Strolling the Mall and Visiting 17 Free Museums in Washington, DC
Encompassing 17 museums in Washington, DC, all of which are free and most of which are on the National Mall, the Smithsonian Institution is mind-boggling in its scope. Avoid the weekend crowds, grab a museum map, and stroll along the expansive Mall, the great green lawn so often used for activist rallies. The Mall is bookended by the Capitol and the Washington Monument, but it is otherwise surrounded by Smithsonian standards like the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Air and Space Museum, as well as sculpture gardens, galleries, and butterfly habitats.
Enter a world where having your head in the clouds is a good thing.. Inside these sacred walls is a playground of machines that test mankinds imagination like no other invention ever has.. You will be entranced by our greatest invention of the 20th century, powered flight.. I use this term because the musuem is about flight in iteself and boasts facts on helicopters and even missles as well. You can sense the fervor of excited patrons as soon as you enter the doors.. There are state of the art imaxes for those who love to watch a mind blowing 3d movie on nature, planets or even a regular movie.. For those of us young at heart there are many exhibits to chose from but i suggest the history of flight.. If you have children they have a discovery zone, where you can create a hot air balloon throw a paper airplane and even matching games.. If you get hungry the bird cafe downstairs is a wonderful place with food thats so out of this world literally get pulled into it like a gravitation field.. After teasing your tastebuds, dont forget to hit up the gift shop downstairs to your right.. Here is everything from pencils and pads to the same foods astronauts eat.. On a personal note try the ice cream its actually pretty good... I hope that you enjoy our great museum as much as I do and remember... If you stay grounded your whole life, how can you ever hope to truely reach for the stars??
The Smithsonian Institution is the ultimate government handout. Ten of its 19 federally funded museums line a one-mile stretch of the National Mall. All of them are free to the public. Open their doors, clear security, and you’re on your way to some truly cheap thrills and an embarrassment of riches. Want to see the Hope Diamond? It’s free at the Museum of Natural History. The lunar lander? Free at the Air and Space Museum. Julia Child’s kitchen and the flag that inspired the National Anthem? Both are free at the Museum of American History. Get lost among the nation’s art, history, culture, and science... for free!
One of the first exhibits you will encounter in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is a journey through the fossil record of the ancient sea. Make no mistake, you are looking at seafloor creatures 500 million years old, the dawn of the fossil record. No doubt you will later make your way to the National Gallery of Art. Enter on Constitution Avenue, and before setting foot in the magnificent rotunda, peal off left or right for the restroom. There, above the urinals, sinks, and hand driers, you will see those same 500 million year old ammonites, brachiopods, and mollusks fossilized in the black green marble on the bathroom walls and floor. No placard, no explanation, but strikingly there, the seafloor surrounds you. You may draw attention if you look too closely, for too long, and certainly refrain from engaging other patrons in your discovery. But the fact that the marble is chock full of fossils is precisely why it is in the bathroom. In the world of design and architecture, such creatures are imperfections of a lesser grade marble and so don’t get showcased in important areas. The adage, “someone’s trash is another’s treasure,” comes to mind. Want more? Keep your eyes open, the Smithsonian is marble town!
Indiana Jones would have given his left eye for the treasure that is known as the Hope Diamond, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. This magnificent piece of jewelry can be viewed in a rotating glass case for all to admire—and at no cost. (The Smithsonian does not charge admission fees.) While the diamond has been the subject of many mythical tales, the true history behind this gem is just as fascinating as the bedtime stories that were inspired by it. The surest way to measure appreciation for this stone is to examine, from your side of the glass, the expressions of those viewing it opposite of you. Capturing this diamond's beauty in a justifying photograph may be a challenge reserved only for the creative.
Encompassing 17 museums in Washington, DC, all of which are free and most of which are on the National Mall, the Smithsonian Institution is mind-boggling in its scope. Avoid the weekend crowds, grab a museum map, and stroll along the expansive Mall, the great green lawn so often used for activist rallies. The Mall is bookended by the Capitol and the Washington Monument, but it is otherwise surrounded by Smithsonian standards like the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the Air and Space Museum, as well as sculpture gardens, galleries, and butterfly habitats.
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