United States · District of Columbia · Washington
NoMa, Washington — Area Guide & Where to Stay
NoMa is a compact neighborhood in northeast Washington, its name a compression of "North of Massachusetts Avenue." It occupies Ward 6, the blocks just north and east of Union Station, and pulls several older pockets, Swampoodle, Eckington, Near Northeast, and Sursum Corda, under one modern label. Rail yards and warehouses once filled the ground here. Redevelopment turned them into offices, apartments, and hotels.
About NoMa
Where to stay in NoMa
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Staying in NoMa puts you beside Union Station, the rail hub for Amtrak and Metro. Its hotels are newer and business-leaning. Evenings here run quieter than the Mall or downtown.
The National Postal Museum stands at the station on the southern edge, while the Smithsonian museums of the National Mall are a short Metro ride south. Pick NoMa for transit and easy reach across Washington rather than a dense street scene.
About NoMa
What are the main landmarks in NoMa?
NoMa's own landmark is the National Postal Museum, housed in the old City Post Office beside Union Station at the southern edge. Most of Washington's best-known collections lie elsewhere. They sit south of the district, along the National Mall rather than within NoMa.
A short ride from Union Station reaches the Smithsonian institutions, among them the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. The National Museum of African American History and Culture anchors the Mall's western end.
What is the history of NoMa?
The name NoMa is a modern coinage. It compresses "North of Massachusetts Avenue" and gathers several older sections under one label. Swampoodle, the rail-side pocket nearest Union Station, long predated the branding, as did Eckington, Near Northeast, and Sursum Corda.
Union Station and its rail yards shaped the ground here. The redevelopment of that railside land eventually turned a working rail district into a mixed quarter of residences and offices.
Where is NoMa?
Massachusetts Avenue draws the southern edge, with Union Station and its rail approaches at the southwest corner. From there the district runs north and east through Ward 6. The rail line walls it off from downtown to the west. Near Northeast lies to the east, Eckington climbs the northern side, and the ground closest to the station carries the older names Swampoodle and Sursum Corda.
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Updated July 2026