The National Museum of American History Date Visited: June 18, 2006 Hours: closed

Admission: free Contact Information: Located on the National Mall Washington, D.C. Email: info@si.edu Phone: (202) 633-1000 Facts: The Museum opened to the public in January 1964 as the National Museum of History and Technology. In 1980, the Museum's name was changed to the National Museum of American History to better represent its basic mission. The is currently closed for renovation and is not scheduled to reopen until the summer of 2008. Mission Statement: "The National Museum of American History dedicates its collections and scholarship to inspiring a broader understanding of our nation and its many peoples. We create learning opportunities, stimulate imaginations, and present challenging ideas about our country's past." Experience: I visited the The National Museum of American History this summer while in D.C. A lot of times there is a long line to get into the museum but when I went, the line was not bad at all. When I walked through the door, I saw the huge flag that was hung outside of the pentagon on 9/11 hanging on the back wall. The wear and tear was apparent and it brought a flood of memories of the day into my mind. The flag is not completely attached to the wall so it waves as people pass by. After I paid my respects to the flag, I decided to walk through the exhibit on the first ladies. This exhibit offered great information about the roles the various first ladies played while their husbands' were in the White House. A lot of information was given about the issues and causes for which they fought. It also included information about how demanding the role of first lady can be, in keeping up an image and playing hostess. Many of the first ladies' dresses were on exhibit. Mary Todd Lincoln's dress is shown to the right. She the wore the dress in a photograph taken by Matthew Brady. The lighting was very low and the dresses were behind protective glass in order to preserve their delicate fabrics. Although the lighting made it difficult to see details of the gowns, it is an understandable measure the museum must take in caring for the collection. It was not only neat to see the dresses because they were once worn by these great women but also to witness the dramatic changes in style over the periods. Although this exhibit is now closed, it does travel to other museums. The exhibit is currently at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. In March of next year, it is booked to go to the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, OH. The exhibit costs $100,000 for a 12-week booking period and that does not include shipping. While the museum is closed, they still have their travelling exhibits as well as exhibits in other Smithsonian museums. For example, an exhibit entitled Treasures of American History is going to be shown in the National Air and Space Museum opening November 17th of this year. The exhibit will include more than 150 of the museum's items, including Kermit the Frog and Dorothy's ruby slippers.

The Customs House, Clarksville, TN Date Visited: September 9, 2006

Contact Information:

Commerce and 2nd Streets Historic Downtown, Clarksville, TN 37040 (931) 648-5780

http://www.customshousemuseum.org/index.htm

Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sundays 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Prices:

Adults $4, Seniors $3, College Students $2, Children 6-18 $1, under age 6 is free, Sundays are free to everyone, free parking for visitors

Experience: The Customs House proved to be an impressive museum especially for the small city of Clarksville. Right when I walked in, I was greeted by a friendly volunteer eager to answer any questions. I first visited their arts and crafts juried exhibition. This was a show of an eclectic collection of pieces ranging from a surrealist painting to a rug crocheted out of plastic grocery store bags.

The second gallery I entered was the work of Frank Lyne who does wood carvings. He uses a variety of woods, is very meticulous when it suits the subject matter, and loads his pieces with catchy titles that forced me to reconsider there meanings. He was a fun artist and left me feeling light hearted and curious yet not racking my brain.

Next was a gallery full of the work of Paul Harmon. I was very impressed by the use of wall space in this show. The ceiling is incredibly high in this room, and the layout of the show utilized all of the wall space efficiently. This artist uses a variety of pop art techniques in the commercial looking colors, lines, and multiples of pieces. Similar to Lyne, Harmon also uses titles to further explain the meaning of his work. For example, at first glance of one of his pieces of a gentleman wearing nothing but a cloth around his waist, surrounded by three beautiful women with lines going from the women to the man seemed to me to scream Paris and the beginning of the Trojan war with the Goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. When I read the title, however, I was disappointed in myself for not recognizing the infamous stance of the protagonist, who just in his loin cloth stood with his head tilting down, leaning at the hips with the black lines piercing his skin. He was alluding to many previous painting of St. Sebastian, always depicted in this manner.

