Anderson House stands in the heart of Dupont Circle, a historic and vibrant neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C., just one mile from the White House. Although included in Pierre L'Enfant's 1791 plan of the city as the intersection of several grand avenues, the circle and its surrounding neighborhood were not developed until the 1870s. The neighborhood was named for Civil War naval officer Samuel Francis Du Pont. It is anchored by a park in the circle, which features a marble fountain designed in Du Pont’s honor in 1922 by sculptor Daniel Chester French. From the 1880s to the 1920s, Dupont Circle was the most fashionable address in the city and drew its wealthiest residents. Some of the Andersons' prominent neighbors were Presidents William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Congressmen James G. Blaine and Perry Belmont; art collector Duncan Phillips; inventors Alexander Graham Bell and George Westinghouse; brewery owner Christian Heurich; and socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean, one-time owner of the Hope Diamond. The neighborhood was also one of the most elegant and modern in Washington, thanks to improvements ushered in by city leader Alexander "Boss" Shepherd, including paved streets lined with Linden trees, street lights, sewers, and electricity.

Many of the lavish mansions and townhouses built by Dupont Circle's turn-of-the-century residents are now home to museums, art galleries, private clubs, embassies, and other organizations. The neighborhood also retains some of its original residential character, with stately trees, urban parks, and private homes intermingled with cultural and commercial buildings. A variety of shops and restaurants draws residents and tourists alike to this vibrant neighborhood.

Learn more about museums and other cultural attractions in the neighborhood and beyond through these local associations, of which the Society is a member: