Want to escape the din of traffic, construction, and people? Decibel meter in hand, we went searching for solitude. Noise levels tend to vary—with a passing car or person—so we noted maximum readings. In decibels, a hushed library might measure 40, a chainsaw 120. For comparison, we’ve also included readings at a few not-so-tranquil spots.
Phillips Collection—53.5 decibels
Rothko Room
Freer Gallery of Art—56.1 decibels
Arts of the Islamic World galleries
Brookside Gardens—56.3 decibels
Azalea garden on a sunny Sunday
C&O Canal towpath—59 decibels
Near lockhouse 6, off busy Canal Road
National Gallery of Art—59.9 decibels
19th-century French galleries
Roosevelt Island—60.7 decibels
In front of Theodore Roosevelt statue
Reflecting Pool—64.4 decibels
On a bench along the water
Gravelly Point Park (Next to Reagan National Airport)
No plane overhead – 61.8 decibels
Plane coming in for landing – 94.8 decibels
Washington Capitals game—115 decibels
During “Unleash the Fury,” on October 18
This article appears in the December 2014 issue of Washingtonian.