Next, I went downstairs to the kid friendly region. There was a huge exhibition of toy trains, which had switches and buttons for the viewers to play with that made various things happen, such as whistles blowing and swings swinging. A sign on the wall read, “Take the last train to Clarksville,” which is taken from the Monkees’ song about the city. Also downstairs was an entirely too much fun kids’ exploration zone that included optical illusions and a “bubble room.” In the bubble room, kids (and grown ups like myself) are encouraged to play with big hoops to see how big they can make bubbles. This is a great way to disprove the idea that museums are boring for children by encouraging them to enjoy their time at the museum and have fun learning.

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Date Visited: October 14, 2006

Admission: free

Contact Information:

Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC

http://www.nga.gov/ Hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. Facts: The National Gallery of Art is home to many great works including paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. The collection includes over 110,000 works. My Experience: There is nothing quite like seeing a work of art you have studied and grown to appreciate in person. Having it there right in front of you, being able to get within inches to study and search for brush strokes and details not revealed by slides is amazing. I have always been attracted to John Singer Sargent’s Street in Venice, one of many of the works I got to see. The museum, then, had the advantage of winning my praises simply from its collection. However, I did like the set up, rooms winding back and separating the works by artist, location, and time. There were plenty of places to sit comfortably if I wanted to spend more time reading a particular piece. One thing that did bother me was the fact that when I go to a museum to look at works of art, I like the place to be quiet. I like to be able to contemplate and really take in what it is I am looking at. I like to feel as if I am either alone or with someone else who also truly appreciates the work. Usually, I am successful at doing this because I am good at tuning noises out and because many art galleries I visit are quiet. However, this was far from the case at the National Gallery. This was a major disappointment to me. Kids were running around, adults were not speaking in low tones, pictures kept being snapped, and I was annoyed. This problem was more of an issue in the Dutch and Italian sections, as people behaved this way in front of Rembrandt’s, Rubens’, and Andrea del Castagno’s works to name a few, but it seemed to dissipate in the American section. This made me a bit curious about Americans’ opinions of American art, but it could have just been a fluke.

Viewing the works alone makes going to the National Gallery a valuable experience. I think next time, I will try to go at a time during the day when it might not be so busy.

Monet, Waterloo Bridge, Gray Day, 1903

The National Zoo, Washington, D.C. Date Visited: October 12, 2006

Contact Information:

3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm

Hours: The grounds are open everyday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission: Admission is free

Facts: Founded in 1889 by an act of congress, the national zoo has dedicated itself to providing the best care for the animals and making advancements in science. The zoo is a part of the Smithsonian Institute and has nearly 2,400 animals that include 400 different species. Lectures, symposiums, and classes are regularly offered at the zoo, and it is also a venue for other events such as birthday parties. The experience: For me, going to any zoo is always full of mixed feelings. First, I really enjoy seeing all of the animals, some of which I would have to travel to far off lands to see. But second, I feel guilty for gawking at these animals who are being held captive and would no doubt be happier if they could only roam free in their natural environment. Then again, scientists learn a lot about the animals, and they get the medical care animals in the wild could only dream of, if they indeed dream. The information learned in the research done at zoos allows scientists to apply their knowledge to help animals in the wild. Zoos can also be beneficial in the preservation and breeding of endangered species. As far as animal variety, this zoo did not disappoint. I saw pandas, giraffes, lions, sea lions, tigers, zebras, gorillas, elephants, and my favorite, the tamarins. The golden lion tamarins are free to go wherever they wish within the zoo. Usually they stick to the same section of trees, but sometimes they venture out a little further. They were very playful, and visitors are advised to put away any food they might have when near them because they may try to take it. Native to southeastern Brazil, they are endangered due to a loss in habitat. So, in this case it seems good to have them at the zoo. On the other side, the gorillas seemed depressed. Their habitat seemed big and perhaps realistic to their natural habitat, but they seemed bored.

