SUTTON Travels

15 November 2017

National Postal Museum Smithsonian

The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum is worth at least a couple of hours of your time.

You will learn the history of the U S postal service through stories, videos, objects, and of course, stamps.

Some rare stamps are featured in the stamp exhibit

One exhibit includes cases of mail fraud and robberies

There are activities for children. And if you wish to spend a longer time, you can read the storyboards in each exhibit.

Fees- no entry fee

Security- there is a security screening

Tours are available at no charge.

Shopping- there is a museum store with reasonable prices

Location- 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE Washington DC

Metro- we used Union Station, which has the advantage of lots of places to eat at reasonable prices

The website is informative postalmuseum.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

Smithsonian's National Zoo

Panda National Zoo / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is famous for its Pandas. The zoo is worth a day's visit to enjoy a walk around a beautiful wooded park. People of all ages will find something of interest.

Fees- there is no charge to enter the zoo. There is a fee for some attractions

Food service- there are several places to purchase food and drink. It is expensive compared to nearby restaurants. You can bring in food and drink.

Photography is permitted but the lighting and glass enclosures make some shots difficult.

Parking- limited but available at the park for a fee

Metro- we got off at the Woodley Park metro stop and walked the short distance to the zoo.

Website- you will find helpful information on the web nationalzoo.si.edu

My website Geoffrey W. Sutton

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

United States Botanic Garden

U S Botanic Garden / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The U S Botanic Garden in Washington DC is a great stop for one or several hours. We went on a cold gray day in November--a good place to warm up in beautiful surrounds. And there is no admission fee.

The conservatory is organized by garden themes.

You can take a free tour or follow your own path on provided maps. There are also outside areas.

Food service- there are no dining facilities but there are restaurants nearby- on 3rd street and in nearby museums.

Photography is permitted- see the website for policies.

Shops- there is no gift shop

Website- you can find helpful information at usbg.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

Library of Congress

Library of Congress / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The Library of Congress is more than a collection of books and papers. Walk inside and you will see examples of art and architechture worth an hour or so of your time in DC.

Ceiling above main entry

You will also find exhibits such as a Gutenberg Bible, the Jefferson Library, and a special exhibit of WW I posters and news sketches from famous trials.

Gutenberg Bible

War Poster

Library tours are available.

Library Tour

See the website for more details loc.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

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

My wife and I have visited the museum twice and both times we found the permanent exhibit a moving experience that teaches the lessons of extreme hate, violence, and genocide with a view to encouraging actions that say "Never Again."

CAUTION: SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING

Bunks in Prison Camps

The permanent exhibit takes visitors on a solemn tour of the rise of extreme nationalism in Germany, which led to violent attacks, enslavement in camps, and eventually a program of mass killing aimed at exterminating entire groups of people--especially Jews.

Entering Gas Chamber

Visitors will encounter general historical narratives, personal stories, artifacts, photographs, and videos that not only tell the story of hate and death but also celebrate survivors, liberators, and the courage of those who risked their lives to save others.

Eisenhower Visits a Camp

You recevive one of hundreds of personal stories when you begin the tour. Each story tells of a woman or man who either survived or died during the holocaust.

Focusing on an Individual Life

The museum is well organized. Maps are available online and onsite. Materials are available in several languages.

The staff are friendly and helpful.

Food services are available.

There is a security check.

Check online for hours and more details, including special exhibits: ushmm.org

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

14 November 2017

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in 1922 and is part of the National Park Service (nps). It is located on the west end of the National Mall.

After our visit, we walked north to the Foggy Bottom metro station at 23rd and I streets, NW.

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

Washington Monument

Washington Monument / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The Washington Monument stands tall. I have seen it many times since the 1960s. Currently (2017) it is closed for work on the elevator and will reopen in 2019.

Work began 4 July 1848 but was not completed until 1884 when it was the world's tallest building according to the National Park Service (nps.gov). Past and future presidents attended the cornerstone event.

An earthquake at 1:51 p.m. on 23 August, 2011 ocurred nearby, which damaged the monument. Visitors were shaken inside but all were safe.

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

13 November 2017

National Museum of the American Indian Washington

American Indian Museum / Geoff W Sutton 2017

Our visit to the Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC was timely as we were watching the documentary on The West on PBS.

The first thing we noticed was the unusual design of the building (photo above), which is quite attractive and worth walking around to appreciate the design and the informative landscape.

Once inside I recommend heading to the top floor and viewing the brief film. There are several exhibits and some will change so check the website (link below) for details.

We examined "Our Universes" in some depth to see many examples of the Indian Cultures in the Americas. Exhibit examples below.

TREATIES

Most people are familiar with the fact that many treaties between the United States and Native Americans were broken.

An exhibit illustrates eight treaties, which are a sample of some 374 treaties between the USA and Native Nations.

Buffalo Hide Record / Geoff Sutton 2017

The "Great Inka Road" exhibit provides a visual experience of an ongoing road linking communities in several South American nations. For those of us who live in the US, it's a good reminder that there were many indigenous people throughout the Americas.

Example of Inca Road

This museum, like the other Smithsonian museums, is a place for research that will be missed in a casual walk through of exhibits. There are many Native American nations in the Americas. According to a national archives document, there are 562 recognized Indian Nations in the United States alone. I think it would be helpful if the Museum staff made it clear that we only see a sample of these nations. I should like to see some "wall" or other permanent exhibit representing all the known existing nations in the Americas.

Collection: The website authors report a vast collection. I hope a larger collection is on display in the years ahead.

Visibility: Some displays are hard to read due to dim lighting and/or lighting that produces a glare off of displays. Although photography is permitted, the glare and lighting made it difficult for this amateur. This problem of glare and poor lighting is common to many museum around the world.

Facilities: The museum appears clean with wide aisles and there are maintained restrooms. Some exhibits were not working when we visited.

Locations: There are museums in Washington DC and New York City

Food services: available on site.

Security: There is a security check and no food or drink is permitted (bottled water is permitted)

Shop- this museum has a store

CONNECT at MY WEBSITE: Geoffrey W. Sutton suttong.com

Museum website = http://nmai.si.edu/

Resources

PBS video The West

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

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

United States Capitol

White House

National Archives

Library of Congress

Supreme Court

National Zoo

U S Botanic Garden

Union Station

DC Monuments and Memorials

Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

WW II Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

DC 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

Google Map

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

Washington Monument