgetown, but they do not have parking for visitors. I’ve done it on mass trans every time I’ve been and it’s been fairly painless to reach by Metro bus.
Student/​child entry fee is $ 5, $ 8 for seniors and $ 10 for adults. Forget the cupcakes, this is the best money you will spend in Georgetown! Once you walk up the gravel drive, the hustle and bustle of the city fades away.
Get lost in here! There are benches and seating tucked throughout the grounds. Perfect for writing, meditating, or just enjoying the moment. The rose garden, kitchen garden, and cutting garden are my favorites. So beautiful! I’ve dreamed of swimming in the luxurious pool, but alas, it’s not open to the public.
Set aside some time and seek out the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks. If you have an interest, go around the corner and see the museum and gift shop as well while you are on property. You’ll leave feeling calmer and more at one with nature.

Truly a DC hidden gem. I have lived here all my life and didn’t go until yesterday. There are so many gardens within the upper gardens. It’s a nice little exercise too walking up and down the hills. After we walked all of the gardens (it takes a bit of time but so relaxing and enjoyable) we went down to the lower gardens which are open to the public. I can’t wait to go back to the gardens and bring some friends. It feels like you are in the country but in the middle of the city. I had no trouble finding parking. You can park on the street and also access Rock Creek Park trails

Gorgeous garden near the downtown Georgetown area. Definitely worth a visit. This is rated the #6 top garden in the world.
Cons: Beware, there were flies and mosquitoes everywhere. The line to get in was pretty long (15 min wait) and we were in the blazing sun with no shade while waiting.

I don’t say this much often when it comes to locations in the greater Washington DC area but Dumbarton Oaks is an exception; its truly a photographer’s dream come true!
It is both a museum and gardens so the parking situation can get a little confusing. I have not been to the museum so this review is for the garden only. The garden is pretty expansive and spread over several hills. Stairs lead down to different sections and every section is pretty, especially in the Spring time. I have had the privilege of shooting here at several occasions and I wish they would lift the restriction to not do client photography here because this would be a perfect place to do a save-​the-​date or whimsical engagement shoot.
Come here with your girlfriends or bring your babe. You would burn some calories going up and down the stairs and also get to admire one of DC’s somewhat hidden gems.

Despite what you see online, THEY DON’T ALLOW PHOTO SHOOTS. Don’t waste your money here.
Incredibly rude employees. We came for our engagement photos but were promptly turned around by an unfriendly guard and a very grouchy ticket lady. «You’re not allowed to take wedding-​related photos here!» We called Dumbarton Oaks to talk about a spring photo shoot, we saw dozens of engagement photo shoots online, we visited the website loads of time, this very Unilocal page has several reviews mentioning engagement and wedding photo shoots, and the sign at the ticket office does not say anything about photo shoots.
We were polite and pointed out the discrepancies (even the folks in line after us were clearly doing a photo shoot — they had their cameras buried in a bag). But the ticket lady raised her voice, came out of her booth, said we were lying about what we saw online and heard on the phone, etc.
Afterwards, we looked at the website for the rule. Is it on the «Planning your visit» page? No. It’s only stated at the VERY BOTTOM of the FAQ page which doesn’t even have a prominent link on the website. We didn’t have any questions, why would we look there!
But in the end we are thankful. She saved us lots of money and we got a MUCH MUCH better photo shoot elsewhere.
Good riddance.

**NOTE** Dumbarton Oaks has both a museum and the gardens. The museum is open all year from 11:30 — 5:30 and is free. The gardens have two seasons — regular (mid-​March through October) and winter (November through early March). During the regular season, they are open from 2−6pm and admission is $ 8 (CASH ONLY last I went). During the winter season, they are open from 2−5pm and admission is free.
Dumbarton Oaks is a lover’s paradise. You can get lost in the gardens and have a moment of privacy, lay on the hills and look at the cherry blossoms, and explore the balcony levels to see the property from a number of different views. Think Frances Hodgson Burnett’s «The Secret Garden.» Just as breathtaking as you’d imagine, but with a happier storyline (hint: it’s whatever you want it to be).
When my friend and I visited in May, we witnessed the most beautiful engagement from across the gardens. If you looking to share a romantic moment with that special someone, I can think of no better place.
**BONUS** If you know someone who is employed here, apparently you can swim in the colonial revival style pool, surrounded by weeping cherry trees, stone walls and old wooden doors leading to the loggia.

