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WTOP takes a peek inside DC’s Mansion on O Street

Matt Kaufax | matt.kaufax@wtop.com

November 14, 2023, 5:29 AM

It’s Northwest D.C.’s best kept secret, with more than 100 rooms and more than 70 secret doors and passageways. In this edition of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax takes us to Dupont Circle, to explore the Mansion on O Street.

“The O,” as it’s known, is made up of five interconnected town houses, and each pocket of it tells a story.

Tracy Halliday, the mansion’s executive vice president of marketing and sales, said the mansion was transformed into the attraction you see today by founder H.H. Leonards in 1980.

“We’re a museum, we’re an events space. And we’re a hotel,” she said.

But, as Matt found out, there’s so much more than meets the eye — and so much to uncover (without a map!) — if you’re willing to seek and explore. Many of the secret passageways can be found behind mirrors, vending machines and even picture frames. It’s like being at Hogwarts!

Check out a video of his in-depth tour, where he lost his way, but found himself!

The Mansion will be going all out for the Christmas season, with special events coming soon. For more details, and to get tickets, you can visit The Mansion’s website.

If you’ve got an idea for a feature story Matt should cover, reach out via the WTOP “contact us” page to submit your idea.

You can also contact Matt directly. His contact information is listed below. 

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Matt Kaufax

If there's an off-the-beaten-path type of attraction, person, or phenomenon in the DC area that you think more people should know about, Matt is your guy. As the features reporter for WTOP, he's always on the hunt for stories that provide a unique local flavor—a slice of life if you will.

matt.kaufax@wtop.com

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