National Mall Museums-Washington D.C.
Overview
The biggest problem with the visiting the District is that there is so much to do. A week is not enough time to see everything that it has to offer. Therefore, it is all about picking and choosing places that are most important for you to see personally.
The National Mall has over 20 different places of interest, museums, and statues. The museums alone can take anywhere from 2 hours to a full day to go through properly. My favorite is the Nation Museum of Art but more about that later.
Budgeting is not an issue in seeing any of the museum because they are all Free, therefore, cost is not an issue. But start at the Castle which opens earlier then the others and has lots of great information about the District.
Start your day here!!!!!
Most museums are open about 10 am and close about 5:30 pm during the winter and 7:30 pm during the summer. All museums are closed Christmas Day and government shut downs.
All the museums have areas for children to do activities but the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum have the best areas for children, in my opinion.
Most of the museums have cell phone stations, coat and/or bag checks, and/or lockers for rent. I found this very nice when I did not want to carry around my purchases at the end of the day or to do a quick charge of my phone.
Most museums have security check points with a bag search and/or metal detectors. Security can take some time and lines form at the front doors and can be long. But I have found that most of the museums have side and/or back doors which you have the same security but shorter lines. And bonus, less steps to go up.
The museums and spots of interest for the National Mall Museums are listed from right of the Washington Monument on Jefferson Drive SW up to the Ulysses S Grant Memorial and back to the Washington Monument on Madison Drive NW and below is a list:
- Freer Gallery of Art
- S Dillon Ripley Center
- Smithsonian Castle
- Sackler Gallery
- African Art Museum
- Arts and Industries
- Carousel
- Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden
- Hirshhorn Museum
- National Air and Space Museum
- National Museum of the American Indian
- U.S. Botanic Garden
- Garfield Statue
- Ulysses S Grant Memorial
- Capital Reflecting Pool
- Peace Statue
- National Gallery of Art (East and West Building)
- National Sculpture Garden
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
(Note: there are more museums but I am only showing those in the National Mall in this post to keep items in one walking area at a time. Later, posts will include other areas of the District.)
Tip: Do plan to walk several miles during your day. As it is 1.2 miles between the Capitol Steps and the Washington Monument with museums that are several floors high and lots of rooms of exhibits.
Freer Gallery of Art
The Freer Gallery of Art is one of two museums of Asian Art. Arthur M. Slackler Gallery is the other one. In the center of the building, they have a little garden area to sit and relax in. They also have lockers which was very handy. I bought too many books at many places and it was getting heavy. But don’t count on getting one because they only have a few.
Buddhism art is scattered through out the building from different cultures including Japanese and Chinese. The four noble truths: Dukkha (truth of suffering), Samudaya (truth of the origin of suffering), Nirodha (truth of the cessation of suffering), and Magga (truth of the path to the cessation of suffering) are displayed in statues, tapestries, paintings, and other works of art. The detail work of the four noble truths in art should not be missed.
I enjoyed all the different materials that were included in the art work such as jade, paper, stone, tapestries, silk, wood, etc. And the mixing of materials.
S.Dillon Ripley Center
This is a little building between the Freer Gallery and the Castle. I walked down into it but it really did not have all that much. I would skip it.
The Smithsonian Castle
This is the place to start your first day in the District. The Castle is the home of the Smithsonian Visitor Center and opens at 8:30 am. It houses displays from all the museums for a taste of what you will see in them. It was also the first building in the National Mall in 1880.
The Castle offers in house experts who can direct you on: what events are happening that day and during your stay such as musicians, talks, walking tours, museum tours, etc. (Note: all events are free to the public.)
The Castle also has a nice cafe to grab a cup of joe or tea as you plan your day out, if you are like me and don’t pre plan but plan for the day depending on how your back is feeling. But pre planning is important in the District as you don’t want to miss the one thing that you want to do or walk more then you have too.
Don’t miss the garden in the back! It has both the Sackler Gallery and African Art Museums opening. Both are easy to miss if you are not looking for them.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
The Sackler Gallery located behind the Castle to the right. It looks very small but once you enter the building and it has lot of stuff on several floors under ground.
The gallery has great pieces of artwork that goes down from the ceiling to the floor several stories down called the Monkeys Grasp for the Moon. You don’t even realize that you are underground.
I really liked all the art work that showed family life. A few had the family dog or cat playing and others showed different animals specially the birds.
