September 24, 2014

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

& National Museum of American History
(Between the two of us we took 400 pictures-it was quite a task to select just a few pictures)

We timed out arrival at the National Air and Space Museum perfectly as a tour was just beginning. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our guide was very informative taking us from the early years of aviation beginning with the Wright Brothers.

Pioneers of Flight:

 

 

 

Great War in the Sky:

 

 

World War II Aviation:

 

 

Aviation in film and popular culture:

 

 

Women in Aviation:

The advent of air passenger travel:

 

Space exploration:

 

National Museum of American History

We began our tour on the third floor that includes exhibits on the

First Ladies:

The American Presidency:

 

The Price of Freedom:

From the Revolutionary and Civil Wars through the World Wars and Vietnam Conflict.

 

 

 

The Berlin Wall comes down.

The First Floor includes exhibits on

Food:

 

Water:

 

America on the Move:

 

 

 

We concluded our tour on the Second Floor.

American Stories:

Dorothy’s Red Shoes worn in the Wizard of Oz

A fragment of Plymouth Rock

Mohammad Ali’s boxing gloves

Archie and Edith Bunker’s Chairs and table from, All in the Family

Star Spangled Banner: 

No photography is allowed in the exhibit to protect the integrity of the artifact.

(There is parking available along the National Mall but it is limited to 3 hours.  We chose to park in a garage located two blocks away at a cost of $18/day.  There is no food allowed in the museums (bottled water is allowed).  We ate in the Air and Space Museum café –Monte had a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder cheeseburger, fries and drink ($8.89) that he said was terrible.  I chose Boston Market’s chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and cornbread ($8.89) that was delicious.  We toured the two museums during the hours of 10AM to 5PM and still did not see everything.)