Photo TR: Smithsonian National Museum of American History

[printersdevil78]

For this weekend's adventure, my girlfriend, her daughter and my sister took a rainy, foggy trip a couple hours north to Washington, D.C., to visit the newly renovated Smithsonian National Museum of American History. To be honest, I liked to old version of the museum a lot better... but we'll get to why in the TR. Now on with the photos!

Despite the confusion, when we did finally get our food, it was tremendous! And what better way to close out a D.C. trip report than with a chili half-smoke (half-pork, half-beef smoked sausage) and cheese fries?

 

Thanks for reading!

The paper sign at the right used to read "Who Eats Free at Ben's: Bill Cosby. No one Else." Now "The Obama Family" has been added. His recent visit (he paid for his food anyway) made "The Washington Post." (Sorry again, natatomic.)

It stays crowded all the time, which is unfortunate because the crowds really confuse the people behind the counter (or at least they did the day we were there--they tried to give me a seat separate from our group, then they completely forgot about half our order until we asked where it was). They allow only a certain number of people in the building at any given time, so we had to wait outside for a few minutes while they took care of some to-go orders.

Ben's Chili Bowl! For those who aren't aware, this is probably right up there with the White House, Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial as the most visited attraction in D.C. Yes, it's just a small greasy spoon restaurant in the capital's theatre district, but how many small greasy spoons can boast a client list including Bill Cosby and Barack Obama? (Sorry, natatomic.)

On our way to dinner we stopped by the African-American Civil War memorial. But only because it was on our way to...

At first we thought Nazis were invading the gift shop, but it turned out to be just some family from New Jersey searching for a birthday cake.

So when are we getting this cool hat as a Big Mike Road Show prize?

Air and Space had some Disneyana, as well, in an exhibit about luggage through the years (it sounds boring, but it was much more entertaining than the "entertainment" display at the Museum of American History).

Most of the exhibits were largely unchanged from last year, but I did see a few things I missed before, including this vintage card game.

The Wright Brothers' original airplane got its own special display. It seems to me that when I was a kid it used to hang in the lobby with the others, but I could be mistaken.

...and "Spaceship One" (first commercial plane to exit the stratosphere).

Also uncovered: the "Glamorous Glennis" (first plane to break the sound barrier)...

At the National Air and Space Museum, it was good to see the planes in the entryway, like the "Spirit of St. Louis" (first plane to cross the Atlantic ocean with a single man inside), uncovered. Last time I was there, they had them all draped in plastic for sprinkler repairs.

...and wood!

...the Mall carousel...

...Smithsonian Castle...

...Washington Monument...

Since there was no way we were going to be able to see anything else without EMT (Exclusive Museum Time), we opted to venture outside and make our way to another museum to end the day. On the way we stopped to take in a few sights that could be enjoyed from the outdoors, including the Capitol...

Apparently the day we visited was Smithsonian Appreciation Day. Oh, there were no signs or anything for this, but I visited the same museum with a group back in early February, and it was practically deserted. By the time we made our way through the (un)popular culture exhibit this time, there were roughly 80,000,000 people in the museum and a minimum 45-minute wait for every display. It was so suffocatingly warm that we thought they were going to have to carry us out on this thing!

OK, now it's time for my rant. Last year, while the Museum of American History was still under renovation, they had an exhibit of the museum's most popular items temporarily displayed at the National Air and Space Museum. Most of them were pop culture items. You know, things like the original CP3O and R2D2, Fonzie's leather jacket, the signpost from "M*A*S*H," Mr. Rogers' cardigan, Archie Bunker's chair, etc. I posted photos of it in a TR last year.

 

Flash forward to the new history museum. The pop culture exhibit is crammed into a space the size of my living room on the third floor, and 90 percent of these allegedly "most popular" items are GONE! In fact, besides the ruby slippers, the only items in the temporary (formerly permanent) display that made the cut in the new area are Kermit the Frog and Minnie Pearl's hat. In place of all this other really, really great stuff are--are you ready for this?--a display on hip-hop in the 1980s and an exhibit on the history of women's basketball uniforms! Also not on display? A sample of the crack the Smithsonian people were smoking when they designed this poor excuse for a "museum"!

 

At any rate, here's Oscar the Grouch, who was one of less than half a dozen things actually worth waiting in line to see at this exhibit.

This is the exhibit everyone comes to this museum to see: Judy Garland's ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz."

This is a painting of Stephen Colbert. I don't really understand what the fascination is, but based on the number of people who stopped to pose for a picture beside it while we were standing in line for the entertainment exhibit, adding it to this TR should send my topic views higher than Shane's Amusement Attic and the Big Mike Road Show combined!

...and some items that obviously were not made by the Walt Disney Co.

...not-so-obvious items like this Mickey Mouse Club coloring book (complete with cowboy-themed colored pencils) hidden in the bomb shelter exhibit...

The museum had a number of nods to Disneyphiles, including an elephant from Disneyland's Dumbo ride...

"Officer, you can't throw us out for that! Honest, we were just doing what the sign said!"

...and wearing a dead animal skull on her face!

...making a puppet from construction paper...

In what I guess would be called the "Over 5 Zone," she found other cool things to do, including building a musical ramp for a marble...

But then, she probably figured it out herself. This is the only photo I have of her in the "Over 5 Zone" where she's more than just a blur!