African Art Museum
The African Art Museum is located behind the Castle to the left and across from the Sackler Gallery. It look small but like the Sackler Gallery opens up to several floors below ground.
I love the colors in this museum art and the wood work. Also, the museum houses 525 objects donated by Walt Disney World Company in 2005. It was originally bought by Disney in 1984, to create a permanent exhibition in Epcot but plans changed. Disney was loaning out the collect to different exhibits and publications before donating them to the Smithsonian.
Arts and Industries Building
The Arts and Industries Building was the first United State National Museum. Opened in 1881, but I have never been in it. I will keep trying but it was closed in 2004, for major repairs and only reopened in 2015.
This was the Nations leading museum for inventions when it was first opened. It showcase the latest ideas of the time through the years including the steam engine, light bulb, and telephone. It also held everything from dinosaurs to the Apollo rockets. It is currently hosting activities as plans are being made for its future use.
Smithsonian Carousel
Across the street from the Art and Industrial Building is a Carousel. In was open in 1967, but was replaced in 1981 with a larger one due to the wear and tear of the original one.
This is one of the few items that are not free. It is currently $3.50 per person. I was at the Zoo the same day and did that Carousel but nothing like going back a few years and enjoying a ride. (Ok, more the a few years. Eye roll.)
Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden
The Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden has two areas. Next to the Carousel and across the street to the left of the Hirshhorn Museum. You can almost miss the part next to the Carousel as you see a sculpture but the steps down to the Garden a bit hidden, if you are not looking for them.
Walking down about two stories, you have a garden with lots sculptures. Not so much trees, bushes, or flowers but grass with sculptures on it. It is very cool.
But across the street to the left of the museum is more items on display. Also look up because some of the Sculptures are larger then a three story building.
Hirshhorn Museum
The Hirshhorn Museum is an very changing landscape of art work. Joseph Hirshhorn amassed art work of modern and contemporary art from known artist and developing artist while he was alive. The legacy he left behind was that the Hirshhorn Museum actively acquires new art work across the world and medias.
The Museum includes new acquisitions and items original donated by Joseph Hirshhorn. Mr. Hirshhorn original donations are rotated and could be out of the public view for over a decade. Check it out each time you go to the District.
Personally, I love some of this museum but other parts leave me wondering how it can be called art. But I am not an art student. I always believed that art has to talk to you and if you are buying a piece, then you have to love it.
The thing that I love most about the Museum is the building itself. It is like a donuts with a hole in the middle. In the middle, a fountain is center stage and on the inside windows all around. The walls on the outside of the museum are used for video art at times.
History Brief
Joseph Hirshhorn was born in Mitau, Latvia. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 6 years old. He made his money first in the stock market but sold off his stock a few months before the 1929 crash. He then turned to mining and oil business.
But as soon as he started making money; he started to buy art work both paintings and sculptures. His collection included Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, Raphael Soyer, Jackson Pollock, Richard Bernstein, and more. He would allow many nonprofit groups to do tours of his sculpture garden in his Greenwich mason for fundraisers.
In 1966, he donated over 6,000 paintings and sculptures to the United States Government plus a $2 million endowment. The Smithsonian Institution established the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to house his collection of art. The museum opened in 1974. On his death in 1981, he willed an additional 6,000 plus works of art and $5 million endowment to the museum.
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum is every boys dream and many girls. Every time I have gone to the District, this is the place that every boy (last one was almost fifty years old) that I have gone with had on their must do list. (Ladies, this should be after you get to your first choose.)
Currently, it is going under major changes but it is open during those changes. One of the things that is gone is the McDonald’s, Boston Market, and Donatos Pizza that was on one side of the building.
Walking through the door, all you have to do is look up and you will find aircraft, rockets, and other air and space items. It is almost overwhelming to take in. There is also an observatory outside on the southeast terrace and an IMAX Theater.
The Wright brothers have a whole room but I think that everyone has forgotten about how important they are at this point. It has been over hundred years since that first human fly. Over seventy years, since commercial flights became standard way of traveling. Over fifty years, since we walked on the moon. But this museum is the one that gets everyone heart beating.
This is the museum not to miss!!!
National Museum of the American Indian
The National Museum of the American Indian has one of the coolest building around. It curvilinear architecture and a water feature around part of the building. It also has a nice sitting area as your walking out of the museum to the left.
