DC: Day One, Pt 4--American History Museum

The Smithsonian Museum of American History was the museum I had most anticipated seeing--and it was surprising that it was not the pinnacle American history geek-out I thought it would be. The exhibits were very modern and well done, but they focused more on stories and didn't seem to actually have much. . . stuff on display. It wasn't like what I remembered loving as a tween on my previous visit--so perhaps the sophistication of modern museum displays lose some of the imaginative engagement that happens when you are confronted by the objects on their own? When they are allowed to speak for themselves? ,

Still, there was plenty of great stuff to geek out over. Like this:

And of course we enjoyed seeing the First Ladies' collection:

My two favorite china patterns and colors:

Fun intersections with our family studies--which also pointed ahead to road trip destinations to come:

George Washington's dress uniform.

Pieces of the rubble of the fallen Twin Towers. 

More Berlin Wall!

Congressional Gold Medal, 2010. As the placard read: "Nearly seventy years after the end of WWII, the U.S. Congress presented the nation's highest civilian honor to Japanese American soldiers who served with the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service. 'Go For Broke,' the phrase that appears on the front of the medal, was the motto of the 442nd. It captures the risk-everything ethos of the Japanese-American soldiers who served during the war."

WWII propaganda posters. Anyone else see Darth?

Merry as Rosie the Riveter.

Early American corn. I've seen lots of beautiful "Indian corn" but I've never seen such technicolored corn in nature.

Keeping it real: I did enjoy this museum very much, esp. the Star Spangled Banner. But the slight feeling of let-down from my nostalgia-fueled expectations was not helped by the extremely rude museum staff when it was time to go. With 15 minutes before the museum closed, staff was herding people out, loudly and not nicely. Well, ok, I get that--you do what you gotta do to do what you need to do. But they were so abrupt and uncompromising that many people were then left with only one bathroom to use before exiting the building. We knew all the museums and government buildings would be closed once we exited, and we needed to use facilities before walking blocks to the Metro, then waiting for trains, riding in rush-hour traffic back to Arlington, and then waiting for the hotel shuttle. . . it could be a while before we had another opportunity! We still had 8 minutes before the museum was officially closed, but when I entered the one open ladies' room with the girls, there was a woman already mopping the floor and yelling at people to get out. Well, that was not ok with me, so I calmly but firmly told her we were going to use it, and we did, while she berated us and the other women in there. I thought it was completely unreasonable the way we were treated, and I will be writing the museum to say so. Humph. ; )

So all in all, that was quite the day of highs and lows!  With such an early start, we were glad to be done, and satisfied with such a fun-filled day. We got back to the hotel, ate food I had there in our room, and had a relaxing evening, resting and getting psyched for Day Two in our nation's capitol.