The Smithsonian and other museums etc.

Today we went our separate ways to take in the museums which interested us personally.

Jane - I started with the Native American Museum.  This is located in a very interestingly designed building, all curves and with the upper floors overhanging lower floors.  It is 4 floors high.

The Smithsonian

There are exhibits of all native american peoples, including north and south american.  Lots of video presentations with native americans speaking of their culture.  The similarities with our own indigenous peoples culture is quite evident, although on different continents.  This seemed particularly so with their relationship to their land and the environment in general. It was only a short walk down the National Mall to my next destination.

I enjoyed a leisurely lunch at the Pavillion Cafe in the National Art Gallery Sculpture Garden.  I couldn't resist the Monte Cristo - turkey, corn beef, melting cheese and seeded mustard in a buttery toasted sandwich.  All this while watching the lunch time skaters in the adjacent skating rink.

I then went to the American Museum of Natural History.  The building is huge with a very imposing and impressive front entry, all stairs and columns.  I started off with visiting the mammal exhibit hall.  A stunning exhibit with north American and African animals, amongst others.  I could have bought a stuffed Koala in the gifit shop - I passed.

Next it was on to the Ocean exhibit and surprise, surpise I met up with Vara, Candice and Rhyanna.  Vara pointed me in the direction of the Butterfly and Plant exhibit.  Wow.  A reasonable array of static exhibits and information but for $6.00, I entered the butterfly and plant habitat.  Here were hundreds of gorgeous butterflies living with their favourite plants in a controlled environment (tent with humidifiers etc).  Butterflies of all colours and sizes abounded, a large one with huge circles on its wings landed on my arm, others could be seen feeding on flowers and fruit etc.  Fantasic.

My eyes were about done it by this time so I donned my weatherproof jacket, as it has started to rain for the first time on our holiday, and I walked back along 7th Ave to the hotel.  Another memorable day in Washington DC.

The great thing is, entry in to any Smithsonian Museum etc. is FREE!!

Craig, Vara, Rhyanna and Candice spent the morning at the United States Holocaust Museum. Another moving experience on our trip. We were all sadden by what happend to the Jews and were all quite surprised to learn that this wasn't the first time in history the Jews had been massacred. The museum  had heaps of information about the Holocaust and took us about 3 hours to go through the whole exhibit. It took a lot of reading and made us once again grateful for the life we have today. It also made us realise how EVIL Adolf Hitler actually was and how niave the Jews where. In some parts it said that even when the Jews were waiting in line to go into the gas chamber they had no idea they were going to die.

Craig then went to visit the Air and Space Museum while Vara, Rhyanna and Candice went and visited the American Museum of Natural History. We all enjoyed the museums we visited but Candice thought the Natural History Museum could have been more interactive. There happened to be a photographic exhibition upstair in the Natural History Museum which Candice, Vara and Rhyanna thoroughly enjoyed - some people have amazing talent!