Smithsonian, Air & Space and National museum of American History

We have heard about the Smithsonian for years and years but had no idea of what it really was.  Scattered around Washington DC, The National Mall area are numerous buildings housing various museums each one unique in its own way. (And all free!)

We spent most of one day in the Air and Space Museum where there is an unbelievable collection to view and learn from.  In no particular order is the plane that Amelia Earhart flew across the Atlantic (one way) and also flew nonstop across the United States.


A view of another bay in the museum with planes from the early aviation days.

Military aircraft from all wars.

And space ships and rockets from around the world.

And one from out of this world is this test lunar lander identical to the one that went to the moon.

Then it was off the the National Museum of American History for about a day and a half.  The displays here need several days to view and understand.  There are just so many.  This is the First Ladies showing more that two dozen gowns, including those worn by Michelle Obama, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan and Jacqueline Kennedy. 

Not only the gowns are shown but the china and serving pieces from numerous Presidents.

Need to go back and remember the Berlin Wall?  Well there are several pieces of it here in the Museum including the history behind it.

Machinery from horse powered to steam to electrical to hydraulic for just about every type of machinery developed by man.

In 1861 all males were required to fill out a draft registration card and it was put into this wheel.  It was the first military draft wheel used here in our Country and continued in use for years.

A sad part of our history was the Greensboro Lunch Counter Student Sit-in in 1960 that was another turning point for Civil Rights.  This is the original lunch counter from Greensboro NC

For our daughter, Deanna, on display are the original Ruby Slippers from the 1939 production of the Wizard of Oz.

And finally but not to be outdone for us older folk, on the left is the well used chair of Archie Bunker.

We hope that all our readers will find a way to visit the DC area and enjoy the Smithsonian as much as we did. But be sure you have comfortable walking shoes--we about wore ours' out!  More to follow.

To be continued...