Well, my usual DC route, when showing someone for the first time.
Air + Space: Probably not the best place to start, this building is measured in acreage. remember, it has a few dozen very large aircraft, and its all inside, and the exhibits you walk through are actually interesting...
Then i start the circuit. Walk west to The Smithsonian Museum [fact i never knew till a few years back, Most of the Museums at the mall are a part of the Smithsonian Institute, not just the big building that I'm referring to with the trains, and the cool older stuff...
Then to the Washington monument. Never been up there, but it sure looks cool. All nice a redone too; I remember when it was always 'out of order'...
...then down along the reflecting pool [thats it, yes?] to the Lincoln Memorial. Best view of DC, in my opinion, is from the top there with Abe. Take the time to go to the almost hidden Museum part there; cool stuff. The man was a tortured soul in a tortured time; and imaging you're forrest gump or martin luther king...
[skipping the holocaust museum which is a walk from here usually because after Lincoln I go to...]
The Wall. Been there at noon. At midnite. At 3:30am drunk. And it just blows the top of my head off. I actually photographed it; I mean starting from the tiny 8 inch high panels at each end to the huge panels at center. i'm tall, and I have been asked to rub a name for someone who can't reach it 3 times; I was scared shitless. Seriously, that how much that wall affects me. The tears are a given, not crying for me, just, I cant describe it...
Then to cheer things up I go sit with the big brass Einstein infront of the National Science Institute...
Now its Natual History and American History time baby! Come On! Who hasn't seen the huge Elephant or whatever it is? The Blue Whale hanging from a wall, and Ice may be a girl thing, but its pretty fucking cool looking at Diamonds that because of the conditions long ago are blue, green, yellow. It's easier then you think to tell the real stuff thats there from the fakes that replace some of the pieces when they go on tour.
And the bugs! The insect part; the fossil part; the dinosaur part and Geology part, the Cave man part, the fish part, OK some of these are weak in my opinion, so...
to The archives. The only good time to go is when its empty, or you will be hurried along as you try to see whats left of the Declaration of Independence, and surrounding documents. personally the archives are best when there's a theme there [there always is]. Some themes are weak [I was there once when it was famous Posters, not for me...] and some rocked, the Military stuff; the Surrender papers and stuff like that = cool for me...
..then its art time, cross the Navy thing there with the world on the ground [why do i feel some of this is out of order]..to the National Gallery and The Calder mobile and giant swiss army knife; I'm sorry but I do not find this so great, and I know I should, and I know Art people say I'm dead wrong, and theyre right. I just dig fighter jets and giant madagasgar hissing cockroaches...
And the Capitol, which is ok, but doesn't blow me away...
Wow did I skipped a lot, but thats actually the circuit I used to show someone the essentials. Jefferson and the White House are kinda off the track there...
wow this is long
And my personal favorite in all of DC. In the National Museum of American Art, James Hapton's Throne.
I beg you to read about this man, and what he made, and I'm agnostic!
<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/miketeachr/MikeTheT">James Hampton's Throne (http://www.geocities.com/ctesibos/hampton/throne.html)
This message was edited by Mike Teacher on 8-29-03 @ 1:12 AM