The zoo was easy to navigate with helpful maps posted. Misters were set up in a couple of locations for hot days, which were not necessary when I was there but are probably great for those hot and humid D.C. summer days. I found it was worth going bright and early before the crowd gets too bad. Also, the volunteers were very friendly, and one working in the Tamarin section was very knowledgeable and willing to tell us about the animal while she worked, recording their location.

The National Sculpture Garden

Roy Lichtenstein, House I, 1996-1998

Date Visited: October 13, 2006

Contact Information:

On the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Ave. Washington, DC

(202) 737-4215 Hours: Monday–Saturday open 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Sunday open 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Admission: Free My Experience: Walking through the National Sculpture Garden was a wonderful experience. As I walked around corners, sculptures would be revealed within the bushes and trees. Some of the sculptures were monumental, yet they did not steal my concentration from the work I was studying. Because of that, I think the garden was planned out really well with no one sculpture taking all of the attention. Some of the works were bold in color, however, and did not seem to belong in the natural environment. Perhaps this was intended and meant to be used for emphasis. In fact, it seemed to be a recurring theme in the sculptures since many of them were geometric and metallic, possessing a man made quality. These I liked, however. My favorite piece in the garden is the Cluster of Four Cubes by George Rickey. Although the cubes look heavy, they twirl in the wind, displaying the effects the natural world has on man made objects. One thing I was disappointed about was the large fountain in the center of the garden was empty. It was probably being cleaned or prepared for the winter months when it is used as an ice-skating rink. Within the sculpture garden is The Pavilion Cafe. Although I did not stop to eat, it seemed like a nice place to grab a bite to eat. Really the only places to eat that are directly on the mall are the cafes in the museums, so it is a good idea to take note of them. The cafe had both indoor and outdoor seating, and of course it offers a wonderful veiw of the garden and fountain.

Whenever you find yourself on the National Mall, and you have some free time, head over to the National Sculpture Garden, especially if it is a nice day. Even if you do not have a long time, it does not take very long to walk through it, and you do not have to wait in the long lines that seem to be the trend at many other museums on the mall. It is also a great place to get a bite to eat.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Date Visited: October 13, 2006 Contact Information: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Washington, DC 20024 www.ushmm.org 202-488-0400 Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mission Statement: "The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America's national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country's memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust...The Museum's primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy." My Experience: When I visited The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I had already visited the permanent exhibit. So, I decided to go to a temporary exhibit entitled "A Dangerous Lie: Protocols of the Elders of Zion." The exhibit went over the origin of Antisemitism and then displayed evidence of its growth and continuance into current societies. It focuses on the publication Protocols of the Elders of Zion and its spread across the world through translation. Although the protocols have been proven to be fraud, many individuals still take the work as true and continue to hold antisemitic thoughts. Examples are given of individuals who make their antisemitic beliefs public even today. I liked the way the exhibit was laid out. It was clear and easy to follow. Located on the lower level, it is juxtaposed against the Children's Tile Wall, which is made up of hundreds of tiles with children's drawing on them as a memorial to all of the children who died in the Holocaust. In my opinion, this placement enhances the exhibit by giving a reminder of how dangerous an ideology like antisemitism can be. Here is a portion of the Tile Wall:

At the end of the exhibit there was a video that gave a brief history of antisemitism. The set up was simple but effective in that there were barriers up around the viewing area, which diminished any possible distractions.

The following link is to the museum's webpage on the exhibit. Check out the short video on the page of the curator speaking about the exhibit. http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/antisemitism/

On the main floor of the museum, there is a gift shop with many great books on genocide. It also has buttons, stickers, bracelets, and many other small items that have big messages of remembrance.

I think everyone should visit this museum at some point, especially the permanent exhibit. It is not only educational, but also moving in that it tries to offer a view of the holocaust in totality, something very important for everyone to learn about.