Monday, May 28, 2012

We Step Foot On the National Mall

We have SO MANY pictures from this trip, it is hard to pick and choose.  Already I am thinking of pictures I want to add to day one!  Oh well.

Day Two

Our second morning in DC (my birthday!) started with a walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Navy Memorial. I didn't even know this memorial existed until a few weeks before our trip. It was something I stumbled across as I was looking at maps, planning our days, walking routes, etc. It was especially powerful and important to us because Drew's father, a Navy veteran from WWII, recently passed away.

Next, we crossed over to the National Mall and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Lots to see and lots to do!  And we felt well prepared: Stephanie did a project on the "space race" between the USSR & America for her American History final; Samuel did a unit study on space and space travel in science this year; and we had watched Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian a few days before we left for DC... what more could you ask for?

The Apollo 11 Command Module!  (I'm geeking out)
This guy did a lot of "flying"
So did this guy, but on a more realistic level
The ancient astronomy exhibit was my favorite
Our picture with a Thermal Imaging Camera

How Things Fly

"And what planet is that?  And what planet is that?"
The big kids' favorite part of Air & Space was the flight simulator.  They were in a F-16 Fighting Falcon - Stephanie was the pilot and Samuel was the gunner.  The pilot turned them upside-down three times, while the gunner shot down an enemy plane with a heat-seeking missile!  Alas, no pictures allowed...

After lunch, we made our way to the National Archives.  I admit that when I planned the trip, I expected this to be a little boring for the kids - especially the boys.  But I was so excited about seeing THE Declaration of Independence, THE Constitution, etc., etc. that I figured they could just deal. It was my birthday after all :-) And being in that rotunda, with all the historical documents was amazing and very powerful - it was my favorite part of the entire day.  However, there was so much more to see and do there that everyone enjoyed the tour.  We stayed much longer than I could have imagined.  Of course, no photography.

We ended the day with a brief time at the Museum of the American Indian.  Definitely could have spent more time here; it will be top of our list next time we travel to DC.
There were exhibits for many of the Indian nations, each curated by members of the tribesOur time was limited, so we didn't get to see all of them, but this was one I made sure to see.  My Papaw Creighton always claimed to be Blackfoot.
 
A totem from the northwest and a statue of friendship, recognizing the help some tribes gave the colonists during the Revolutionary War.  (Yes, that's George Washington.)

We made our way back to the hotel with a stroll past Capitol Hill.  Another full day and we were ready to rest! And eat cheesecake; did I mention it was my birthday?

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