Washington, D.C. is often called a city of transients, newcomers, and tourists. There are countless movies, books, and television shows about people who come to Washington for different reasons. But where do ideas about the city actually come from, and how well do they represent the reality of life in the nation’s capital? How do visitors make Washington, and vice versa?

Coming to Washington is an ongoing inquiry into the expectations and experiences of visitors to Washington, D.C.—past and present. Created by historian M.J. Rymsza-Pawlowska, the Coming to Washington Project has multiple iterations and formats.