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Post by htmb on Aug 4, 2012 18:18:53 GMT
Since there are no entry charges for Smithsonian museums it is very easy to make occasional short visits. On a hot, humid, stormy afternoon I ducked into the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum located on the Washington, DC Mall. I was thinking this was the new home of the space shuttle "Discovery," and was surprised to learn there is a second museum location in an airplane hangar in Chantilly, Virginia that houses many more air and space artifacts, including the space shuttle. I was very limited when trying to capture images of planes and giant rockets with my little point and shoot camera. Between the enormity of the size of the aircraft and the large crowds of people, many who had also crowded in to get out of the rainstorm, it was a bit of a challenge. I hope others will feel free to add photos to this thread. •••• The wonderful narratives around the museum list the history of display items. Audio guides are also available. •••••• •••• •••• ••• There is a little place to get food outside the museum (though not my favorite stuff). Inside, on the west end of the building, there is a very large food court containing the same restaurant, but offering plenty of healthy food items. The court is well operated and set up to handle large crowds, and the seating area is spacious and clean.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2012 18:35:05 GMT
I know that the Smithsonian is on my brother's list of favourite museums ever. Unfortunately it is still on my list of "things not yet seen" along with all of the other museums in D.C. I hope to remedy this before the decade is out. Thanks for this little taste of it.
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Post by htmb on Aug 4, 2012 19:21:21 GMT
I know that the Smithsonian is on my brother's list of favourite museums ever. Unfortunately it is still on my list of "things not yet seen" along with all of the other museums in D.C. I hope to remedy this before the decade is out. Thanks for this little taste of it. You are very welcome. I also posted photos of the western building of the National Galery of Art and the Sculpture Garden under the Anyport museums section. I should be able to visit the area a couple of times a year for at least the next few years, so plan to add more photos of these as well as other places of interest.
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Post by htmb on Aug 4, 2012 19:24:32 GMT
I'm sure you know this, Kerouac, but for those who don't I should explain that the Smithsonian Institution includes nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoo.
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Post by nycgirl on Aug 7, 2012 4:32:33 GMT
This looks like a fun museum, I'd love to see it. It's great that a place like this is available to the public free of charge. I wonder how they do it.
I read that this museum is the second most visited museum in the world, followed by the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. (The #1 most visited is the Louvre, naturally.)
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 7, 2012 16:03:08 GMT
Great stuff, Htmb, & you did a great job of capturing the craft. I love your pictures!
I feel really dumb, but this was the first time I realized that all the exhibits in this museum were the real thing -- full sized. I knew the Spirit of St. Louis was there, but figured it was such a dinky plane that they could manage the space for it.
It's wonderful that the nation's capital has some museums free to the public. And it's fabulous that you'll have a chance to visit them and are so generous about sharing those visits here. And hey, is Mrs. Obama making a difference, in that there's a McD's with healthful choices in the food court?
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Post by htmb on Aug 7, 2012 16:15:27 GMT
Yes, it was a McDs, but was combined with Boston Market and a pizzeria. Healthy food choices were available for sure (by that I mean healthy "institutional-type" food choices). Yes, the aircraft, missiles, etc, are all full size and, for the most part, they are externally complete. I really wanted to take a photo of the lunar rover, but it is situated behind a glass panel. www.gosmithsonian.com/multimedia/photos/Night-at-the-Museum-NASM.html?c=y&page=3
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