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By Lauren Bradshaw

As a huge Wonder Woman fan, I am super excited that “Wonder Woman 1984” filmed in Washington, D.C. — my home city! Whenever I go on vacation, I love to explore the filming locations of my favorite movies. So below is a list of filming locations you can visit to reenact your favorite scenes.

Diana’s Apartment

The exterior of Diana’s apartment was filmed at the (in)famous Watergate Complex in Foggy Bottom. I am sure the interior shots were on a sound stage, but you can still take your picture outside of the building and imagine yourself swinging off of the balconies with your Lasso of Truth like Wonder Woman herself. By the way, you probably know about the scandal involving the Watergate building, but did you know real-life Wonder Woman, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, lived in the complex? I wonder if that is just a coincidence. Regardless, I think Diana and Justice Ginsburg would have been fast friends.

Address: 2600 Virginia Ave NW

Diana’s Office

Of course Diana is Wonder Woman, but her day job is as a cultural anthropologist and archaeologist in the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History! Although we can’t get into the back rooms of the building like Diana, you *can* see the amazing lobby centered around the elephant, which is featured in the film. The Hope Diamond is another signature exhibit at the museum. Tickets to any Smithsonian museum are free, but unfortunately the museum is currently closed due to COVID-19.

Address: On The National Mall at 10th St. & Constitution Ave NW

Diana and Steve’s Moonlit Walk

THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SCENE IN THE MOVIE! I want a framed picture of this in my house; but that’s a story for a different day. In this shot, Diana and Steve have just reunited and are taking a romantic, moonlit walk along The Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial. If you haven’t seen the monuments at night, you have to do so.

But Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, can give you a few quick tips on what to expect, especially during the summer months. In a recent interview with Fox 5’s Kevin McCarthy, she described that although the scene looks beautiful, the cast and crew had to battle the DC humidity and mosquitos. So make sure you remember the bug spray!

Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW

The Mall

No I don’t mean The National Mall outside of the Capitol. Unfortunately, I have some bad news about this location, filmed at the Landmark Mall in Alexandria, Virginia; it closed in 2017 (which is one of the reasons it was picked for the film). The “Wonder Woman 1984” crew took over The Landmark Mall and renovated it to look like a mall from the 1980s, complete with many of the throwback stores you will remember from childhood. Although I don’t know that you can even get a good look inside, you can at least visit the site at the address below.

Address: 5801 Duke St, Alexandria, VA 22304

Rooftop Lunch Date Between Diana and Barbara

I think one of the coolest places you can visit from the movie (and on any visit to DC) is featured in the scene where Diana (Gal Gadot) and Barbara Minerva aka “Cheetah” (Kristen Wiig) go on their first lunch date. This rooftop bar is called the POV at the W Hotel. It features stunning views of D.C., including a view overlooking The White House. Definitely make sure to get reservations ahead of time (especially if you want to get “the Monuments corner” where Kristen and Gal sat) because this bar can be busy, especially on nice days.

Address: 515 15th St NW

Steve Trevor Introduced to a Trash Can

I love that in “WW84,” Diana is introducing Steve to what life is like in 1984, similar to what he did for her in “Wonder Woman.” The perfect example of this is the scene outside of the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, where Diana explains that the cool object Steve is investigating is actually just this decade’s version of a generic trashcan.

Address: Independence Ave SW &, 7th St SW

Barbara Minerva Crossing a Bridge to Work

I love a good shot of the Washington Monument, and the scene of Barbara Minerva walking across the bridge on Ohio Dr. SW for her first day of work is a perfect introduction to the character’s bumbling persona and highlights the film’s utilization of Washington, D.C. I really appreciate how the film highlights Barbara’s character arc through movement, first a bit gawky and then slowly becoming more confident and cat-like.

Address: East Tidal Basin SW as it turns into Ohio Dr. SW

Fight Scene Near the Capitol

Is there a more iconic scene than Wonder Woman kicking butt with the U.S. Capitol as her backdrop? The answer is no. If you want to try your hand at running down the street at top speeds a la Wonder Woman (I wouldn’t suggest it as this is the busiest street in DC), you can head to Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Diana and Steve have their moment (no spoilers) at Navy Memorial Plaza, beside what is now the Paul bakery.

Address: Around 800 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Commander Salamander/Georgetown

Commander Salamander, a punk/new age clothing store, was a D.C. staple in the 1980s. Unfortunately, the shop closed in 2010. But because “WW84” is set in the 1980s, the film crew resurrected the store for filming purposes on Wisconsin Ave, close to its real life location. Although the store only lasted during filming, there are several additional scene locations in Georgetown that you will recognize, including the bridge over the C&O Canal.

Addresses:
Store – 1415 Wisconsin Ave. 
C&O Bridge – 1064 Wisconsin Ave. NW

The White House

I hesitated to even put this in here because you and I both know this movie was not actually filmed at The White House. HOWEVER, if you do want to fully live the WW84 experience and are wondering how you can get a tour of The White House, all you have to do is contact your Congress member. Just promise me if you get into a fight with your arch-nemesis in the hallways, you will have your lasso ready to go.

Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

 

LAUREN BRADSHAW is a lover of all movies, even the bad ones. Follow her on twitter @ flickchickdc. She grew up in Courtland, graduated from Southampton Academy and doubled-majored in foreign affairs and history at the University of Virginia. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area.