Start your stay at the Lelawi Theater with a 13 minute presentation. This Museum is a show of the Native American spirit and the ability for groups to work together to create a place to show case life from a Native American perspective for several different groups.
Native Americans are very different from tribe to tribe with different knowledge, religions, and skills sets. The Museum has done a wonderful job in trying to include many of the Native American tribes and the tribes lifestyles.
United States Botanic Gardens
The United States Botanic Gardens was a dream of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. It was established in the National Mall by Congress in 1820 but by 1837, the organization stopped holding meetings. In 1842, the Wilkes Expedition brought a collection of living plants from around the world.
In 1850, the Gardens opened to the public and has been in continuous operations. In 1933, the Botanic Garden moved to its present location. It includes an area outside with a wonderful stream going through it with lots of diversity of plant and tree life.
The conservatory includes lots of plants, trees, fruits, etc. The area that I really liked was mint and other spices. In the tropical forest area, you can go up three floors to look at the trees in detail. It is neat to be able to see the trees from the bottom to the top branches.
Garfield Statue
Across the street from the Botanic Garden is the Garfield Statue. President for only a few months, we never known what he could have done. The statue was commissioned only three years after his death but was not in its current place until 1975.
History Brief
The 20th president of the United States, James Garfield served from March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881. During his short presidency, he resurgence of presidential authority in executive appointments, purged corruption in the Post Office, and appointed a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
He was shot on July 2, 1881, but didn’t actually die until September due to unsterilized fingers and instruments use in trying to remove the bullet. An infection started shortly after which later killed him.
Garfield had disregard security even through Lincoln had been shot and killed sixteen years earlier. A sad twist of fate was that Robert Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln’s son, was at the railroad station when Garfield was shot as he was at the time the 35th U.S. Secretary of War.
Ulysses S. Grant Memorial & Capital Reflecting Pool
Across the street from the Garfield Statue and in front of the U.S. Capital is the Ulysses S Grant Memorial and the Capital Reflecting Pool.
The Grant memorial is in line with Lincoln’s Memorial and is the considered one of the most important sculptures in Washington D.C.. It is the 2nd largest equestrian statue in the United States and the 4th larges in the world.
In the 1890’s, the Society of the Army of the Tennessee started collection money and pushing to erect the monument. The work started in 1902 and was completed in 1921. Henry Shrady was with sculptor and it took him almost 20 years to complete. He died 2 weeks before its dedication from stress and overwork.
The reflecting pool was completed in 1971. It is a great place to sit and watch the wild life including mallard ducks, geese, baby ducks and geese, squirrels, birds, and lots of dogs being walked by their owners.
Beware of this wild life pirates! They are not afraid of you and will try and take your food and shining items.
Peace Statue
Located across from the reflecting pool and Grant Memorial is the Peace Statue. On the top are to females, Grief and History. The other female is Victory. The infants are Mars (the god of war) and Neptune (the god of the sea).
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art has two buildings. The first is across the street from the Peace Statue is the East Building which houses the modern art and the West Building which houses more of the classic paintings.
One of the things that I like about this the most is that they have an underground tunnel with a cafe so you don’t have to leave the buildings to get to the other one. This is great on cold and/or raining days plus it has a great water feature outside the cafe.
The East Building is open and airy with little rooms all around. The exhibits also change as they are always collecting more items and exposing new artist.
The West Building is all the classic artist. My favorites are Edgar Degas Little Dancer sculptor and several other art works of his. A few Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Picasso, and so many more.
The West Building is a place that I always visit when I am in town. I just love a few pieces that I have to look at again and again. But I love the Francisco de Goya called The Marquesa de Pontejos which is part of Andrew W Mellon Collection but most importantly, it has a pug in it. Just too cute.
Tip: Try the back doors or side doors on these places because the lines are shorter and your don’t have to go up a lot of stairs.
National Sculpture Garden
The National Sculpture Garden is across the street from the West Building of the National Art Gallery. It has a little cafe without door seating. This is a nice walking area with different sculptures.
In the winter, the fountain becomes an ice rink, so bring your skates. In the summer, every Friday night from 5 pm to 8:30 pm, the garden has a Jazz Program with a free concerts.
National History Museum
Next door to the National Sculpture Garden, the National History Museum includes exhibits of skeletons and/or stuffed animals, birds, and sea life. If you are walking in the front door, an African Bush Elephant greets you.
