WASHINGTON DC – museums and memories
Saturday – Today everything is OPEN so it will be full on with history – that means National Archives – Natural History – American History. The last two courtesy of the Smithsonian where admittance is free! Everything is within walking distance of our hotel and after Crazy Joe the cabbie yesterday, that can only be a good thing. Another good night’s sleep and a quick look out the window – the weather does not look promising, lots of grey clouds – but we will be under cover for most of the time so let’s press on. Maccas brekky of the usual and then it’s away we go.
Heading towards our first stop we come across two iconic landmarks – looking right at the top of the Mall is the Capitol Building and looking left is the Washington Monument. In between there is a great expanse of green grass called the National Mall.
This will not be the only time we see these, but I will put them here because it is the first time we have seen them. Of course, true to form the Monument is under renovation but more about that later. Patches of blue sky are starting to appear and the morning cloud and mist is disappearing. Fabulous to think that we are within walking distance of all these wonderful buildings.
Ten minutes from here is our first stop – The National Archives. More informally known as Archives 1, this building houses the originals of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
It also houses an original version of the 1297 Magna Carter (Great Charter), not the one signed by King John and the Barons at Runnymede – that was 1215; this is the one signed by Edward I.
The Archives open at 9am and we are some of the first people in line (gee that’s a surprise). All of the above important documents are displayed at no charge in the main chamber called the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
Once inside, there are many armed guards watching everyone. There are no lines to see the individual documents and we can walk from one to another in our own time. There is no photography of any kind allowed – and looking at those guards I certainly do not even want to try a sneak attack. For over 30 years, flash photography was forbidden, but with the advent of digital cameras with automatic flashes along with their automatic fools of owners have made the rules increasingly difficult to enforce. As a result, all filming, photographing, and videotaping by the public in the exhibition areas has been prohibited. This annoys the tripe out of me that idiots spoil it for the rest of us who would do the right thing. But enough – –
Over time of course the ink has deteriorated and it is a strain to read but I can make out what is what. Incredible to see the original signatures of so many people from history, who actually stood before these charters and with pen in hand signed their names for all to see hundreds of years later. Once we have examined everything we head upstairs to the shop – of course. There are other parts of the Archives to explore – for a fee – but we have seen what we came to see. The usual souvenirs are purchased and we are then on our way to the next adventure.
The Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History. Located across the road and a short walk is this wonderful Museum. All of the Smithsonian’s are Government operated so imagine our thoughts when the Government shut down. But all is well with the world today as we will get to see all the treasures that are on our list. With free admission and open doors 364 days a year, it is the most visited natural history museum in the world. Opened in 1910, the museum on the National Mall was one of the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to hold the national collections and research facilities.
The museum’s collections total over 126 million specimens – and no – we will not see all of them today, however we will see plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks and cultural pieces. The brochure tells me that there were 7.4 million visitors in 2009 – now that is serious tourism. But enough explanation – let’s start looking.
First sign that gets my notice is Ancient Egypt and being a closet Egyptologist I head in that direction. Labelled ‘Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt’ it concentrates on Death and the Afterlife. This was a most important time in an ancient’s life. It was the hope of every Egyptian to acquire a successful passage through death and it’s trial to the afterlife. Steps to help this process were that the mummified body be placed in a well-equipped tomb, decorated with prayers and images to guide the deceased on the difficult path ahead. If all went well, the deceased would become a spirit in the Green Fields of eternity, while the soul joined the gods as a star in the sky and the mummy lived on in the tomb forever. The workmanship that went into some of the smaller items is remarkable – certainly they did their best to appease the gods.
Something that would certainly appease me is what we see on our next stop – The Hope Diamond. Renowned for its flawless clarity, rare deep blue colour and eventful history, it is surrounded by sixteen white diamonds and suspended from a platinum chain bearing another forty six diamonds.
It has a long recorded history, in which it changed hands numerous times on its way from India to France to Britain and eventually to the United States, where it has since been regularly on public display. It has been described as the ‘most famous diamond in the world’ although sometimes called unlucky for those who own it. I suppose you could call Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette unlucky!
