Pirates, hidden history and spirits from beyond the grave are all converging in Old Town Alexandria this summer.

In Tuesday鈥檚 episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax heads to Alexandria, Virginia, for a new kind of tour, featuring 100% real stories of little-known swashbuckling history in one of the D.C. area’s most picturesque historic cities.

From a 100-year pirate war over oysters, to gunfights on King Street, to an insane Alexandria connection to one of history鈥檚 most notorious scalawags (Blackbeard himself!), there’s something on this tour for everyone.

Especially in a city like Alexandria, where 250 years of America were just celebrated, the stories these shores hold will delight, startle and maybe even have you looking over your shoulder on the way home.

To book tickets and learn more about the new pirate ghost tour from Alexandria Colonial Tours, .

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A brand-new Library of Congress exhibit gives you a look at the literal first draft of history ahead of America鈥檚 250th birthday!

It’s called 鈥淭he Declaration鈥檚 Promise: A Revolutionary Idea,鈥� and 小萝莉影视 is diving deep into the incredibly rare historical display in Thursday’s episode of “Matt About Town!”

Featuring 121 artifacts, the exhibit aims to take a look at how the nation’s founding document is a piece of history that Americans keep coming back to 鈥� and keep striving to uphold.

The flagship item is Thomas Jefferson’s original first draft of the Declaration of Independence, with edits from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin written in the margins. The document is one of several remarkably preserved pieces.

From a handwritten copy of Abraham Lincoln’s original “Gettysburg Address,” Jefferson鈥檚 copy of Thomas Paine鈥檚 鈥淐ommon Sense,” Frederick Douglass鈥� stirring speech on 鈥淭he Meaning of July Fourth,” a 1690 edition of John Locke鈥檚 鈥淭wo Treatises of Government,” and even the first ever newspaper printings of the Declaration in the 13 colonies 鈥� there’s no shortage of items that will give you goosebumps to witness in person.

Beyond the incredibly cool pieces displayed though, there’s a deeper message: one of freedom, equality and democracy.

鈥淭he Declaration鈥檚 Promise: A Revolutionary Idea” runs for an entire year starting Friday. Learn more about the exhibit on .

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Follow 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax as he explores hidden gems, local landmarks and unique stories across the D.C. area every week. New episodes of 小萝莉影视鈥檚聽鈥淢att About Town鈥�聽segment are released each Tuesday and Thursday.

It’s a story of love, American icons and the birds and the bees 鈥� quite literally 鈥� and is one of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s best kept secrets!

Tuesday’s episode of “Matt About Town” focuses on the incredible tale of George Washington 鈥� just in time for America 250.

No, we’re not referring to America’s first president.

Rather, a Ross’s goose who shares his name.

George the Goose currently resides in the zoo’s bird habitat 鈥� and he’s something of a cross-species Casanova.

From an early age, George’s taste in companions was atypical of his species. He’s had four older wives in his six years on Earth, and three of them have been turkeys!

His current wife, 8-year-old standard bronze turkey Felicity, and George have been voted the zoo’s cutest couple by staff for two years running. And after spending an afternoon filming them, it’s easy to see why.

It’s a story that could only unfold at a place like the National Zoo 鈥� one you’ll probably never see anywhere else.

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They鈥檙e two of the National Zoo鈥檚 newest fur babies. In Thursday’s episode of “Matt About Town,” 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax got a sneak peek to say hello to them before anybody else.

You can check out and meet two of the more unique creatures now on display at the zoo: the sloth bear cubs.

If you haven’t heard of a sloth bear before today, join the club. But 6-month-old twins Ozzy and Champa (along with mom Molly) will quickly melt your heart with their playfulness and elite eating abilities.

Considered a “vulnerable” species, sloth bears have a very high birth mortality rate. But these two babies (and mom) have made it through a closely monitored growing period.

The zoo said they hope to keep this family thriving for decades to come. In the next week or so, you could be among the first to see their first steps outside.

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In Tuesday’s episode of “Matt About Town,” 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax (and D.C. explorer and friend of the show Austin Graff) visited the Albert Einstein Memorial, a massive 7-ton bronze sculpture overlooking Constitution Avenue, just down the block from the Lincoln Memorial.

If you didn’t know about the Einstein statue, you might also be unfamiliar with the building it sits in front of 鈥� the National Academy of Sciences. The statue was placed there for a reason.

Established in the 1860s during the Civil War, the National Academy of Sciences is one of the nation’s oldest scientific institutions.

In Tuesday’s episode, Kaufax explores what makes it a hidden gem in the nation’s capital 鈥� and how the Einstein’s statue and the building connect.

The National Academy of Sciences offers tours by appointment only. .

Austin Graff’s book, “111 Places for Kids in Washington That You Must Not Miss,” is available .

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Imagine being able to reach out and touch the stars without ever lifting off from the ground.

A new immersive, 3D virtual reality experience from the Smithsonian offers guests a window into the cosmos 鈥� the first of its kind in D.C.

In Thursday’s episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax gets 鈥淪tarstruck!”

The 5,000-square-foot Penn Quarter attraction is a collaboration between events company Fever and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. It was built from actual scientific data, with designers consulting real-life astrophysicists to conceptualize the dimensions of the known universe.

Whether you’re standing on the surface of the sun, encountering the event horizon of a black hole, or being whisked away to take in the Pillars of Creation, the sheer scale of this attraction will make guests feel like they’re floating, and give a sense of wonder that emphasizes just how vast the universe is.

Strap on a headset and check it out for yourself!

Details on the experience can be found on

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Have you ever seen a mini donkey participate in its own doctor’s checkup?

That’s a sentence we never thought we’d type, but now you can see just that at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo!

