American History Museum Morning Walk

It was really cold yesterday! But the sun was shining and I needed to find some ideas for the weekly photo challenge. We hadn’t been to the Smithsonian American History Museum for quite a while, so we headed there. We parked at the Tidal Basin and walked over in no time. The building had just opened up, and it’s still winter - so there were no lines getting in and it was really empty. We have been to the museum so many times before. The newest exhibit is “Entertainment  Nation.”  My favorite piece is Prince and his yellow guitar. Then we headed over to the First Ladies gowns and China. I remember visiting that exhibit way back in high school and have returned many times. I was able to get full length photos with no one else in them. Then we went through the transportation area with all of the ships and trains and trucks and cars. We really didn’t stop to look at anything in particular because I was on a mission to get a photo for the weekly challenge. The volunteers approached us twice to tell us about Lincoln’s hat and the flag that flew at Fort McHnery. We politely acknowledged their help. It’s really nice to have the opportunity to visit any time we like. And it’s even better when there aren’t any crowds. 

Nostalgic Items at American History Museum

The Smithsonian American History Museum was always a favorite of mine. I was first introduced to it many years ago when I visited my sister who was in college in DC. I loved the First Ladies gowns and the general vibe. At that time my plan was to major in history, but that never materialized. When we lived on Capitol Hill we would visit here and there during the slower times of the year. Now that we live in northern Virginia we drive in to the city at least once a week. In the last month or two we have been visiting the museum in order for me to get images for the weekly photo challenge. The subject matter was “nostalgia” for one of them, and that took me to the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz. But while we were there we stopped in a few other areas and checked out the other nostalgia items. There was Stan Musial’a bat and Carl Yaz’s head gear. Barbie was front and center - I had a whole collection of Barbie stuff including her car. Then there was Mr Peanut. We used to see him walking in the street when we went to visit my grandparents in New England. Of course Colonel Sanders had a presence in both his likeness hanging from the ceiling and the bucket used to pick up chicken. A VW bug poster and model car shows the transition over time. And there was an office with a royal typewriter sitting on the desk. I had a royal in college to type all of my papers. Obviously the place was filled with all sorts of things. Unfortunately I didn’t pay as much attention to these objects because I was focusing on getting a photo for the challenge. Luckily we have the luxury of coming to town when we are interested. Or, you can always do a virtual visit. 

First Ladies Exhibit at the Smithsonian American History Museum

It’s a good excuse to go to a museum when you have out of town guests. And if the out of town guests don’t have a particular venue in mind, the American History Museum is one of my favorites. My sister first took me there many years ago when I was in high school and she was studying at Catholic University. Since then my husband and I have been there several times. My favorite spot was the First Ladies gowns. Back then, they were arranged from Martha Washington to the current inhabitant - the styles of the dresses and the sizes of the women that wore them changed over time. Now the exhibit doesn’t have as many, but they are still interesting to see. Museums in general don’t have the same appeal as they once did before the internet. And, unfortunately the place is being renovated so we didn’t get to visit some of the fun stuff - like Judy Garland’s red ruby slippers that are being restored. Indiana Jones hat and whip were showcased. The school groups and tour buses still pack the place, which is why we try to go when it is off season to avoid the crowds. I’m not sure when we will return - perhaps when we have more out of town guests? 

Summer is Beginning to Look Like Fall

It was a dreary Saturday afternoon. It's been awhile since the whole day felt like rain. I much prefer the sunshine to the dampness. At least DC has more warm days than Wisconsin ever did. A lot of the usual sights around the city were beginning to look more like the fall rather than the final days of summer. I'm sure the bride was hoping for a brighter day at the WWI Memorial. The crowds were much smaller everywhere. In fact, several of the most prominent settings were completely devoid of visitors. When we passed through George Washington University, the students were moving in to the dorms...one of my colleagues from Milwaukee now works at GW Hospital; another colleague just lost her only son to Marquette last week when she helped him move in to his dorm for his freshman year. I remember doing the same thing like it was yesterday way back in 1971 at Florida State. I was really homesick for about a month. The Smithsonian African American Museum is making progress...it's at least five stories above ground. My husband was complaining that we always go by the same places all the time and should explore the city more. Therein lies the difference between me and him. He loves the urban life, and I prefer a less intense place. He likes to explore; I prefer familiar. Living where we do combines the best of both worlds - even on a dreary day like today.