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…
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…
"Philip Guston Now" at the National Gallery of Art explores the works of this modern artist.
It's not an exhibition I recommend for families. But I would recommend it for fathers.
Philip lost his father to suicide when he was 10. Guston's artworks reference this tragedy repeatedly for over 40 years. His father's absence is…
The Spy Museum documents and inspires crazy acts of espionage history. But in a city full of free museums, it seems expensive.
It might not be the best place for a general family visit. However, for special occasions and select family members, it's a fun experience.
Three of our favorite highlights include:
1. U-2 Airplane…
Washington DC has a bevy of museums full of wonderful exhibits to visit. But sometimes it can be hard to escape the busier “tourist” sections.
That's why we've rounded up these five hidden gem exhibits for you to see next time you're in DC. Some are more challenging to find than others, but they're all…
You have one last chance to see this huge retrospective art show at the National Gallery of Art.
My first impression of this exhibition was surprise and delight at the vibrant, attention-grabbing colors. The series of paintings telling a complete story draw me in, my eye going from one scene to another.
Virgin Reading (c.…
If you're a Star Wars fan, it's a great time to visit the Smithsonian. They have a vast collection of artifacts, including Star Wars ones, most of which aren't on display. But right now, you can see three Star Wars items with your very own eyes.
C3-PO Costume
Actor Anthony Daniels wore this costume in…
Last week, a new permanent exhibition opened at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Here are our five favorite objects on view:
1. Joe Louis' gloves from his 1938 victory over a Nazi icon
2. Orson Welles' typewriter. Writing is the foundation of entertainment after all.
3. R2D2 and C3PO. The iconic characters from…