Good thing we didn't tell her what this sign really said, or she would have 'sploded!

Lauryn was so excited about this part of the 'seum that she momentarily turned into the Spark Lab logo.

This place was so cool, it even had a Vacuum-Up-It!

Next stop: Spark Lab!

This Spanish toy, from the 1650s, is believed to be one of the world's first Animatronics (long before the term was conceived). When wound, it walks, tilts its head, blinks its eyes, kisses its rosary and performs some kind of Catholic gesture with its non-rosary hand. The video that accompanied it, showing it in action, was just unbelievable. Some of the Pirates of the Caribbean aren't this articulated!

...and an authentic "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie costume!

The "Genetic Engineering in Science Fiction" exhibit is pretty cool. It includes these props from "Jurassic Park"...

This looks just like my apartment. Only with 1950s furniture. And a fireplace. And Formica floors. And a hula hoop. (Adjacent bomb shelter exhibit not pictured.)

"No, Mr. Bond... we expect you to die!"

And yet not a single statue of Bender anywhere.

I won't bore everyone with all the photos I took of the exhibit... except this Trylon and Perisphere (the fair's combined symbol) necklace, which I thought was exceptionally cool!

As a World's Fair-phile, I really enjoyed the exhibit on the 1939 New York fair.

This windsurfing simulator was pretty cool... if you were tall enough to use it.

The object was to design a track made of magnetic kitchen utensils that would guide the ping pong ball from the top of the board to a dank, dark hole in the lower left-hand corner. Because that's a skill today's kids need to learn to survive in the real world!

Any 'seum that has blocks is OK in Lauryn's book!

...and a Ferris wheel credit! If you're a mouse, that is.

Lots of cool stuff in here, including the first Mr. Potato Head...

Next up: the inventions exhibit and play area. Go for the burn, Lauryn!

"I'm sorry, mister, but $50 is my final offer. Our cabins, however, are only $20 a night."

Here's the side view of that last one for our resident rail fans. (Sorry, Beamerboy, all their trains were dual-railed.)

So's this one!

But this one is!

Poor Lauryn was so disappointed when we finally told her this wasn't a real train....

"Seven Mary Four, this is S-4. Ponch, I have bad news. The pregnancy test came back positive."

That first car (a Winton, actually) didn't see many of these! It's an early version of the stoplight.

This is the first car that made a successful coast-to-coast excursion across the United States in 1903. Bet you didn't know Toyota was even in business back then!

No rides on this today, unfortunately.

Um, excuse me, could you get out of my shot, please?

No actual apples were harmed in the making of this exhibit.

This one stops at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk! Or it would, presumably, if it wasn't in a museum....

The museum has a particular fascination with trains. This is one of three full engines on display in and near the transportation exhibit, sponsored (for now) by General Motors.

On prominent display is a portion of the lunch counter from the former Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1960, students from a nearby college led a sit-in and six-month boycott at the whites-only lunch counter until it was desegregated. The event is considered one of the earliest high-profile civil rights victories in the United States.

This is Mary Pickersgill, who sewed the original Star Spangled Banner. (For our international readers or those who just aren't up on their American history, the Star Spangled Banner is the flag that flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry when it was attacked during the War of 1812. Its presence the morning after the battle inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that now constitutes the words to the United States' national anthem.

This is the museum's new entryway. Personally, I much preferred when they had the giant pendulum and the real Star Spangled Banner beneath a cover behind it. However, at least this way the flag is on permanent display (in a no-photos area behind this wall) instead of only unveiled for a few moments once every hour, as was the old practice.

Fortunately, the bench was almost right in front of this sign.

The rain foiled our plan to have a picnic on the Mall, so instead we started with lunch on a bench on the periphery of the Mall, where Lauryn got her fill of carrots.

[spaceace12]

 

...Washington Monument... more like a monument to Bill Clinton

[paintballer]

I need to check out the new American History muesame. Last time I went it was still in the Air and Space center.

[BeemerBoy]

At first we thought Nazis were invading the gift shop, but it turned out to be just some family from New Jersey searching for a birthday cake.

Just wanted to assure you that your caption-writing skills did not go unnoticed. I got that reference.

 

Also, while I only catch an episode here and there, I do remember a point in the show where it was a running joke or something about Colbert pressuring the Smithsonian into accepting his portrait. I think they gave in, but would only display it over a water fountain or something. It's now a cult-like thing, I guess.

 

Great randomness as always.

[U2Rox]

Hey,

Thanks again for another great trip report!

I really enjoy your photos because they bring back memories for me.

It's been about ten years since I was last in D.C. and I had a great time.

The Smithsonians were the highlight of my trip next to walking around Capitol Hill, and the Vietnam Memorial!!

 

I'd love to go back one day!!

[YoshiFan]

Sad to hear that some of the changes made to the museum were bad. I was last there in 2005 and really liked it, then last summer it was closed and I was looking forward to seeing what changed. Now I'm not in such a hurry to go back.

[TheRapidsNerd]

Now this was really cool to see and brought back some great memories visiting the Smithsonian. BTW, good taste in hitting my to fave museums of the group. The hat trick would be the Natural History Museum with maybe even a short stop at Union Station.

 

Sounds like AHM has changed a lot and BIG thank you for all the steam engine pics! Had forgetten those gems were still there. Also great to see Michalangelo (my favorite turtle).

 

Oh yeah, this is definitely a a winner!