*September 2024* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 7_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 1_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 2_web.jpeg]] *We decided to take the train into the city from Dulles - super convenient and cheap.* ## Day 1 Walking Tour ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 3_web.jpeg]] *"Treasury or State?" -- Treasury!* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 4_web.jpeg]] *The view of the White House* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 5_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 6_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 8_web.jpeg]] *A little something to eat at The Hamilton* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 9_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 10_web.jpeg]] *We walked around, seeing all sorts of federal buildings -- I'll spare you the exterior shots and signs identifying them -- and headed toward the mall. We took a little detour off of it to see Ford's Theater as well as the house across the street where Lincoln perished after being shot.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 11_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 14_web.jpeg]] *Smithsonian Institution - I think the main building was closed for renovations.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 15_web.jpeg]] *US Capitol Building* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 16_web.jpeg]] *Smithsonian Institution and the Washington Monument* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 17_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 18_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 19_web.jpeg]] *National Museum of African American History and Culture - one of the newest museums in DC with a lot of activity, we want to return and check it out.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 21_web.jpeg]] *After taking the train from the airport we did use it a few more times to get to/from the hotel on some of our longer walks.* ## Smithsonian Museum of American History ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 22_web.jpeg]] *The Greensboro Lunch Counter, in the Smithsonian Museum of American History* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 23_web.jpeg]] *Patriotic housewares were a thing and helped spread the concepts, documents, and proclamations of American values* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 24_web.jpeg]] *Suffrage artifacts - advocating for the rights of women to vote.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 25_web.jpeg]] *As American as apple pie is the American protest - speaking out for what we believe in is one of the most protected rights we have.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 26_web.jpeg]] *This may just look like a large clock, but on all sides it has animated scenes of American history and the movement for independence. The exhibit had a video of its various animations running but for preservation reasons they do not run it often.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 27_web.jpeg]] *One of many signs that have been replaced after being shot up at the site of Emmett Till's murder.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 28_web.jpeg]] *A ramshackle styrofoam boat used to cross the ocean to reach America - set against an endlessly animated loop of vast water.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 29_web.jpeg]] *Now they don't make cars like this anymore... gorgeous!* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 30_web.jpeg]] *Various transportation exhibits - including this train car* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 31_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 32_web.jpeg]] *Julia Child's kitchen - removed, preserved, transported, and rebuilt here at the Smithsonian Museum of American History* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 33_web.jpeg]] *I do love a control board -- this is a vintage keypad from a McDonald's register.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 34_web.jpeg]] *And a little rememberance of menus and prices from long ago!* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 35_web.jpeg]] *We played a VERY retro version of the Showcase game from The Price is Right* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 36_web.jpeg]] *Easily the most touching exhibit in the museum is The Star-Spangled Banner -- a darkened room containing this huge and fragile artifact. You can't help but mentally transport to the front lines, battle happening all around you, with the flashes of explosions giving you such brief glimpses that the flag is still flying -- that all was not yet lost.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 37_web.jpeg]] *Saving the most fun for last -- the culture section with so many pop culture artifacts and icons.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 38_web.jpeg]] *For the "Ham Fam" - Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton costume from his appearance in the Original Broadway production.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 39_web.jpeg]] *Tevye's Costume* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 40_web.jpeg]] *Childhood artifacts - Mousketeer ears, Mr. McFeely's postman costume from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 41_web.jpeg]] *Grover was originally not blue!* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 42_web.jpeg]] *Cookie Monster* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 43_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 44_web.jpeg]] *Dorothy's Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 45_web.jpeg]] *I Dream of Jeannie's Bottle* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 46_web.jpeg]] *A bit of dinner after a long day, then we headed back to the hotel.* ## Monuments Walking Tour ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 47_web.jpeg]] *The Lincoln Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 48_web.jpeg]] *The Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 49_web.jpeg]] *Vietnam War Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 50_web.jpeg]] *Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 51_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 52_web.jpeg]] *Looking across to the Jefferson Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 53_web.jpeg]] *Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 54_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 55_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 56_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 57_web.jpeg]] *Thomas Jefferson Memorial* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 58_web.jpeg]] *Bureau of Engraving and Printing* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 59_web.jpeg]] *United States Holocaust Museum - popular with school tours this day, one we'll return for on another trip.* ## Smithsonian Museum of Natural History ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 60_web.jpeg]] *A very quick pop into the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 61_web.jpeg]] ## National Gallery of Art ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 62_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 63_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 64_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 65_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 66_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 67_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 68_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 69_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 70_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 71_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 72_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 73_web.jpeg]] *Making our way to the East Building* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 74_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 75_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 76_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 77_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 78_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 79_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 80_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 81_web.jpeg]] ## National Archives - US Constitution , Declaration of Independence ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 82_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 83_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 84_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 85_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 86_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 87_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 88_web.jpeg]] *President Richard Nixon's letter of resignation.* ## Spy Museum ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 89_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 90_web.jpeg]] *Another Hamilton sighting -- this time Christopher Jackson who played George Washington in the original Broadway cast.* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 91_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 92_web.jpeg]] *We got the add-on to see a collection of James Bond movie vehicle props* ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 93_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 94_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 95_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 96_web.jpeg]] ## Waterfront We walked down to the waterfront for our final meal, and a Jazz Festival was going on so we had some food on a nice patio with lots of tunes happening around us. ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 97_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 98_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 99_web.jpeg]] ![[2024-09 Washington DC Visit - 100_web.jpeg]] *Outside our hotel catching a very early ride back to the airport to head back home!*