District of Punk

*For Summer 2026, this tour will be the 2nd Saturday of the month at 10:00 am.

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.