By foot or by bike nothing in the US capital compares to the being at the National Mall. At one end of the mall are the Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorials, in the middle is the towering Washington Monument, and at the other end is the Capitol. Just beyond is Capitol Hill and nearby on Pennsylvania Ave is the Joe and Jill’s house better known as the White House. Scattered throughout are many more monuments and Smithsonian Museums. Standing anywhere on the mall and viewing the surroundings will invoke personal memories of historic events. Mine were Martin Luther King Jr’.s “I have a dream speech”, the display of the Aids Quilt, and the Million-Woman March. DC’s monuments, museums and food trucks keep us continually returning for more.
We have visited DC twice in the past few years. Each time we allowed 2-3 days. One for the mall, one for the museums and the other for the extras. There is never enough time. A few years back, we visited DC on very hot June days. By foot we took in many of the sites with crowds of students on field trips and many more in town for the Pride Celebrations. While walking we took in every detail, the sound of the water in the WW2 memorial and the smell of the bright green freshly cut grass. More recently we visited a cloudier emptier DC and we explored on bikes. One day was the first ever Juneteenth and we encountered families sporting celebratory attire at some really great t-shirts the MLK Jr. memorial. Our wheels gave us range and freedom to not only cover many more sites than walking but also venture up Capitol Hill to visit the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. A ride along the Potomac River and the wooded Rock Creek Parkway led us all the way to the National Zoo. On the reverse trip we passed through DC neighborhoods filled with parks, withered cherry blossoms. Everywhere we went we overheard young professionals in passionate political conversations eating rainbow doughnuts.
The free Smithsonian Museums offer various options to immerse in art and history. As an Industrial Designer the American History Museum is my favorite for its entire floor dedicated to American Inventions. Their Spark Lab maker space is one of the best in the nation. Here kids and kidults alike develop their own inventions with electronics and supplied materials using well-conceived prompts. Once completed a video pitch could be recorded shared. The museum is also home to the original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star-Spangled Banner and many other fantastic exhibits including this Within These Walls (telling the nation’s history through one house) and the exhibit Girlhood (its complicated) inspiring all to understand the historical plight of young girls.
The National Gallery of Art is the place to be completely immersed in creativity and talent. It entertains throughout two buildings and a sculpture garden. The Neoclassical West building is filled with Medieval, Renaissance, and many genres up to the 20century. It is home to the only DaVinci painting in the Americas titled the Portrait of Ginevra Benci. The numerous Vermeer’s and so many other recognized pieces make this wing a complete experience. However, there is also the IM Pei designed East building. It houses an immense collection modern and contemporary art with work by many favorite artists including impressionists and pop artists. An underground walkway with an immersive light sculpture and water sculpture connects the two buildings. Art lovers would really get the most out two days here. The audio guides (one for kids and one for adults) are very well done and will engage novices and experts alike. The outdoor sculpture garden across the street is open to all and a terrific place to eat, relax, and play.
For flight and space enthusiasts the National Air and Space Museum is filled with hundreds of objects in aviation and space history from the Wright’s first airplane to space capsules and rockets. There are many interactive installations that offer kids opportunities to dream, pretend and expand their imaginations.
Across town at the National Zoo the highlight is the panda’s. Upon entrance to the zoo we saw warnings that not everyone will get to see the panda’s Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and little Xiao Qi Ji. However, our early entry was in our favor and we felt very lucky to observe them. We were also able to enjoy very active tigers, elephants and many other animals. We ate lunch by the well-crafted merry-go-round.
Visiting DC does take a bit of planning. Tours (when available) of the Capitol the White House are open to US citizens who need to apply via home state senators or congress member months in advance. Non-Americans apply via their country’s embassy. For those who are more spontaneous DC offers still plenty of other things to do and see. Many of them free.
