SUTTON Travels: Places to see in Washington DC

Showing posts with label Places to see in Washington DC. Show all posts

12 November 2017

National Museum of American History Smithsonian

The museum provides an overview of American History with a focus on the colonial period to the present. Stories, lifesize scenarios, videos, artifacts, and interactive exhibits make history come alive. It is easy to spend two days at the museum just to peruse the available exhibits.

George Washington's camp gear

Slave Ship

Abraham Lincoln Bronze from Face Mask

Market Scene

Several Displays Document Segregation

School Bus

From the Vietnam War Exhibit

All in the Family TV 1970

Example of Changes in Technology

Democracy in Action

Visibility- some displays are poorly lit making it difficult to view objects or read the posted information. Some displays are difficult to appreciate due to lighting that produces a glare.

Food service- available in museum- no food and drinks permitted in the museum; Cheaper eats at nearby restaurants

Shops- various gifts and souvenirs

Restrooms- available and maintained

Photography- mostly permitted, some exceptions posted; sometimes difficult to capture objects even without flash

Website- helpful information including hours, policies, maps http://americanhistory.si.edu/

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

Monuments and Memorials

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Museums

American History

Air and Space Museum

Natural History Museum

Postal Museum

National Art Gallery

National Postal Museum

Holocaust Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of African American History and Culture

And here’s my webpage www.suttong.com

And some books I have published

My Travel Blog

My YouTube Travel Site

National Gallery of Art USA

Buffalo Trail/ Bierstadt, 1869

The National Gallery (Washington DC) is definitely worth a visit. The variety of works include paintings, sculptures, sketches, and furniture. Most of the works are in galleries on two floors.

Diana of the Tower/ Saint-Gaudens

High Chest 18th Century

At the time of our visit in 2017, most works were by American and Western European artists.

Washington Family / Savage, 1790-96

Many works illustrate biblical scenes.

Last Supper / Dali, 1955

The Miraculous Draft of Fishes / Bassano, 1545

Friendliness- a few staff were friendly but many were austere
Food Service- available. An attractive Garden Café is expensive. No food and drink may be brought in to the Gallery.
Special exhibits vary
There is an outdoor sculpture garden
Photography is permitted with some exceptions.
WIFI available
Museum store has reasonable prices
Website is helpful for directions and more details: www.nga.gov

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

Monuments and Memorials

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Museums

American History

Air and Space Museum

Natural History Museum

Postal Museum

National Art Gallery

National Postal Museum

Holocaust Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of African American History and Culture

And here’s my webpage www.suttong.com

And some books I have published

My Travel Blog

My YouTube Travel Site

11 November 2017

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

The Natural History museum is one of the best in the Smithsonian group in DC.

We enter into the round court where we are greeted by a large African Elephant, which has been present for years.

We are impressed by the Ocean gallery where there are many exhibits from ancient fossils to recent discoveries. Fish and other sea inhabitants range from the microscopic to the massive whales.

The mammal hall houses a collection that has been present for years.

The human origins hall provides an interesting overview of human evolution and interactive "cave video" presentations.

One special exhibit featured wildlife photography.

Other galleries contain butterflies and other insects, birds, and a few dinosaurs (the dinosaur and fossil hall will re-open in 2019).

Some displays are hard to view because of the low light or glare from the placement of lights and reflections off the enclosed exhibits.

The museum stores have reasonable prices.

Food and drinks are available in food services. There are several restaurants a little north of the museum.

Food and drink were not permitted in the museum galleries (except for water) when we visited.

Check the website for current hours and other information like changing exhibits.

Connect Geoffrey W. Sutton

Museum website http://naturalhistory.si.edu/

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

Monuments and Memorials

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Museums

American History

Air and Space Museum

Natural History Museum

Postal Museum

National Art Gallery

National Postal Museum

Holocaust Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of African American History and Culture

And here’s my webpage www.suttong.com

And some books I have published

My Travel Blog

My YouTube Travel Site

National Air and Space Museum

The Air and Space Museum in Washington DC is clearly a family favorite as people of all ages walked or ran about the museum in search of interesting exhibits.

The size of the planes, rockets, and space vehicles is overwhelming.

In addition to the gigantic vehicles, there are stories about the people who invented, flew, and served in various ways.

Many exhibits provide introductory science lessons.

There are many interactive exhibits, which appealed to the children and youth during in our visit.

Both civil aviation and military planes are on display.

It was helpful to see examples of air and spacecraft from other countries represented.

The museum is free.

There is a security check on entry.

No food and drink were permitted at the time of our 2017 visit (except water).

There are food trucks on the South Side of the museum as an alternative to eating in the museum.

There are several restrooms and places to sit.

See the website for more details
https://airandspace.si.edu/

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

Monuments and Memorials

Washington Monument