Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: the Hermitage Museum or Washington, D.C.?

The Hermitage Museum came first, in 1764 (founded). Washington, D.C. followed 26 years later, in 1790 (founded).

  1. First1764

    The Hermitage Museum

    museum · founded

    The Hermitage in St Petersburg began in 1764 with Catherine the Great's paintings.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. Second1790

    Washington, D.C.

    city · founded

    Washington, D.C. was founded in 1790 as a brand-new capital.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games

Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.