Last October, I watched eager visitors enter the newly reopened Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum again. Director Christopher Browne personally opened the doors and welcomed the first visitors back into the coolest museum on the National Mall.
If you haven't been yet, here are the best five exhibits for families to experience:
1. The…
It's back-to-school season, so you know what that means. It's time to plan your homeschool field trips!
Any kid will tell you field trips are the highlight of the school year. They're a chance to escape the rigors of the schoolroom and go to a cool museum where they can see exhibits and artifacts on…
Stand on the point of land poking into the Potomac River. A stone and brick fort looms above you.
You instantly see what a map or written description of this abandoned fort could only try to explain.
Fort Washington's location and design made it a key point of defense along the Potomac for years. It…
Visit Washington DC for the 4th of July and see the Declaration of Independence with your own eyes at the National Archives.
Travel back in time with their dramatic reading of the Declaration at 10 am. As you sit on the steps outside, you'll be transported back to 1776, when the document was originally read…
V-Mail launched 81 years ago this week.
When William H. VanZee wrote these two letters to his wife, Laura, the Victory Mail system was a well-oiled machine. It allowed millions of families around the world to stay in touch in spite of their separation.
William's letters to his wife, Laura
What is V-Mail?
V-Mail was a…
This Saturday, the artifacts come out to play.
WWII tanks, classic jeeps, and the M29 Weasel make a wonderful hands-on display for you and your kids.
Come commemorate D-Day with the American Military Heritage Museum, a short drive west of Washington DC.
Enthusiastic volunteers and veterans showcase weapons and gear all day. You're able to…
Families in the DMV love visiting Arlington National Cemetry on Memorial Day. Few places are more beautiful, solemn, and famous. But going on the holiday has several cons.
Pros:
Beautiful, iconic views
The guards at the Tomb of the Unknown
See the graves of many famous people
Soldier placing flags at Arlington National Cemetery
Cons:
Crowded,…
Last week, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery opened a new exhibition- “1898: US Imperial Visions and Revisions”.
Entry into Guanica Bay by the Smithsonian
This exhibition explores the United States move from Republic to Empire through many people throughout the pivotal year of 1998.
From Feb 15th, 1898, with the explosion of the USS Maine in…
The National Gallery of Art was America's most popular art museum last year. It beat its main competitor, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, for the first time since 2008.
The National Gallery surpassed the Met with 3.3 million visits compared to 3.2 million visits at the Met's main building.
Photo by Alvesgaspar
These statistics…
Poor Richard is a collection of 73 caricatures of President Nixon. Artist Philip Guston imagines and portrays his character through:
Posture
Speech
Features
Locations
Clothing
Guston's caricatures are distict
It's an excellent opportunity to study the art style in depth. As you walk through this exhibition, focus on these key caricature staples.
Bold lines
Simplify and…