Winter admission is free because most of the plants are dead. Regardless, the garden is beautiful. The fact that it remains beautiful despite all the dead foliage says a lot about this place.
I saw several couples with a photographer in tow for picture sessions. Totally understandable-​the place is gorgeous.
A previous Unilocaler mentioned that this place reminded her of the book The Secret Garden. I couldn’t have described it better. This place is magical. For reals. I know this sounds super lame but tis true. If I were a filmmaker, I would film a romantic movie scene here. I’d play the female lead. I would trip and fall but a handsome stranger, played by Michael Fassbender, would help me up. We fall in love. The film would take a surprising turn becoming a sci-​fi movie about alien super-​beings that want to destroy earth. Fassbender and I would save the world before retiring to a love-​cottage on the Irish coast.
Wait what was I talking about? Oh yeah, Unilocal review.
Skip the lines at Georgetown Cupcake and come here instead.

This place was amazing. The house itself was adorable, but the gardens were stunning. It is like Versailles, if the gardens there were small scale and painterly. I lost my iPhone there and someone returned it to security. It was a really nice crowd that was obviously interested in history and beauty.

Let’s analyze this amazing garden! More like talk about each petal of every flower. That may seem impossible however it’s possible for you to see it for yourself when your in DC. Seems like a secret garden since many people do not visit here on their dc trips or even know this place exists 2 miles away from Georgetown.
My friend Shazia and I always try to go to somewhere new whenever I visit DC. I’m glad we went here. It was a nature lover’s dream. There were pretty plants, flowers, water fountains etc in every corner. We walked for 30 – 40 minutes and enjoyed every moment of it. Took a ton of pictures. We didn’t get a chance to go inside the house but the garden itself is worth a trip.
Some areas are steep so wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Enjoy the atmosphere, it’s perfect for walking and loving natural beauty.~

What a great estate!
1. Gardens don’t open until 2pm (at least on Sundays, but I think that’s the same on weekdays. check website).
2. The museum is free.
3. The house is only open on Saturday afternoons.
4. $ 8 for the garden… but Tudor Place has got a great garden too, close by, and great for romantic walks, picnics, too… and it’s free and less busy. I love them both.

Yay!
I am in love with this place. I was in DC for fun with a friend and we’d planned our trip to coincide with the cherry blossoms’ full bloom. The blossoms were out but the day before our trip, a torrential downpour wiped away most of the blossoms near the tidal basin. Luckily for us, my friend’s sister (who lives in DC) recommended Dumbarton Oaks. We got our fill of flowers while we were there so we didn’t miss the cherry blossoms (too much).
The regular admission is $ 8 to visit the gardens ($ 5 for students, seniors, and kids) and it’s worth every penny. It felt like Alice in Wonderland or like Mary Kate A. said, it felt like The Secret Garden. The garden is humongous with winding paths all over the place. We tucked away our map and did some exploring on our own and ended up discovering cute little areas all over. It was gorgeous. There are little fountains, a pool, alcoves, terraces, balconies, tulips, daffodils, dogwood, cherry blossoms, roses, forsythias, and more.
We skipped the museum so I can’t say much about that, but considering how awesome the garden is, I bet the museum is great too.
The only downside is that the park is only open from 2 to 5, which is a small window for visiting and the reason why I’m only giving this place 4 stars instead of the full-​fledged five. However, there’s a ton of maintenance that goes into keeping the grounds looking lovely (including gardeners who lie on their stomachs to weed by hand) so maybe I should be more forgiving.
Anyway, this is a must-​see if you’re ever in the DC area, especially in spring time when the blooms are full.

Have you ever seen the movie The Secret Garden — one of my classic childhood favorites — circa 1995? I felt like I was in that movie, and I always wanted to be that little girl getting lost in the garden. With Dumbarton Oaks, that is exactly what I did. I escaped from everything. I got lost in the terrain of its beauty.
Dumbarton Oaks is acre upon acre that descends down a huge hill with tons of walking paths, steps, different gardens; one in particular full of roses that I want to see in full bloom come this spring. They even had a compost pile explaining in detail what they were composting.
They have many fountains throughout the grounds, and a few ground and wall mosaics. All lovely and worth the time taking a photo of. In particular, I was quite fond of the pool area. It was closed, but seeing the fountains still running within them make the area very tranquil. The pool is huge. People can swim in it during the summer as I saw signs posted, but I am not sure if maybe a membership with Dumbarton Oaks is required? I will certainly look into it when the time comes.
I enjoyed the solitude of the gardens. It was Tuesday late afternoon and the weather was chilly. Not the most ideal time to visit for most. I felt at peace and enjoyed the serenity that the gardens have to offer. I figured I would utilize the time I had there in the gardens instead of the museum since it was such a lovely day.
The museum itself is a sight to see and should have plenty of time to go through it just in itself. It offers an insight on historical artifacts on Pre-​Columbian America and Byzantine pieces.
One a random thought — the gardens, unfortunately, cannot be used for weddings. If and when that time comes for me, I would totally have my wedding here. Too bad that is not an option. It would make for a lovely backdrop for wedding photos though. Dumbarton House on the other hand does offer event space for such occasions.
The Dumbarton House is open to the public with different hours. My understanding is since it is off season right now, the gardens are on limited hours, but offer longer hours during peak season starting in March through October. The house during peak season is open on the weekends only. Also, during peak season there is an admission fee. Hours of the museum itseld are the same as those of the gardens –Tuesday through Sunday 2pm — 5pm. Both of which are free to the public during the off season.
There is a ton of history behind Dumbarton Oaks. It is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by more Washingtonians as it is not your typical tourist spot. I encourage anyone who is looking for an escape from the city in the city — this would be the spot to wander to.

