As you may have guessed by the title, this weekend I went and saw the Newseum and the National Geographic Museum. Neither is among the museums or places to visit when you first hear about DC, but these under the radar sites are definitely worth a trip.
The Newseum is close to the mall and the Capitol, right along Pennsylvania Ave. It is pricey, more than $20; however, the ticket is valid for two days. There is a lot to see so you can certainly get your money’s worth. In the basement, or concourse level as they call it, there is part of the Berlin Wall. You are allowed to touch it and it is very cool to get to touch such an important piece of history. Also on the concourse are the pictures of the year. Words can’t really do them justice, so that is a must see if you go. On the ground floor, there is a theatre which shows a short 4D movie about different ways the news was told throughout history. Level 2 is mostly geared towards interactive family activities. Level 3 has a cool map that shows levels of freedom of the press in every country and it also has a section about TV and radio news. Other highlights are a 9/11 gallery with front page newspapers from all over the country and world and a reconstruction of the late Tim Russert’s office right before he died. You can also go on a terrace on the top floor and get a great view of the Capitol and Washington Monument.
The National Geographic Museum is far away compared to most other museums. It costs under $10 which is not bad and it has a few very cool exhibits. The main exhibit is about the race to the South Pole between the British and the Norwegians. The whole exhibit walks through the journey from each captain’s childhood to the actual voyage. The comparison is side by side so you can compare each team’s progress at the same time. There is also a cool exhibit with artifacts from the early Italian civilization, the Etruscans. If you enjoy the magazine, then the museum is definitely something you would enjoy as well.
DR
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