Smithsonian - Washington DC

Most of the Smithsonian Museums are along the National Mall, in between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. There are many Smithsonian Museums in DC, and you would need about 3 days to get through them all. Before we left for DC, we decided we would go to the one that appealed to us both, which was the Air and Space Museum.

When we walked in, my gaze was immediately brought to the ceiling. All throughout the museum, airplanes both designed from the past and present were hanging from the ceiling, as if they were flying through the air. There were many rooms throughout the museum with different air and space subjects contained in them. We went into rooms dedicated to Amelia Earhart, the Wright Bros., the Solar System, the Space Shuttle launches, meteorology, and WWI and WWI aircraft. There was so much cool stuff to see, but my favorite exhibit was probably the simulated weather board.

The Air and Space Museum was very educational, and they had many hand-on exhibits for children, too! I can't speak for other Smithsonians, though, because the Air and Space Museum was the only one we made time to visit.

Whether it's the Air and Space Museum, or any other Smithsonian along the National Mall, I think any of these museums are worth a visit!

Tips on the Smithsonians:
-Take your time when visiting. There is a lot to see!
-Make a choice of one or two Smithsonians to see when you are there. If you try and see all of them, you might not have enough time to see the other sights DC has to offer.

Washington Monument - Washington DC

When I turned my back on the Capitol Building, there it was at the end of the National Mall, the Washington Monument! Standing taller than any other structure in DC, the monument was so regal looking, playing the guard to the city! In fact the Monument is the world's tallest stone structure, and tallest obleisk, standing at over 555 feet! Although there are taller monuments, they are neither all stone or true obleisks.

As we walked up to the Monument, the sight kept getting better and better! Looks can be deceiving because it got more massive than I expected as we got closer! It was beautiful! Some of you many not know that the color changed about half way up the monument. This was due to a lack of money, and also the Civil War. When they resumed construction, they couldn't find the original stones, so they had to settle with a slight change. Personally, I think it adds character, and it will give visitors a story to tell.

If you are looking for a great vantage point of the city, you can go up to the top of the Washington Monument! Tickets are available for purchase only the day you are planning on going to the top, but you want to be sure to buy your tickets early in the morning because when they reach capacity for the day, they stop selling tickets. Though these tickets are free they are usually sold out by late morning. There is another high vantage point of the city in the Old Post Office Pavillion, and these tickets are easier to come by.

Tips on the Wasington Monument:
-The Washington Monument isn't ever too crowded with tourists. Being this structure is outdoors, it is a "come as you will" structure, so people are scattered.