This is a really nice place. Drove here and found street parking as it is difficult to get here by bus or metro. Was surprised that there were a lot of people checking this place out. There was a crowd of people waiting to get in when it opened and lines for the restroom.
The inside is a museum with lots of different artifacts. It wasn’t too interesting to me, but I can see how other people can find it interesting.
The highlight is the outside garden space. Spent most of the time here, walking around and taking pictures. It’s very pretty. The grounds are huge, so you can spend a long time walking around checking everything out. There were a lot of pretty flowers and fountains. We came during the beginning of fall, so you can see the fall leaves.
Perfect place to see the changing of the seasons.

That’s right, folks. You’ve stumbled into Francis Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, or what could very well be the immortal, hidden garden of Misselthwaite Manor.
Dumbarton Oaks is indescribably beautiful and magical. There’s really nothing quite like it in this area. The closest I can think of is Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Carolina… but Dumbarton Oaks seems like some sort of enchantment could happen in one of its green areas at dusk.
Maybe it’s the classical fountains. Or perhaps it’s the array of watercolor-​hued flowers. It could also be the labyrinthine pathways that would make it easy for a sprite or fairy to pop out at you…
I let my imagination run amok, as you can see, but come see this sanctuary in the middle of already charming Georgetown, and you’ll understand.
It’s an expansive respite filled with greenery of all kinds as well as detailed architectural accents. Dumbarton is really a collection of smaller gardens, connected by stone steps, or easily reached by crossing gorgeously landscaped lawns.
We took advantage of Museum Day on Saturday, which allowed us entry without paying the usual eight-​dollar admission fee. (Visitors would still need to obtain tickets for the garden. You can show print tickets or pull the tickets up on your phone.)
Based on the transporting experience of yesterday afternoon, I would definitely not mind coming here on another splendid afternoon and to pay the eight bucks to see Dumbarton again.

Museum: Free and excellent. Substantial collections of historical artifacts; emphasis on pre-​Columbian America, but with rotating collections. They have a lot of security people, which might make one feel safer or more nervous depending on one’s disposition. There’s also a good-​sized gift shop.
Gardens: Free in the off-​season (November-​March), fairly costly admission in season (8 $ a person with various discounts and a yearly membership). Their hours are pretty limited; check website before coming. During the off-​season, there wasn’t all that much to see. In season, they’ve got quite a large space, walled off and quiet, with a huge variety of aesthetically pleasing greenery and architecture.
Park: Dumbarton Oaks Park is administered separately and is free. It’s a stretch of land around a little creek that feeds into Rock Creek. There are a number of stone fixtures built into and around the creek, and it’s a very nice way of getting between Rock Creek and Gergetown/​Glover Park.
I think the museum is more worthwhile than the gardens, but both are worth a visit. They don’t have any parking so you’ll have to look on the street or find another way; this area is not very close to most public transit options.

Romantic sunken gardens? Large swimming pools from the early 20^th century? Vine-​wrapped fountains? Roses blooming in the splendor of the sun? And a museum which houses the birthplace of the United Nations? Dumbarton Oaks has it all.
I visited Dumbarton Oaks on a warm late spring day and fell in love with the place. It’s not a lavish mansion, but it’s a place that pays homage to nature and its simple beauties — roses, pools of water, lilies. It’s simple and romantic. It feels like you are stepping into a fairytale. It’s full of magic and enchantment.
Dumbarton Oaks is located just a couple miles away from Georgetown’s main street (M street). It’s a bit of an uphill walk, so be aware of that. But it’s a lovely walk to the garden and museum, nevertheless, as you walk by beautiful Georgetown homes.
I’m just sad that I didn’t visit this place sooner. I will certainly visit again!

Dumbarton Oaks, how I love thee! This time of year you are remarkable. I bring everyone here to experience thy loveliness! You are the most *magical* place in D.C.

Ein Traum von einem Park! im Sommer wenn nach einem Regenschauer leichter Nebel über der Anlage liegt, kann man die völlige Ruhe genießen.
Der Park ist in mehreren ebenen angelegt und bietet jede menge Ecken für Entdeckungen. Ein echter Geheimtipp.