2A grotesque Darth Vader grotesque on a church, a giant chair, the longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere, a faithful replica of the Holy Land for those who can't make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, ingenious fencing forged from War of 1812 musket barrels, a yet uncracked cryptographic sculpture, the world's oldest continuously operating airport, the only state embassy in the nation...

Far from the crowds and the usual clichés, Washington, DC is a reserve of well-concealed treasures only revealed to those who know how to wander off the beaten track, whether residents or visitors.