What to see near The Darcy

Just a few blocks from The Darcy, Meridian Hill Park rewards anyone willing to walk uphill into Columbia Heights. The cascading fountain there, thirteen basins descending in a long formal stair, fills the air with sound before you even see it. Sit at the top and watch the water find its way down, or wander the lower esplanade where the geometry of the Italianate design gives way to open lawn and neighborhood life. It feels less like a monument and more like a secret the city keeps for people who live here. If you want something grander, the Kogod Courtyard at the American Art Museum is only a short walk toward the Mall, its undulating glass roof turning ordinary daylight into something architectural and strange.