On our second day in DC we woke-up to gray and rainy skies with a wet forecast all day long. That was a big bummer since the day before was so blue-sky beautiful. Also, since we were checking out of our hotel that day we had to lug our bags around in the rain as well. Despite the weather, we decided to make the best of the day. Our bus was leaving at 5:30 pm so we had to pick and choose our last places to see.
Dan ran around the corner from the hotel and grabbed tickets for us to see Ford's Theatre (where President Lincoln was assassinated). It was confusing because the woman at the front desk said it took about 45 minutes to go through the museum but it actually took about twice as long. We were escorted into an exhibit area in the lower part of the theater and told to walk around there for 45 minutes until they opened up the actual theater. Well, okay. So we read through the exhibit and then they escorted us into the actual theater. I assumed since we waited so long that there would be some sort of program. Like a reenactment! Wrong, it was a National Parks Service ranger all alone on stage and he proceeded to spend 20 minutes telling the story of Lincoln's assassination in no particularly rousing way. Basically we could have read the wikipedia page. It was boring. So, if you decide to go to Ford's theater ask the ticket person for tickets to see either the exhibit or the theater, not both. It ate an hour and a half of our time. Here's a picture for posterity.
One interesting thing is this theater was entirely remodeled and still used for performances. If I was in charge of that place I would make the theater the only attraction (no exhibit) and just put on reenactments of the event with actors. Is that weird?
After the theater we grabbed a quick breakfast and checked-out of the hotel. Our next destination was the Old Post Office building but after wandering around and getting turned around we realized the building had been sold and was in the middle of construction to be converted into a Trump Hotel. That was annoying. So we walked-on for about 15 minutes to get to the Holocaust Museum. I had been here way back in 1998 and I remembered finding it very interesting and Dan really wanted to see it. When we got to the museum they had a sign that said all the tickets were gone for the rest of the day. WHAT? It was only 11 am. I was so mad that I didn't think we needed to reserve tickets. Really it should have occurred to me, but I didn't. So if you go, RESERVE TICKETS. And also, you should definitely go. It's a really well done museum and although the content is difficult to handle it's so important to learn about it and educate yourself. It's worth it.
But anyways, I was so disappointed since that was the primary thing we had planned for the day. We still went inside and checked our bags at coat check and thought we might just go through the temporary exhibits. I worked-up the nerve, with Dan's encouragement, to see if we could still get tickets. Most museums are part of the American Alliance of Museums and they have a partnership for museum employees to get two free tickets if you show your work ID and your member card. Since I work at the 9/11 Museum I thought I would see if they did the professional museum ticket deal. The rules are nebulous so sometimes you get the two tickets, sometimes just one (that's what the Spy Museum did the day before), sometimes a discount, or sometimes nothing. I asked and the girl gladly handed us two tickets for immediate entry!!!! I was so unbelievably happy and glad I was brave enough to ask.
We spent three hours at the Holocaust Museum. It was crowded and very long but the three hours just disappeared, we never realized the time when we were in there. Much of it was the same as when I went back as a 6th grader but as an adult I appreciated so much more about it.
It was around two in the afternoon when we left the Holocaust Museum and we had about three hours before we needed to be back on the bus so we walked by the Castle but didn't go inside. Please excuse my terrible hair. It was raining.
Then we decided to go to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian for late lunch. My friend Stephanie told us to go for the food court because they had authentic dishes from various regions. When we got there the line to get inside the museum was out the door and not moving so we turned around and went into the Air and Space museum instead.
Whether it was because it was Saturday, it was cold and rainy outside, every middle school from the country was on a trip, or what I'm not sure but the place was absolutely packed. I mean ridiculously crowded. Similar to the Museum of American History, there is too much to see and with the crowds and our bags we just poked around a few and left pretty quick. I'm sure Dan would have liked to see a lot more there but it was just too packed.
From there we walked back to the Museum of the American Indian and got in a shorter line. Security was much more strict it seemed and Dan guessed it was because of the situation near the White House the day before. Eventually we got inside and headed straight for the food court. We shared an adobo chicken taco on fry bread and fry bread with honey and powdered sugar. Both very yummy.
Overall we had a great time. There is just so much to do in DC that we didn't even touch half of it. The Newseum was on our list, as was the National Post Office Museum, the National Gallery, and more. I knew we would miss a lot but the great part is that the trip was so easy and we can always go back. Maybe in the dead of winter the crowds won't be so big? We'd love to see the Cherry Blossoms but I can imagine that would be even worse with the crowds. Plans to make for future dates!
Come back tomorrow and I'll share our trip favorites and souvenirs.
Whether it was because it was Saturday, it was cold and rainy outside, every middle school from the country was on a trip, or what I'm not sure but the place was absolutely packed. I mean ridiculously crowded. Similar to the Museum of American History, there is too much to see and with the crowds and our bags we just poked around a few and left pretty quick. I'm sure Dan would have liked to see a lot more there but it was just too packed.
From there we walked back to the Museum of the American Indian and got in a shorter line. Security was much more strict it seemed and Dan guessed it was because of the situation near the White House the day before. Eventually we got inside and headed straight for the food court. We shared an adobo chicken taco on fry bread and fry bread with honey and powdered sugar. Both very yummy.
We poked around the gift shop and then we had to leave and head for the bus. We wish we had time to look at the exhibits but we'll have to make that a priority on our next visit.
Overall we had a great time. There is just so much to do in DC that we didn't even touch half of it. The Newseum was on our list, as was the National Post Office Museum, the National Gallery, and more. I knew we would miss a lot but the great part is that the trip was so easy and we can always go back. Maybe in the dead of winter the crowds won't be so big? We'd love to see the Cherry Blossoms but I can imagine that would be even worse with the crowds. Plans to make for future dates!
Come back tomorrow and I'll share our trip favorites and souvenirs.
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