On the second floor is a Butterfly Pavilion which I have never seen because I am never made it when it was open because I generally visit in the winter and fall. They have a bee hive that come out of the building and you can watch the bees.
Check out the event calendar, they have live tarantula feeding and other events during the day. This museum has a lot of hands on activities for the children.
I have two favorite items in this museum: the mummy area (not very big and next to the bug area) and Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals.
I love looking at the gem and mineral areas of the museum. They have a collection of gems which includes the Hope Diamond, rubies, sapphires, pearls, emeralds, jade, amethyst, opals, turquoise, topaz, amber, quartz, etc.
I believe that my love of rocks comes from collecting pretty ones and shells at the beach as a child and seeing the Hope Diamond. I believe that it was on tour in the late early 90’s and I went to a gem and mineral show across from the Pasadena City Mall.
It was a big deal but I was not all that impressed. I love looking at quartz, amethyst, crystal looking items, other rocks, meteorites, and minerals. I don’t know why I like pretty rocks it must be the women in me…lol.
Rose Quartz is my favorite! With interesting rocks like Unakite, purple Spodumene, Agate, Amber, Opals, and Amethyst in rocks. Pretty rocks with interest colors or thing in them or stories.
History Brief
The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous jewels in the world and is said to hold a curse. The diamond is a rare blue color and weighs 45.52 carats, i.e. it is about the size of a child’s fist.
It is believed to come from India original and appeared in France in 1666 and it was first cut. The original cut was called the French Blue and was sold to King Louis XIV in 1668. In 1749, Louis XV had it reset.
In 1791 or 1792, it was stolen during the French revolution and recut into the Hope Diamond to try and prevent it from being identified as the French Blue.
The name Hope came from the London banking family that owned it in 1839. Through the years, the diamond has had lots of owners and legend has it that it brings misfortune to anyone that owns it.
The legend says that in 1653, when a French merchant Jean Baptiste Travernier obtained the original 115 caret blue diamond in India from one of the eyes of a Hindu idol and that later he as mauled to death by dogs. (He actually died peacefully after he retired.
King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette lost their heads to the guillotine but the original owner, King Louis XIV had nothing happened to him. Henry Hope bought it in 1839, but nothing happened to him but descendant, Lord Francis Hope, married an American showgirl. He lived beyond his means. He was forced into bankruptcy and had to sell the Hope Diamond. He died in poverty.
A few more owners then Pierre Cartier obtained it and sold it to Evalyn Walsh McLean. The curse skipped Cartier but many believe that he started the curse rumors to increase the value of the Diamond.
Ms. Evalyn Walsh McLean, a Washington socialite, bought it in 1912. After the purchase, her son was killed in a car accident and her daughter committed suicide. Her husband left her for another and was later put in an insane asylum.
Henry Winston bought the diamond from the estate in 1949 and donated it to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in 1958. Winston and the museum seem to have skipped the curse but James Todd did not.
James Todd was the postman that delivered the Hope Diamond to the museum. Winston sent the Hope Diamond, currently valued between 250 and 350 million dollars, in a simple posted envelope through the U.S. Postal Service.
After delivery the Hope Diamond, James Todd was hit by a truck but it did not kill him. His wife and dog died shortly afterwards and his home caught fire. But the Hope Diamond curse is like the Kennedy curse. Is it really a curse or is it the people that are involved.
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History, next door to the Museum of History. The exhibits and items include:
- the Ruby Slippers from the Wizard of OZ
- Examining how transportation modes in the US shaped our country: a few locomotives, cars, etc.
- Bell’s graphophone
- Eidson’s phonograph
- Apple’s iPod
- Gowns from first lady’s
And my favorite was an area was an exhibit called Magnificent Obsessions: Why We Collect. It tells stories of book collectors who shared their obsessions of rare books, manuscripts, and other items with the Smithsonian Libraries. These are the people who donated items and the reasons behind their donations. One of the items is the Wonder Women’s 1942 debut cover.
This museum also has a lot of hands on items for children and get onto and into train cars and other things is a lot of fun. Fun things like looking at old ads, our wars, how our food as changed in the US, and just a lot of things.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is next to the National Museum of American History. It only opened in the last few years. I have yet to go through it.
It has time entry passes that you can sign up for 3 months in advance. About 6:30 am, the museum releases tickets online for the same day.
This building is cool but I forgot to get a picture…lol But check out this web site.