Think Tank Row (Washington, D.C.) Explained

Think Tank Row designates the cluster of think tanks that are located on or around Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., between Thomas Circle and Dupont Circle. The expression is a reference to Millionaire Row and Embassy Row, past and present designations for the same area (both actually extending further northwest on Massachusetts Avenue).

Policy pundit James McGann has been credited for coining the expression "Think Tank Row,"^[1] which has been used in various media articles referring to think tanks.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Think tanks on Think Tank Row include:

• American Enterprise Institute, on 1785 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 2016
• Brookings Institution, on 1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 1960 (and 1780 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 2008)
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, on 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 1989
• Center for Strategic and International Studies, on 1616 Rhode Island Avenue NW since 2013
• Peterson Institute for International Economics, on 1750 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 2001

Also on Think Tank Row are several academic institutions that occasionally interact with think tanks:

• Carey Business School of Johns Hopkins University, on 1625 Massachusetts Avenue NW
• Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University, on 1717 and 1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW since 1962
• Washington Center of the University of California, on 1608 Rhode Island Avenue NW

Other nearby think tanks include the Aspen Institute, the Atlantic Council, the Middle East Institute, the Milken Institute, the German Marshall Fund, the Center for International Policy, the Institute for Policy Studies, the New America Foundation, and Resources for the Future. The Cato Institute and The Heritage Foundation are also located on Massachusetts Avenue, but some distance from Think Tank Row.

See also

• Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, Capitol Hill is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C.
• Embassy Row
• K Street, the United States’ notable center for lobbying and a metonymy for the US-based lobbying industry containing a cluster of numerous advocacy groups, law firms, trade associations, and some think tanks.

Notes and References

1. Web site: José Luis Chicoma. September 16, 2015. A Tale of Two Think Tank Summits. On Think Tanks.
2. Web site: New York Times. Research Groups Boom in Washington. January 30, 2008. Elizabeth Bumiller.
3. News: Washington Post. On think tank row, a China critic from China. Howard Schneider. March 12, 2013.
4. Web site: Think Tank Watch. Google Masters Think Tank Row. April 14, 2014.