District of Punk

*For Fall 2026, this tour will be the 1st Saturday of the month at 2pm. Learn about DC's under-recognized, but impactful, punk scene. In the 1980s, the Reagan Administration was reinstating the Selective Service, hippies were turning in yuppies, and the punk scene rose as a reaction to what was received as a souless government. While punk is often associated with London, New York, and LA, there was a substantial scene in DC that had anchors in the Gallery Place neighborhood and elsewhere. On this tour you'll discover what made the DC punk culture distinct from others, the major contributors to the scene, and it's lasting impact on the local music scene today. Tour ends at the MLK Jr. Library, which holds DC's Punk Archive.

1. 1

   Stop 1

   15 min

   Former d.c. space, the first club to host the Unheard Of Music Festival

2. 2

   Stop 2

   15 min

   The former location of the Lansburgh Center, a popular venue for punk shows in the 1980s.

3. 3

   9:30 Club

   15 min

   This tour visits the former location of the first 9:30 Club, now one of DC's most iconic performance venues.

4. 4

   Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

   10 min

   The MLK Memorial Library is the location of the D.C. Punk Archive, the only collection of Punk ephemera documenting the DC scene.

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.