Displayed in the Harry Winston Gallery – it is just a small trinket – but yep, I certainly would be happy having that hanging around my neck! I am trying to think of a way to get it out of here without the guards noticing – but alas – no plan springs to mind – and I certainly do not want to end up enjoying the hospitality of the US gaol system. We move on – – to the Geology, Gems and Minerals displayed in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall.
After one of the largest renovations ever undertaken by the Smithsonian Institution, the geology hall opened in 1997 with nearly 3,500 exhibits. It now houses more than 10,000!
Left – the Dom Pedro Aquamarine – 10363 carats from Brazil. The original crystal was almost two feet in length and weighed nearly 28 kg. In the centre is a collection of different specimens and on the right is a quartz amethyst. Spectacular to say the least.
From gems to dinosaurs. It is time to enter the Jurassic Age and say hello to a few well known inhabitants.
There are quite a few people here – dinosaurs always seem to have that magic about them to make people go into a trance and just stare at them. The area here is really rather small – I do believe there are plans underfoot to thoroughly renovate this area and have it finished by 2019 – just a tad too late for us.
From triceratops to t-rex to stegosaurus – they are all here playing happy families. I wonder if they get up to antics like the movie Night at the Museum! Mammoths and sabre-tooth cats are also on display – the kids just love them.
The sign says ‘The Biggest Collection of Marine Life on the Earth’ so of course, we go to check it out. Yep, sure is a big display – everything from Polar Bears – coral reefs and tropical inhabitants – jelly fish – if it lives in the water – it is here, but let’s explore.
On entering we look up and there is a precise replica of a 45-foot-long North Atlantic Right Whale, named Phoenix. What a pretty girl. Phoenix has been tracked by scientists since her birth in 1987.
The tropical tanks are wonderful and of course there is Nemo and his friends – so much colour in the oceans that most of us never get to see.
From multi colour corals to the brilliant colours of the marine life – it is hard to walk away, but walk away we must, we still have loads more to see. From Nemo we go to things with big teeth or big beaks – this is certainly not a relaxing hall! Hippo heads, grizzly bears, leaping tigers and leopards up trees with their prey are all located in the Mammal Hall. Looking at stuffed animals just does nothing for me. Don’t get me wrong, they are interesting and they all have a part to play in education but I prefer to see my wildlife au natural. I did not take many photos in this hall so the only one I will post will be the ‘yawning’ hippo.
NATGEO LESSON : Hippopotamuses love water, which is why the Greeks named them ‘river horse’. They spend up to 16 hours a day submerged in rivers and lakes to keep their massive bodies cool under the hot African sun. Funnily enough they are graceful in water, good swimmers, and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes, however, they are often large enough to simply walk or stand on the lake floor, or lie in the shallows. Their eyes and nostrils are located high on their heads, which allows them to see and breathe while mostly submerged.
Hippos also bask on the shoreline and secrete an oily red substance, which gave rise to the myth that they sweat blood. The liquid is actually a skin moistener and sunblock that may also provide protection against germs. Slip, slop, slap the African way!
When a hippo ‘yawns’ it is not because he is tired – he is showing his aggression to another male by a display of threat. You come here – I will bite you in half – or something like that.
Our last little visit at this wonderful place is with one of the stone figures from Easter Island. This figure is called a moai. Carved at a single quarry on the tiny isolated Island in the South Pacific, they were transported over roads and then raised onto a stone temple platform, most of which were placed along the coast.
They faced inland to watch over their communities and represented ancestors who brought benefits to their living descendants. In ceremonies, people inserted white coral and red scoria rock into the eyes to activate the figures. Most of the figures and ceremonial sites were toppled during social disturbances in the 17th century.
These figures always amaze me – they have no character as such – just a never ending stare that either looks to the past or to the future.
Just a short walk from Natural History is the Smithsonian Museum of American History. The museum collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the U.S.A in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history, so says Wikipedia.
Entering the main gates our first stop is to pay homage to two icons of the American Film Industry – Miss Bette Davis – the great lady herself and Harry Potter. Two more different characters you will never see. For all of you who have watched ‘Now Voyager’ the ‘borrowed wings’ butterfly cape of Miss Davis is on display. The film is in black and white and I always imagined it was a golden colour but red it is. I am shocked.