In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax spent the afternoon at the Zoo’s Kids Farm alongside some adorable mini donkeys, where he saw firsthand how new vet techniques and training are helping improve animal healthcare 鈥� one appointment at a time.

The coolest part? Anyone from the public can take a look and see this new “voluntary animal healthcare” up close, simply by passing through and petting some 4-legged friends.

The Zoo says it’s all part of an effort to make animal healthcare less stressful for all, and they hope this will ignite a passion for animals in some of their youngest fans!

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It’s one of the most unique and interactive America 250 festivals you’ll find anywhere in the country this summer 鈥� right on the waterfront in historic Old Town Alexandria.

And did we mention it’s free?!?

“Sails on the Potomac” is the first gathering of fully operational, Revolutionary War-era tall ship replicas in the D.C. area since America’s Bicentennial in the 1970s. And this weekend only, you’ll get the chance to step on deck and get out on the water 鈥� with real-life colonial guides!

In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax got an exclusive tour of the Tall Ship Providence, which docks year-round at the Pier Bar in Old Town. He also got the chance to check out ships from Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania joining the party.

This three-day festival running through June 14 also happens to be at the same time as Alexandria’s 48th annual Jazz Fest. So on top of free ship tours, there will be live music, historical pop-ups, food tents and much more.

While ship tour tickets are free this weekend, reservations are encouraged if you don’t want to wait in line as a walk-in. Get more information on timed tour tickets at the

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Clocking in at just under 2.5 pounds and about a foot long, the fennec foxes at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo prove that good things come in small packages.

In the latest episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax got the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes to play with these four-legged friends to learn a little more about what makes them so unique鈥攁nd see how the Zoo is helping their species thrive in the wild.

It’s not a Pok茅mon, but this tiny, furry canine (who also happens to be a kind of unofficial Zoo mascot) is one of the cutest and most dreamy species you’ll find if you venture into the Small Mammals wing of the National Zoo!

Learn more about the

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In the latest episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� explore the lore of the near Dupont Circle.

Built in 1890 for German immigrant Christian Heurich, the extravagant, intricate, opulent house boasts all kinds of incredible features that make it unique, that are very much on-brand, considering who lived there once upon a time.

This episode not only highlights some of the incredible architecture that transports you to a different world and makes this property stand out. It also dives into the history of the Heurich Brewing Company, which, at one point, was a household name (and the biggest nongovernmental entity) in D.C.

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Some call it the “Comic Con” of Loudoun County 鈥� a celebration of comics, art and much more at Lot Con in Ashburn, Virginia.

In the latest episode of “Matt About Town,” 小萝莉影视’s Matt Kaufax visited Comic Logic Books & Artwork, the shop that hosted a mini-convention-style event championing local vendors and collectors.

From veteran comic fans to those who are merely comic curious, there’s a little something for everyone here.

Tune in to see how this event is also inspiring a new generation to take up the comic book mantle for years to come!

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He allegedly dropped one of the most epic quotes in American history about regretting that he had “but one life to lose” for his country.

And his monument sits hidden in plain sight on Constitution Avenue between 9th and 10th streets in D.C.

In Thursday’s episode of 鈥淢att About Town鈥� 鈥� Part II in an America 250 miniseries where 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax explores lesser-known Revolutionary War monuments all around D.C. 鈥� we head to the Department of Justice to uncover the “forgotten” Nathan Hale statue.

The marker depicts Hale, a spy in Washington’s Continental Army, as he’s about to be executed by the British. The story of how Hale, who was only 21 when he was hanged in 1776, became a spy is a fascinating historical deep dive.

As if the record of his service to a young America wasn’t interesting enough, the story of how his statue ended up at DOJ and how, despite its central location, it has flown under the radar for years is equally compelling.

As Matt and a familiar National Park Service ranger will show you, if you go exploring and manage to find this piece of history, it’s worth an extra look!

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In Tuesday’s episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax heads to International Park in Northwest D.C. to highlight the latest obscure monument 鈥� a statue of a mysterious muse, potentially dating all the way back to ancient Greece.

Kaufax looks to find out why the woman depicted was once the victim of a case of mistaken identity.

Originally thought to be a sculpture honoring the theatrical Greek muse of drama and tragedy, Melpomene, this statue was uncovered during an archaeological dig in Athens in the late 1950s, during the height of Cold War tensions.

In an effort to strengthen diplomatic ties, the Greeks cast a limited number of rare copies and gave one to the U.S. For years, Melpomene watched over Van Ness until historians realized the statue wasn’t actually Melpomene, but someone even more significant in the classical Greek pantheon.

Watch the video for the big reveal!

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But the man credited with developing the universal law of gravitation has an interesting tie to the nation’s capital.

In today鈥檚 episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax heads to the Van Ness neighborhood to embrace the wonders of gravity. Brace for falling apples in International Park.

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搁别补诲听part one聽for more Easter eggs at the Jefferson Memorial.

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Before the Washington Monument, D.C. paid tribute to America鈥檚 founding father with an approximately 20-foot-tall statue in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood 鈥� approved way back in 1783.

In Thursday鈥檚 episode of 鈥淢att About Town,鈥� 小萝莉影视鈥檚 Matt Kaufax heads to Washington Circle to the lesser-known, original sculpture of the nation’s first president.

The statue depicts Washington riding his horse into the heat of conflict on the front lines at the Battle of Princeton, and it has a historical lore that goes beyond its forgotten nature.

This is Part 1 in a new series from Matt where he’ll be exploring lesser-known Revolutionary War sites around the nation’s capital!

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搁别补诲听part one聽for more Easter eggs at the Jefferson Memorial.

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