Smithsonian National Museums

#National Museum of American History

The National Museum of American History preserves more 3 million aircrafts. It is amazing to learn American history from the national museum. The National Museum of American History divided in 6 sections. Transformation and Technology, Science and Innovation, American Ideals, American Lives, American Wars and Politics, Entertainment, Sports, and Music. I was impressed by the gallary of American flag called Star-Spangled Banner. On September 14, 1814, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore's Fort Mchehenry raised a huge American flag to celebrate a crucial victory over British forces during the War of 1812. The sight of those "broad stripes and bright stars" inspired Francis Scott Key to write a song that eventually became the United States national anthem. Key's words gave new significance to a national symbol. "The Star-Spanlged Banner" started a tradition through which generations of Americans have invested the flag with their own meanings and memories. The African American History and Culture Muerum Gallary displays various culture of African Americans from Hiphop, Swing, Jazz and Dace. The Price of Freedom (Americans at War) shows war such as Independence, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Cold War, Korea War, and Vietnam War. The American Presidency Gallary and the first ladies gallary are also the great exhibitions.

#The Freer and Whistler Gallary

The juxtaposition of Asian and American art at the Freer Gallary is due largely to the influence of the expatriate American artist James McNeill Whisler on the Detroit industrialist Charles Lang Freer. From their first meeting in 1890, Whistler played an important rold in Freer's aesthetic education. The two developed an enduring friendship tha facilitated Freer's acquisition of what Whistler described in 1899 as a fine collection of Whistler!! The Freer and Whistler Gallary shows synthesis of Western and Asian artistic traditions. There are Tibetan Buddhist art, Gods of Angkor, Ceramics from Southern Japan, Chineses Painting, Ancient Chinesess Pottery and Bronze, Islamic World, Korean Ceramics, scupture of South Asia, and American Art at the Freer and Whistler Gallary.

#S. Dillon Repley Center: International Gallary

From the Arthur M. Sackler Gallary, the statue Monkeys Grasp for the Moon by Xu bing is very interesting. The Chineses saying "Monkey grasp for the Moon" is based on a folktale about monkeys who try to capture the moon's reflection in a pool of water. Monkeys Grasp for the Moon is an installation of word shapes, each one a representation of the word "monkey" rendered in twenty-one languages and writing systems. The words resemble monkeys, stretched at beginning and end to form long tails and arms that link together. Designed for the Arthur M. Sackler Gallary, the monkeys in this unique installation reach from the skylight above the floor far below, where the final monkey hangs poised above a reflecting pool, hoping to catch the moon. When I appreciate the Hindu Temple Sculpture of India, I was interested in their thought. The Hindu temple is considered the home of the enshrined god whose many feats are depicted in sculptural form. Hindu believe that eveyone should aspire to four goals for life on earch: dharma, righteous living; artha, wealth acquired through the pursuit of a profession; kama, human love; and moksha, spiritual salavation. Sculptors adorning Hindu temples address not only spiritual salvation but the three other goals as well.

#The National Museum of African Art

The National Museum of African Art displays Artful animals such as frog, pig, porcupine, rabbit, jackal... Artful animals explores how African artists create striking works of art using images based on an array of domestic and untamed animals. From rock art to contemporary media, animals are used as symbols of leadership, in masquerades and to tell the history and moral values of their markets. This theme include notions of nurturing, power, wisdom, transformation, beauty and aggression. In addition, there are ancient African figures that shows Afican superstition.

-CL