It's true. While there are some election night activities (you might try a politically oriented bar like the Hawk & Dove on Capitol Hill or Dr. Dremo's across the Potomac in Arlington), it's the inaugurations that are the big political party occasions in this town.

Candidates themselves tend not to be in Washington on election night -- I don't know and haven't looked into it, but I'd expect that President Bush will be in Texas and Senator Kerry will be in Boston.

I'll second the new National Museum of the American Indian as well worth visiting, and the folks at the Smithsonian are also planning to open the space technology hall of the Air & Space Museum's Dulles annex Nov. 1st, including the chance to get up close to the space shuttle prototype Enterprise.