Washington woke up on Wednesday to a government shutdown.

 

Nearly 750,000 federal employees will be furloughed, some even fired by Trump's Republican administration.

 

Washington DC is home to the most federal government employees.

 

But the nation’s capital is also a major attraction for tourists and visitors who will be faced with shuddered institutions in the midst of the shutdown.

 

However, some of the major attractions will remain open for the first week of the shutdown, such as the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo.

 

Jerry Egan, who was visiting from Newport News, Virginia, said it was his first time at the National Zoo.

 

“Oh, we're thrilled. We're thrilled, yeah. We’re here to see the pandas and see everything else,” Egan said.

 

Cynthia Brown, visiting from Fort Worth, Texas, said was pleasantly surprised to see the African American History museum was open during the shutdown.

 

“I was cautious because I thought that it would not be open, so I’d inquired earlier,” Brown said.

 

As early as Monday, October 6, most of these institutions could close their doors if a deal isn't reached.

 

Places like the Capitol Visitor Center, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives have already closed.