Dumbarton Oaks

Dumbarton Oaks is a research center in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., bringing together a specialist library, museum galleries, and gardens under one roof. The site also holds archives with correspondence, photographs, and drawings related to garden planning and landscape design.

The institution was founded in 1940 from a private collection and grew into an international center for Byzantine studies and Pre-Columbian art. The same building hosted the first conversations in 1944 that later led to the creation of the United Nations.

The name derives from a Scottish rock quarry that once operated in the area. Visitors today can walk through the formal garden, where terraces and fountains follow French and Italian models.

Researchers can use the library on weekdays and weekends, though checking in advance whether registration is required is advisable. The gardens open to the public at set times and offer pathways that remain walkable even in wet weather.

The gardens were laid out by landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, who recorded her plans in a dedicated publication. Some plant species in the upper garden date back to the original planting in the 1920s.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1940

Website: https://doaks.org

GPS coordinates: 38.91417,-77.06333

Latest update: December 13, 2025 05:35