Now Voyager is a great movie and if you have not watched it, then hire or buy a copy and do so. Walt Whitman inspired the naming of the film with the quote ‘The untold want by life and land ne’er granted, Now, voyager, sail thou forth, to seek and find’. I can say that I am sailing forth and finding!
I am not ashamed to say I love Harry Potter. Well, not him personally but the films. They are an incredible journey from light to dark and I still listen to the audio books. I hear you say ‘you really should get a life’ well my life is fine – thank you for your concern.
One of my ‘bucket list’ places to visit is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida. To wander the streets of Diagon Alley, to visit Honeydukes and to order a butter beer at The Three Broomsticks are just some of the many activities you can enjoy – but I digress. I will save the Potter commentary for when I actually visit Harry, Ron and Hermione!
Back to reality and the Gunboat Philadelphia. In October 1776, American troops in a ragtag collection of newly built boats faced an advancing line of British ships on Lake Champlain in New York. The Americans, under the command of Benedict Arnold, were forced to retreat, but not before they fought the British to a standstill. One of the American vessels, the Philadelphia, sank during the battle and rested on the bottom of the lake until 1935. It was recovered that year with much of its equipment intact and came to the Museum in 1964, complete with the 24-pound ball that sent the gunboat to the bottom.
To stand in front of a vessel that actually made her home on the bottom of the ocean and then saw light of day again is incredible.
There are so many items on display; the uniforms of George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Audie Murphy (refer to Arlington if you don’t know who he is). There is also an exhibition dedicated to the First Ladies. Many pieces are on display but the central point is the more than two dozen gowns from the Smithsonian’s almost 100-year old First Ladies Collection, including those worn by Jacqueline Kennedy, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama.
A section titled “Changing Times, Changing First Ladies” highlights the roles played by Dolley Madison, Mary Lincoln, Edith Roosevelt, and Lady Bird Johnson and their contributions to their husband’s administrations. It is interesting to consider the roles that the First Ladies played in their husband’s Presidency. Pictured on the right is the yellow silk gown worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1961 at the JFK administration’s first State Dinner. How elegant and I don’t think there has been anyone in the White House since that would outclass this lady. Truly a Camelot time in American politics.
Now time for two more icons – Kermit the Frog and Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. This museum has a multitude of surprises around every turn! Kermit – well everyone knows and loves Kermit.
Kermit (or Kermy to his friends) is Jim Henson’s most famous Muppet. It is hard to believe, but Kermit was introduced in 1955. You are kidding me! Kermy is that old? He doesn’t look a day over 18. He starred in Sesame Street and of course The Muppet Show and continues to have a rather saucy liaison with Miss Piggy.
Also known for his vocal ability, Kermit had a hit single with the song ‘Rainbow Connection’ not to mention his rendition of ‘It’s not Easy Being Green’.
This display does not do him justice. He should have been relaxing on a lily pad with his banjo!
The famous Ruby Slippers of Dorothy in the 1939 classic – The Wizard of Oz – one of the greatest movies of all time starring one of the greatest female stars of all time – Judy Garland.
Because of their iconic stature, they are now among the most treasured and valuable of all film memorabilia. Did you know that for important film props, it was customary to make more than one for the film? Well, although the exact number is unknown, five pairs of slippers are known to have survived; one pair was stolen in August 2005 and has never been recovered.
TRIVIA TIME – in the original novel, Dorothy wore Silver Shoes but in the movie they were changed to Ruby Red to take advantage of the new technicolour film process. Yep, definitely a smart move.
This museum is laden with treasures from all walks of life including everyday living – cookery – kitchens – house interiors etc but with a click of our heels and whispering the phrase ‘there’s no place like home’ it is time to leave and head back to the hotel.
After the long day of walking we take the easy option for dinner – The Golden Arches – and then it is into the shower and bed before we start all over again tomorrow!
Highlight of the day – The Hope Diamond – and I never did figure a way to stash it in my bag!