Follow in Robert Langdon's Footsteps: Washington D.C. Places from The Lost Symbol

House of the Temple, Washington, DC 20009

Built around 1915 in homage to the pre-Christian Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which was one of the ancient wonders of the world, the House of the Temple is a creepily beautiful building, guarded by 17-ton sphinxes. It serves as the headquarters for the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Southern Jurisdiction and makes an appearance in the prologue -- the book's villain goes through the highest rites of the Masons within the hundred-foot-tall Temple Room. According to Temple spokespeople, the building, and the room's, descriptions are dead on - but they don't in fact hold any rituals up in the room. The building also houses a museum and Masonic library. Test your symbolist skills by looking references to the number 33, a symbolic number for the Masons in the building’s 33 columns and 33 ceremonial chairs. Free public tours are offered Monday through Thursday from 10 am thru 4 pm.

Museum Support Center - MSC

The Museum Support Center is a 500,000 square foot facility located outside of Washington D.C., which houses laboratories and storage unites for art, artifacts, and biological specimens owned by the Smithsonian. Some of the shelves even contain specimens gathered by Charles Darwin. We won't give away the story, but some of the "residents" of the MSC are rumored to play a pivotal role in the Lost Symbol. The support center is not open to the public.

George Washington Masonic National Memorial

Housed in a temple-like building in Alexandria is a bronze statue to this founding father - and the building is coated in Freemason symbols, unsurprising given George Washington's status in the Freemasons.

Inside, you'll find artifacts from George Washington's life, including a lock of his hair and his bible.
There is also a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, built from descriptions in the Bible. Many conspiracy theorists claim that the Knights Templar, who took the ark from Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, are closely tied to the Freemasons. The memorial itself is open 7 days a week so you can check it out for yourself whenever you'd like.

U.S. Capitol Building

Some symbolists say that the entire U.S. Capitol Building is covered in Freemason imagery. It's not surprising that the huge fresco of the inner dome, which depicts George Washington ascending into the heavens and transforming into a god, at hands of Liberty & Victory, depicted in female form, became an easy target for focus in The Lost Symbol.

The fresco itself is located two stories above the intended tomb of George Washington and serves as the location of a gruesome discovery in the opening chapter of the book, opening the door to Brown's trademark mixture of history, mythology, and politics with suspense.

You can tour the exterior of the building every Monday at 10 am from March through November.

US Botanic Garden

Legend has it that travelers who stand directly in front of the palm and make a wish in good spirit will see their wish come true. The trees leaves themselves can each hold up to a liter of water. Hmm, wonder what Robert Langdon will wish for!